History
An well-preserved Roman shipwreck has been fully uncovered in Barbir Bay, Sukošan. Archaeologists from the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar first discovered the wreck four years ago while researching the ancient Roman harbour at Barbir.
“We came across a piece of timber with an iron nail, which suggested there might be something more significant nearby. The following year we expanded the search area and realised it was a Roman shipwreck. After four and a half years of research, this final season has allowed us to uncover the entire ship,” Mladen Pešić, director of the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar.
The numerous wooden elements discovered during the research will allow scientists to create a model of the ship in the coming years that shows what it originally looked like.
The Roman merchant ship dates probably to the first or second century CE. The ship was likely lost in a storm.
The vessel is approximately 40 feet long and still retains elements of the ship’s upper works, a rare find for such an ancient craft
Description
| Length | 40 feet (12.2 m) |
|---|
Status
Most recently, the archaeological team carried out photogrammetric imaging of the ship’s cleaned remains. Utilizing 3D modeling, they aim to reconstruct the ancient ship to gain new insight into its navigational capabilities, which will in turn reveal details of regional trade and sailing during the period. “This is a very precise and stable type of ship construction, capable of carrying heavy loads and sailing medium to long distances explained Anton Divić, owner of the Croatian underwater archaeology company NavArchos.