Wreck of a Roman merchant ship from Comacchio, Northern Italy. The ship was about 20 meters long and 5 meters wide. The wreck was discovered in 1981 during the maintenance of the drainage canal. Researchers suggest that the ship was probably washed ashore by a storm at the mouth of the river.
The ship was loaded with numerous amphorae of wine and olive oil and bars of lead. Due to the anaerobic environment in which the object has been preserved, to this day we can take a good look at wooden and leather artefacts and plant fibres. Moreover, the whole anchor is 2.25 meters long. Votive objects, dishes, glasses, sandals and military equipment were also found in the wreckage. The discovered military equipment confirms that merchant ships were often protected by ordinary soldiers.
The find is dated to the end of the 1st century BCE; it is currently in the Museo Delta Antico in Comacchio.
