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Underwater Researchers recently found five sunken Roman cargo ships off an Italian Island. The interesting thing is that the cargoes are in almost pristine condition which will give archaeologists and historians a better perspective on the type of things that were traded in the late republic and during the Imperium. The ships date from the around 100 B.C. to 400 A.D. I bet it would be very interesting to be able to take a dive to one of the wrecks. Talk about touching history.Archaeologists find graveyard of sunken Roman ships
I think it means that I ought to take up scuba diving at some point. 😀This was interesting. I didn't know this about Augustus' daughter. Some Romans certainly held the ideal of Rome ahead of their own self-interests:
In Roman times Ventotene, known as Pandataria, was used to exile disgraced Roman noblewomen. The Emperor Augustus sent his daughter Julia there because of her adultery. During the 20th century, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini used the remote island as a prison for political opponents.
URI has an underwater archeology degree program. Hmmm. (too bad I have this shark phobia thing).I think this is just totally cool they are still finding stuff like this. Seems the best preserved finds are those underwater.
URI has an underwater archeology degree program. Hmmm. (too bad I have this shark phobia thing).I think this is just totally cool they are still finding stuff like this. Seems the best preserved finds are those underwater.
You are right that it seems like the best preserved finds are underwater. Maybe that is because looters did not have the technology to get at them until now. They make a point in the article of pointing out that they have to catalog this find fast before "treasure hunters" get to it. People willing to exploit the finds for money rather than knowledge kind of disgust me even though I can understand their motivation.
I think the chemicals in the water preserve the stuff better too and there's less exposure to the elements (like car exhaust). Isn't there something about the Black Sea too, when stuff is found there it's in great condition because of something in the water?
