Overview
- Akdeniz University and Turkey’s culture ministry announced the recovery of 6,511 plates, bowls and trays in 122 forms and said the finds have been transferred to the Antalya Museum for conservation.
- Researchers attribute the exceptional preservation to deliberate packing: the tableware was stacked in wooden crates with clay placed between pieces, which cushioned the cargo during the sinking and burial.
- Analysis of the cargo shows most tableware was likely made in ancient Rhosus (modern Arsuz) while amphorae came from Aegean island workshops, indicating the ship carried goods from multiple production centers.
- Coins and associated finds recovered from the site date the wreck to the 1st century BC, a timing that supports the view the vessel was sailing toward Rome when it foundered.
- The wreck was first located by a local diver in 2007 and excavations began in 2025; work continues underwater but reporting varies on the site depth, an inconsistency that officials say will be resolved as study proceeds.