Spain Raises Intact 1,700-Year-Old Roman Merchant Ship From Sea Floor
Spanish archaeologists have successfully recovered an intact Roman merchant ship dating back to the 4th century CE from the seabed of Palma Bay near Mallorca. Known as the "Ses Fontanelles," the ship sank about 1,700 years ago during a violent storm. The complex underwater operation lasted four months and was led by the Arqueomallornauta team in cooperation with Spanish Navy divers and university experts. Over 600 rare artifacts were retrieved, including wooden ship fragments, anchors, complete baskets, ropes, and even parts of the original sail, a unique find in Spain.
The 12-meter-long and 5-meter-wide ship was carrying more than 300 sealed amphorae filled with olive oil, wine, and fermented fish sauce, key Roman Empire exports. Researchers believe the ship was en route to Rome or another major western Mediterranean port. The cargo’s exceptional preservation, including amphorae sealed with original stoppers and marked with commercial inscriptions called "tituli picti," offers unprecedented insight into ancient maritime trade and commerce.
Among the notable discoveries was a coin dated to 320 CE found beneath the mast base, likely placed there as part of a traditional shipbuilding ritual, providing a precise date for the ship’s construction and sinking. The ship’s steering wheel handle, the first of its kind documented in Spain, was also found. Following the recovery, the ship parts will undergo at least a year of conservation at a specialized facility in Palma’s San Carlos Castle before being transferred to the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Cartagena for further preservation.
Plans are underway to exhibit the Ses Fontanelles in a new archaeological center planned by the Balearic Islands government, with some cargo items already scheduled for display in a temporary exhibition this fall. This discovery marks a major milestone in underwater archaeology and sheds light on the extensive trade networks of the Roman Empire at its peak.
