Maritime archaeologists using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have located a remarkably preserved Phoenician merchant vessel at a depth of 1,200 meters. The ship, dating to approximately 400 BCE, remains upright on the seabed with its cargo of amphorae, cedar logs, and glass ingots still in place.
This discovery provides critical data on the maritime trade routes that linked the Levant to the Iberian Peninsula. The presence of tin ingots alongside Levantine pottery suggests a complex, long-distance supply chain that predates the peak of the Roman Empire, significantly rewriting our understanding of early Mediterranean economic connectivity and naval architecture.