Marine archaeologists using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have discovered a submerged Roman-era trading hub specializing in Garum and Olive Oil off the coast of Cadiz. The site, which was lost to rising sea levels and coastal subsidence over two millennia, features the remains of large storage basins and stone piers. Hundreds of amphorae, still largely intact, were found at the site, many bearing the stamps of well-known commercial families from Roman Spain.
The discovery underscores the importance of the maritime trade routes that connected the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of the Roman Empire. Researchers believe this port was a primary export point for fish sauce and oil, which were staples of the Roman diet. The site is now being protected as a maritime heritage zone to prevent looting and to allow for further non-invasive study.