Underwater archaeologists using autonomous submersibles have discovered a Roman-era merchant vessel carrying a rare cargo of gadrooned glassware off the coast of Mallorca. The ship, lying at a depth of 400 meters, contains hundreds of intact bowls and plates with ornate rippled edges, a luxury style popular in the 1st century CE.
The find provides new insights into the maritime trade routes that supplied the Western Mediterranean with high-end tableware from workshops in Alexandria and Rome. Marine scientists emphasize that the depth of the wreck has protected it from looters, making it one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient luxury trade ship ever found.