A deep-sea archaeological mission using autonomous underwater vehicles has located the remains of a 1st-century Roman merchant vessel resting 250 meters below the surface off the coast of Crete. Unlike typical grain or wine freighters, this vessel appears to have been an "artisanal carrier" transporting high-value decorative goods and raw materials from Eastern workshops to the Roman mainland.
The wreck site is scattered with intact bronze statuettes of various deities and several blocks of unworked Parian marble. Divers also recovered a set of wooden calipers and carving tools, suggesting that master craftsmen may have been traveling with their materials to finish commissions upon arrival. The lack of oxygen at this depth has preserved much of the ship’s wooden hull and ropes.