Marine archaeologists utilizing high-frequency synthetic aperture sonar have identified the remains of a 1st-century Roman maritime facility dedicated to the pearl trade. Located five meters underwater near the Farasan Islands, the site contains a series of stone jetties and administrative buildings that served as a sorting and taxation hub for luxury goods destined for the Roman Empire.
The excavation team recovered lead seals bearing the insignia of the Roman Erythraean Fleet and thousands of discarded oyster shells showing consistent puncture marks used for pearl extraction. This find confirms the permanent presence of Roman trade officials in the southern Red Sea, far beyond the previously known military outposts in the north.
Notably, the site also yielded bronze precision scales and small ivory containers used for storing high-value gems. Researchers believe the station was part of a larger network of 'pearl-ports' that linked Roman Egypt with the maritime kingdoms of India and Southeast Asia.