Tel Aviv – The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) on Monday said two divers have found the wreckage of a merchant ship off the coast of central Israel that sank 1,600 years ago.
The two, as they dove near the ancient port of Caesaria, found that a large portion of seabed had been cleared of sand, exposing the remains of the ship.
They also found iron anchors, remains of wooden anchors and items used for the construction and running of the sailing vessel.
They quickly alerted the IAA and together later found numerous items that were part of the ship’s cargo, including two metallic lumps composed of thousands of coins weighing about 20 kilogrammes.
They also found a bronze lamp with the image of the sun god Sol, a figurine of the moon goddess Luna, a lamp in the image of the head of an African slave, and many other artifacts.
IAA marine archaeologist Jacob Sharvit said the ship must have smashed into the seabed and rocks during a storm.
“A marine assemblage such as this has not been found in Israel in the past 30 years,’’ he said.
He said the statues, protected by the sand, were found in an amazing state of preservation as though they were cast yesterday rather than 1,600 years ago.
The coins found bear the image of Constantine the Great, who ruled the Western Roman Empire from 312 AD till 324 AD, and of Licinius, an emperor who ruled the eastern part of the Roman Empire and a rival of Constantine. (dpa/NAN)
