Roman shipwreck found in France

Published on September 7th, 2012 | by Sevaan Franks

The remains of a ship which dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. have been found at the ancient Roman city of Antipolis in France.

It looks like the rib cage of a large marine mammal, whose bones turned black as it was fossilised. The wreck was discovered in May during a dig in Antibes, on the French Riviera, prior to construction of a car park on the site of the Roman port of Antipolis.

Archaeologists have gradually uncovered a 15-metre length of hull and structural timbers, in “exceptional” condition, according to Giulia Boetto, a specialist in ship design at Aix-Marseille University who is involved in the dig. Saw and adze marks are still visible on the wood. Luckily the ground in which it was found is always waterlogged so this prevented the timber from rotting and decomposing.

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Story: Stéphane Foucart, Guardian Weekly | Photo: Rémi Bénali/Inrap

Tags: Antipolis, France, Romans, Shipwrecks