13 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

New Type of Amphora Found in 5th-Century Roman Shipwreck

The first in-depth analysis of the cargo of a 4th-century Roman shipwreck found off the coast of Mallorca in 2019 allowed the detection of a new type of amphora.

Due to the exceptional preservation of its hull and cargo, the shipwreck Ses Fontanelles, which was accidentally found close to one of the busiest tourist beaches on the island, has proven to be a remarkable discovery.

The shipwreck was discovered 65 meters from the coast of a tourist beach near Mallorca’s capital of Palma.

Researchers took a multipronged approach to the analysis, using petrographic analysis to determine the origin of the amphorae, residue analysis to determine their contents, and wood and plant analysis on the ship’s hold.

Researchers discovered a collection of ceramic objects, primarily amphorae, used to store and transport various items within the ship’s cargo area. The initial study of the materials recovered from the first excavations allowed for the classification of ceramic finds primarily amphorae.

According to the petrographic examination of the amphorae, the ship most likely sailed from the Cartagena region, which is located in the Iberian Peninsula’s southeast.

Remains of the 12-meter-long Roman shipwreck with its cargo found in Mallorca. Photo: Arqueomallornauta - Consell de Mallorca / Universitat de Barcelona / Universidad de Cádiz / Universitat de les Illes Balears
Remains of the 12-meter-long Roman shipwreck with its cargo found in Mallorca. Photo: Arqueomallornauta – Consell de Mallorca / Universitat de Barcelona / Universidad de Cádiz / Universitat de les Illes Balears

They were able to determine that the boat likely departed carrying a cargo of fish sauce, olive oil, and wine in four different types of amphora, including one that hasn’t been found anywhere else before. It has been named a Ses Fontanelles I amphora after the find site.

A significant discovery from the study is the recognition of a new kind of amphora, only found in this wreck. The newly identified amphora is larger and heavier than others, and it was mainly used for transporting plant oil.

The recovered amphorae from the shipwreck have painted inscriptions called tituli picti, which give important details about where the items came from, what they were, and who owned them. These inscriptions tell us that the makers of the amphorae were Ausonius et Alunni.

At the time this ship was transporting goods, liquamen was a fish sauce distinct from garum, the fermented fish condiment that was ubiquitous in Roman repasts. (From the 5th century the two would become synonymous.)

The analysis suggests that this fish sauce was mainly made from anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus), with some sardines occasionally mixed in.

The main types of amphorae documented in the Ses Fontanelles wreck: DSF-179 and DSF-189, Almagro 51c with tituli picti; DSF-266, flat bottom amphora; DSF-002, Ses Fontanelles I type. Photo: M.A. Cau-Ontiveros et al.
The main types of amphorae documented in the Ses Fontanelles wreck: DSF-179 and DSF-189, Almagro 51c with tituli picti; DSF-266, flat bottom amphora; DSF-002, Ses Fontanelles I type. Photo: M.A. Cau-Ontiveros et al.

On the other hand, organic residue analysis provides information on the contents of the various amphorae. Some show evidence of animal products, possibly related to the fish sauce, but also of grape derivatives, which could have been used as a condiment. The flat-bottomed amphorae, for their part, contained traces of vegetable oil, and in one case, even olives preserved in a grape-based substance.

The materials that went into making the ship’s hull were carefully scrutinized. Harder woods such as juniper, olive, and laurel were used for assembly, while pine was used for the main parts. Vine branches and other plants were used as filler and to protect the cargo during the voyage.

With its exceptional preservation of the hull and cargo and the previously mentioned painted inscriptions on the amphorae, this shipwreck stands out among other finds in the Mediterranean and offers important insights into the dynamics of the Late Antiquity trade.

doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-01952-3

Cover Photo: Ses Fontanelles I, a new type of amphora from the Roman shipwreck. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences / CC BY 4.0

Related Articles

A collection of 430 burial objects found in the tomb of a 3000-year-old Noblewoman in China

11 April 2024

11 April 2024

A tomb belonging to a noblewoman dating back about 3,000 years has been unearthed in North China’s Shanxi Province. The...

Archaeologists discovered a Thracian tomb from the time of the Odrysian kingdom in southern Bulgaria

13 September 2023

13 September 2023

Archaeologists from the Haskovo Regional Museum of History discovered a third Thracian tomb with murals the likes of those in...

Patara Ancient City Lighthouse is Reconstructed with Artificial Intelligence

25 March 2021

25 March 2021

Artificial intelligence technology was used for the reconstruction of the lighthouse, which is located in the ancient city of Patara,...

2,600-year-old Terracotta Pipeline found in India

11 August 2024

11 August 2024

During the 10th phase of archaeological excavations at the Keeladi archaeological site in Tamil Nadu, India, archaeologists uncovered a terracotta...

A 2000-year-old Rare Artifact was Found Near Poltava

25 May 2021

25 May 2021

Scarab beetle pendant found near the Ukrainian city of Poltava. During the building of the H-31 motorway in the Poltava...

Private lodges were uncovered in the colosseum of the ancient city of Pergamon

24 September 2021

24 September 2021

Private lodges built for the elite-class people to watch gladiator or wild animal fights shows have been unearthed in the...

Two monumental sculpted Roman heads unearthed in Carlisle, northern England

25 May 2023

25 May 2023

Two monumental statue heads believed to be dated to the early 3rd century have been unearthed during excavations at a...

2,000-year-old graves found in ancient necropolis beneath Paris Train Station

24 April 2023

24 April 2023

Archaeologists have discovered 50 tombs in an ancient necropolis just meters from a busy train station in central Paris, and...

From Hittite Bit-Hilani’s to Ancient Greek Temple Pillars

18 February 2021

18 February 2021

It is thought that the word Bit-Hilani is derived from the Hittite word Hilambar, that is door. It is seen...

Trier University’s Digital Coin Cabinet is Now Accessible

19 February 2024

19 February 2024

Historical coins are much more than just pieces of jewelry for collections and exhibitions and are of particular interest for...

Excavations at Meir Necropolis have turned up funerary artifacts from two distinct eras of ancient history

16 May 2023

16 May 2023

An Egyptian team of archaeologists has uncovered a collection of structural relics dated to the Byzantine and Late Period in...

Archaeological excavations started again after 50 years in Tunceli Tozkoparan mound

28 June 2021

28 June 2021

Archaeological excavations at the Tozkoparan Mound in Turkey’s Tunceli province are anticipated to turn the city into one of eastern...

A Large Roman Pottery Production Center was Found in Poland

2 April 2021

2 April 2021

A large Roman pottery production center was found in Poland. The production center was discovered near the village of Wrzepia,...

Statue Head of Goddess Tyche Discovered in Bulgaria

8 December 2024

8 December 2024

A remarkably crafted head of a large statue of the Greek goddess Tyche was recently unearthed during the excavations of...

1.5-Million-year-old Footprints have Revealed the Co-Existence of two Ancient Human Species in Kenya

30 November 2024

30 November 2024

Thanks to a set of preserved footprints on the ancient shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya, researchers have uncovered the...