The research vessel Miguel Oliver accidentally recovered about 26 Roman amphorae and 17 boxes of ceramic fragments from roughly 1,400 metres south of Formentera. The finds were taken to the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera for desalination. Most are provisionally identified as Dressel 20 vessels used in the Roman olive-oil trade, while their stamps and markings await detailed study.
The research vessel Miguel Oliver accidentally recovered Roman-period material from a site roughly 1,400 metres deep while working south of Formentera. Both reports say the vessel brought up about 26 amphorae and 17 boxes of ceramic fragments. The depth is far below typical wreck sites, making the circumstances unusual, but the reports do not yet provide a detailed identification of a wreck.[1], [2]
The recovered objects were transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera for conservation and study. Gaceta Náutica reports that they have entered a desalination process at the museum. Work on the amphorae and ceramic fragments is not complete. The count therefore remains approximate, while the vessels’ origins, their relationship to the cargo and the nature of the seabed site await further conservation and examination.[1], [2]
Initial observations suggest that most of the amphorae may be Dressel 20 vessels, a form used to transport olive oil during the Roman period. Both publishers present that identification as preliminary rather than final. The numerous stamps and markings on the vessels may help specialists investigate production origins and the cargo’s circulation network. Those possibilities remain interpretations until detailed examination at the museum is complete.[1], [2]
