A perfectly preserved Roman merchant ship from the late Roman Empire lies just beneath the clear waters off the coast of Mallorca, near the Iberian Peninsula. Dating back to the mid-4th century CE, the Ses Fontanelles shipwreck offers a glimpse into a time when Christianity was gaining prominence in the Mediterranean.
Discovered by a local swimmer in 2019, the 39-foot-long vessel has been protected by a barrier of sand, preserving it for over 1,700 years. The find led to the creation of the Arqueomallornauta Project, supported by the Consell de Mallorca. Recently, a team of archaeologists and preservation technicians announced plans to carefully extract the ship starting in 2026.
Within the hull of the ship, over 300 amphorae were found, containing items such as garum, olive oil, and wine. Inscriptions on the containers, known as tituli picti, provide valuable insights into ancient Roman trade routes. Analysis of the black ink used for inscriptions on the containers has shed light on the producers and shippers of commercial products in the late Roman Mediterranean.
The presence of early Christian symbols on the ceramic seals of the vessels reflects the religious identities of Roman merchants in the post-Constantine era. Despite the growth of Christianity, traditional Roman religion was still evident in the artifacts recovered from the wreck, including an oil lamp depicting the goddess Diana.
The upcoming extraction of the ship in 2026 will not only unveil more about the Ses Fontanelles shipwreck but also contribute to the standardization of raising ancient wrecks from oxygen-deprived sands. This discovery has further integrated Mallorca into the realm of Mediterranean underwater archaeology and has aided in the conservation and documentation of numerous ancient maritime shipwrecks in the region.
The planned extraction of the Roman vessel signifies a significant step in uncovering the maritime history of antiquity, allowing ancient maritime routes and products like garum to resurface. Whether one would be inclined to try this ancient fish sauce today is a different question altogether.
