An ancient shipwreck transporting hundreds of amphorae has been discovered off the Greek island of Andros this month, the Culture Ministry announced this week.
The ministry’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities conducted an underwater survey in response to information provided by a private individual, who had identified what appeared to be the cargo of an ancient vessel in the waters of Andros.
The wreck lies at a depth of 39 to 44 meters and contains an estimated 600 to 650 commercial amphorae, making it one of the most significant underwater archaeological finds in the area in recent years. The cargo includes at least three different types of sharp-bottomed transport amphorae, which experts have dated to the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC.
Photo: Greek Culture Ministry
Archaeologists also recovered fragments of pottery, part of a lead anchor stock, and several stones believed to have served as ballast, helping stabilize the vessel during its voyages across the Aegean Sea.
According to the Culture Ministry, the discovery offers valuable new evidence about commercial shipping routes, trade networks, and navigation during the late Classical period. The different styles of the amphorae may also provide clues about the ship’s trading destinations and the origin of its cargo.
Further archaeological research is planned to document the wreck in greater detail and determine more about the vessel itself, its route, and the circumstances surrounding its sinking. The underwater investigation was carried out by diving archaeologist Dionysios Evangelistis, diving conservator Angelos Tsombanidis, and seabed technician Louis Mercenier.
Located in the northern Cyclades, Andros has long occupied a strategic position along important Aegean sea routes, making the latest discovery another important chapter in Greece’s rich maritime history.
