A routine fishing dive off Andros led to the discovery of an ancient shipwreck carrying about 650 commercial pointed-base amphorae, vessels used in antiquity to transport goods.
The wreck is believed to date to the fourth or fifth century B.C. and lies at a depth of about 44 meters. The Hellenic Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities inspected the site seven years after the initial discovery.
The diver who found it, Dimosthenis Adamis, described the discovery as the most important moment of his 30 years at sea.
“It is the wreck of a really very old ship. It is estimated to date to the fifth century, with 650 amphorae. I found it while fishing, and it was truly perhaps the most important moment in the 30 years I have been at sea,” Adamis told Greek broadcaster SKAI.
“I felt awe”
Adamis said he initially could not tell that what he was seeing was a shipwreck.
“When I realized that it was not a mass of rocks but a shipwreck with amphorae, I felt awe,” he said.
He said the discovery was particularly striking because the wreck remained remarkably intact despite lying at a relatively shallow depth for an ancient wreck.
“It was something special that rarely happens, especially at such depths,” Adamis said. “There are unexplored shipwrecks at depths of 60 to 80 meters, but at a depth of 42 to 44 meters it is considered shallow, and it is impressive that this wreck is intact at this depth.”
He described the moment of seeing the wreck as one that gave him “goosebumps,” saying the discovery produced emotions unlike those he would experience simply while observing marine life.
The Hellenic Ministry of Culture’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities conducted an underwater inspection following a tip from a private individual in the waters off the island of Andros, where it located the cargo of an ancient ship. The shipwreck was found at a depth of 39–44 meters, and its cargo consists of commercial pointed-base amphorae. At least three different types of commercial pointed-base amphorae were identified: Mende, Peparethos and Solokha 2. During the inspection, one amphora of each type was recovered as a sample. The amphorae date to the late 5th and early 4th centuries B.C. ] Friday, July 31, 2026 (Greek Ministry of Culture Press Office / Eurokinissi)
The discovery dates to 2018
Adamis said he discovered the wreck in 2018. In 2021, he reported it to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.
In 2025, he accompanied archaeologists to the site, diving with them and showing them its exact location.
After discussing the wreck with archaeologists, Adamis said he noticed similarities with the well-known Peristera shipwreck off Alonissos, an island in the northern Aegean.
The Hellenic Ministry of Culture’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities conducted an underwater inspection following a tip from a private individual in the waters off the island of Andros, where it located the cargo of an ancient ship. The shipwreck was found at a depth of 39–44 meters, and its cargo consists of commercial pointed-base amphorae. At least three different types of commercial pointed-base amphorae were identified: Mende, Peparethos and Solokha 2. During the inspection, one amphora of each type was recovered as a sample. The amphorae date to the late 5th and early 4th centuries B.C. ] Friday, July 31, 2026 (Greek Ministry of Culture Press Office / Eurokinissi)
“They are the same types of amphorae, for example. It is probably the same trade route,” he said. “Either it was a ship heading there or a ship coming from there and, because of bad weather or some other problem, it sank at this location.”
Cargo remains in the shape of the ship
According to Adamis, the amphorae remain concentrated in a single area because the wooden hull has disappeared over the centuries.
“As the ship sank, its hull — the wood — has decayed after 2,500 years. It no longer exists, and the cargo remained stacked exactly as it was inside the holds and settled there,” he said.
The Hellenic Ministry of Culture’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities conducted an underwater inspection following a tip from a private individual in the waters off the island of Andros, where it located the cargo of an ancient ship. The shipwreck was found at a depth of 39–44 meters, and its cargo consists of commercial pointed-base amphorae. At least three different types of commercial pointed-base amphorae were identified: Mende, Peparethos and Solokha 2. During the inspection, one amphora of each type was recovered as a sample. The amphorae date to the late 5th and early 4th centuries B.C. ] Friday, July 31, 2026 (Greek Ministry of Culture Press Office / Eurokinissi)
“From above, you can see that it is shaped like a ship. You understand it, but there is no ship anymore.”
During their inspection, archaeologists recovered three amphorae of each type for further study.
The examination established that the cargo consisted of three different types of commercial pointed-base amphorae, providing further information for the study of the ancient wreck and its cargo.
