Episode 1601: Ancient Adriatic: Croatia's Sunken History

Join archaeologists and conservators along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast as they uncover and meticulously document the submerged remains of a Roman ship in the ancient harbor of Barbir. Preserved in sediment for nearly 2,000 years, the ship's wooden hull provides experts at the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar with invaluable insights into the ship’s origin, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s maritime history and cultural heritage. Recovered artifacts from the archaeological site, including pottery sherds, fishing weights, and Roman coins, are carefully conserved at the Centre, ensuring the preservation of their captivating stories for future generations. With specialized care, conservators delicately tend to each piece of history, so that archeologists and historians may shed light on ancient trade and daily life during the Roman era in Croatia.

Experts

Meet the experts featured in this episode.

Episode Photos

Changing Seas

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During recent excavations of an ancient Roman harbor near Zadar, the team at the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar made a remarkable discovery.

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Archaeologists uncovered the wooden remains of a Roman ship, which they dated to the first century, A.D.

The ICUA team preparing gear at the site along Croatia's Dalmation Coast.

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In 2023, the ICUA team returned to the site along Croatia's Dalmation Coast to continue the excavation of the ship.

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ICUA's director, Dr. Mladen Pešić, is leading the project. Here, he discusses plans with the excavation team.

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For excavation underwater, archeologists use water dredges, which are like giant vacuum cleaners, to remove the sediment that buries the wreck.

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Removing sediment creates low visibility in the water column, so divers must be experienced and careful during excavation operations.

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As sediment is removed, artifacts buried in layers of mud and sand are revealed. Most of the material on the surface comes from the 5th century AD, and artifacts under additional layers have been dated to the 4th and 3rd centuries, A.D.

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The team must be vigilant in spotting fragile artifacts before they are harmed. Here, Changing Seas Director of Photography Sean Hickey films as an archaeologist carefully removes sediment.

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As they reach the hull of the wooden ship, archaeologists clean along the wooden planks that remain.

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This rare wooden find has been naturally preserved by layers of silt and sand for over 2,000 years. You can still see the cut marks of the tools that Romans used for building the ship.

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By analyzing small samples from the hull, archaeologists have identified five or six different species of wood that were used for building the ship, including oak, pine, and olive tree.

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As part of preparing the ship for documentation, divers must meticulously clean the fragile wooden construction.

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Divers mark these planks with black labels specifying their relative positions, and use blue wire to delineate the spaces between them.

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Once the wooden hull is completely clean and all the essential elements marked, ICUA underwater archaeologist Roko Surić will capture hundreds of two-dimensional images of the site from multiple angles for the photogrammetry.

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Roko will then then merge all of the photographs to produce highly-accurate three-dimensional models, which can then be used to further study the site without having to disturb it underwater.

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This model of the wrecksite was produced after the 2022 field season and excavation of one end of the hull. This section was then reburied, and the middle hull section uncovered in 2023 to be documented.

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The photogrammetry models are used to help archaeologists plan for further excavation of the site and better understand how the ship was built.

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Archaeologists come from all over the world to learn underwater excavation practices at ICUA. Here, videographer Stephani Gordon films as Dr. Mladen Pešić prepares students for a day of excavation at the site.

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During the excavations, artifacts from the site are brought back to ICUA for conservation and processing.

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Artifacts are photographed and measured and detailed notes are recorded about their exact location when discovered on the site.

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Ship construction experts look specifcially at the wood samples that are retrieved from the wreck as they help them to better understand the way the ship was constructed. These large wooden samples were already broken off when the wreck was discovered - the team does not cut large pieces, aiming to keep the hull intact.

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ICUA is the biggest facility in Croatia for conserving underwater cultural heritage. Each of ICUA’s conservators specializes in processing specific artifact materials, including metal, glass, wood, and ceramics.

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Amphora like this one, from another underwater heritage site, were used by the Greeks and Romans for transport and storage. In many cases, they are all that remains underwater of sunken ships from the time.

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No whole amphora were found at the shipwreck site at Barbir Harbor, only pottery segments and sherds. The pottery found on the site comes from different parts of the Mediterranean, including North Africa.

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After a year-long process of desalinization, these finds from the previous year's excavation are now able to be more closely examined.

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All of the artifacts found underwater must be kept in seawater until they can go through a long process to remove the salt from them. If they are left out, they will corrode, crack, and be destroyed.

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These wood samples from the wrecksite will be conserved over the next year by experts at ICUA so that they can be studied for years to come.

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All of the wooden hull uncovered during the 2023 excavation was immediately covered and protected by the ICUA team until they can return. Without protection, weather at the site during storms could damage the site.

Special Thanks:

ZADAR SUB

Ul. Borka Šarlije Kese 22, 23000,

Zadar, Croatia

+385 23 214 848

Diving Center Foka

Camping Village Šimuni, 104, Otok Pag, Croatia
00385 (0)91 530 2072

Image Credits

Changing Seas would like to thank the following individuals and institutions who kindly allowed their footage, images and other media to be used in this production:

Roko Surić
International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar

Special Thanks:

Doris Kurtov, Luka Bratović, Antonija Jozić,
Martina Ćurković Madiraca, Šime Vrkić
International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar

Ida Koncani Uhač, Ph.D.
Archaeological Museum of Istria

Roman Scholz, Victoria Holze
Romano-Germanic Commission
German Archaeological Institute

Mateusz Popek
Nicolaus Copernicus University

Duranka Ladislav

Cristina San Martín Bel

Asimina Porrou

Pedro Albarracín

Saša Stipanić
ZADAR SUB

Vedran Dorušić
Diving Center Foka

Morana Vuković
Archaeology Museum of Zadar

Hrvoje Manenica
Museum of Ancient Glass Zadar

Patricia Smith

Web Extras

What's the Most Common Underwater Archaeological Find in Croatia?

Have you heard of Croatia’s Sea Organ?

Episode 1601: Ancient Adriatic: Croatia's Sunken History

Experts

Mladen Pešić, Ph.D.

Luka Bekić, Ph.D.

Roko Surić

Maja Kaleb

Zdenka Vrgoč

Anita Jelić