Divers who found a 3rd-century Roman cargo ship off the coast of Mallorca in the Mediterranean got a big surprise: the ship was so well-preserved that its cargo of spicy condiments is intact.
The small freighter was loaded with clay amphorae containing Spanish-made garum on its way to Rome for distribution throughout the empire. Garum, made of fish guts, wine, olive oil and spices, was used on nearly every kind of food; it’s been described as Rome’s equivalent of ketchup.
The remarkable state of preservation, which will allow researchers their first chance to examine, and perhaps taste, true ancient garum, is thought to be due to the ship hitting a rock and sinking. If a storm had caused the wreck, the contents would likely have been scattered.
“In regards to naval architecture, this wreck is one of the best preserved in the entire Mediterranean of the lower Roman Empire,” said the Department of Culture of Mallorca in a statement.
