10 shipwrecks — and trove of far-flung treasures — discovered off Greece, photos show

An international team of researchers discovered 10 shipwrecks from a wide range of historical periods off the coast of Greece.

They were located during a multi-year survey around Kasos, a small island in the Aegean Sea, according to a March 13 news release from the Greek Ministry of Culture.

The island once functioned as a crucial trade hub, where merchants sold goods from far-flung origins, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

The oldest of the wrecks was attributed to the prehistoric period, dating to around 3000 B.C.

Others sank during the Hellenistic period, which spanned from 100 B.C. to 100 A.D.; the Roman era, which lasted from around 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. and the Byzantine period, which ran from about 800 to 900 A.D.

At least one of the wrecks, a wooden vessel measuring around 85 feet, was much newer, likely dating to the World War II era.

A number of artifacts associated with the wrecks were also found, including an amphorae from around 150 A.D., flasks from the Roman period and an ancient stone anchor.

Goods were found to have originated from Italy, Spain, Africa and Asia Minor, which composed parts of modern-day Turkey.

All 10 wrecks were located at depths between 65 and 155 feet with the help of modern research equipment and divers equipped with underwater cameras, who took over 20,000 photos.

The survey project, undertaken by a variety of professionals — including archaeologists, historians and biologists — began in 2019 and wrapped up in October. It was the first systematic archaeological exploration of the seafloor around Kasos.

The research is the subject of a film titled “Diving into the History of the Aegean,” which is available in English.

Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the Greek Ministry of Culture.

This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 2:34 PM with the headline "10 shipwrecks — and trove of far-flung treasures — discovered off Greece, photos show."