A 2,500 year old Greek ship has been raised from the sea bed off the Sicilian Coast in Italy. The 21 metre ship is the biggest and most preserved wreck of its kind ever to have been found and is an amazing find.

The Greek ship has been found to be a mercantile sailer which was probably used to sail short distances along the coastline. Several artefacts have been recovered, including oil lamps, pottery and straw baskets. Archaeologists believe that the ship encountered a storm, in which the ship tilted, and the ballast broke the hull sending it to the sea bed.

The discovery of the wreck has excited many archaeologists and it is thought to be the missing link in naval engineering. The wooden planks of the hull of the ship have been found to be sewn together with ropes, with pitch and resin used as a form of sealant to keep out water. This technique is slightly different from those used later.

The Greek wreck will be transported to Portsmouth in England where it will be restored before returning to Gala where it is hoped to be put in a museum.

Tags: ancient, aretefacts, discovery, Greek, Italy, Portsmouth, storm, wreck

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