New Type of Amphora Found in 5th-Century

Roman Shipwreck

The first in-depth analysis of the cargo of a 4th-century Roman shipwreck found off the coast of
Mallorca in 2019 allowed the detection of a new type of amphora.

Due to the exceptional preservation of its hull and cargo, the shipwreck Ses Fontanelles, which
was accidentally found close to one of the busiest tourist beaches on the island, has proven to be a
remarkable discovery.

The shipwreck was discovered 65 meters from the coast of a tourist beach near Mallorca’s capital
of Palma.

Researchers took a multipronged approach to the analysis, using petrographic analysis to

determine the origin of the amphorae, residue analysis to determine their contents, and wood and
plant analysis on the ship’s hold.

Researchers discovered a collection of ceramic objects, primarily amphorae, used to store and
transport various items within the ship’s cargo area. The initial study of the materials recovered
from the first excavations allowed for the classification of ceramic finds primarily amphorae.

According to the petrographic examination of the amphorae, the ship most likely sailed from the
Cartagena region, which is located in the Iberian Peninsula’s southeast.
Remains of the 12-meter-long Roman shipwreck with its cargo found in Mallorca. Photo:
Arqueomallornauta – Consell de Mallorca / Universitat de Barcelona / Universidad de Cádiz /
Universitat de les Illes Balears

They were able to determine that the boat likely departed carrying a cargo of fish sauce, olive oil,
and wine in four different types of amphora, including one that hasn’t been found anywhere else
before. It has been named a Ses Fontanelles I amphora after the find site.

A significant discovery from the study is the recognition of a new kind of amphora, only found in
this wreck. The newly identified amphora is larger and heavier than others, and it was mainly used
for transporting plant oil. The recovered amphorae from the shipwreck have painted inscriptions
called tituli picti, which give important details about where the items came from, what they were,
and who owned them. These inscriptions tell us that the makers of the amphorae were Ausonius et
Alunni.

At the time this ship was transporting goods, liquamen was a fish sauce distinct from garum, the
fermented fish condiment that was ubiquitous in Roman repasts. (From the 5th century the two
would become synonymous.)

The analysis suggests that this fish sauce was mainly made from anchovies (Engraulis
encrasicolus), with some sardines occasionally mixed in.
The main types of amphorae documented in the Ses Fontanelles wreck: DSF-179 and DSF-189,
Almagro 51c with tituli picti; DSF-266, flat bottom amphora; DSF-002, Ses Fontanelles I type.
Photo: M.A. Cau-Ontiveros et al.
On the other hand, organic residue analysis provides information on the contents of the various
amphorae. Some show evidence of animal products, possibly related to the fish sauce, but also of
grape derivatives, which could have been used as a condiment. The flat-bottomed amphorae, for
their part, contained traces of vegetable oil, and in one case, even olives preserved in a grape-
based substance.
The materials that went into making the ship’s hull were carefully scrutinized. Harder woods such
as juniper, olive, and laurel were used for assembly, while pine was used for the main parts. Vine
branches and other plants were used as filler and to protect the cargo during the voyage.

With its exceptional preservation of the hull and cargo and the previously mentioned painted
inscriptions on the amphorae, this shipwreck stands out among other finds in the Mediterranean
and offers important insights into the dynamics of the Late Antiquity trade.

doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-01952-3

Cover Photo: Ses Fontanelles I, a new type of amphora from the Roman shipwreck.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences / CC BY 4.0

By Oguz Buyukyildirim28 April 2024

Tags: amphora, Ausonius et Alunni, Engraulis encrasicolus, Featured, fish sauce, Garum, Iberian Peninsula, Late
Antiquity trade, liquamen, Liquaminis Flos, Mallarco, New Type of Amphora, Roman shipwreck, Ses Fontanelles I, tituli
picti in Classical Archeology, News