by Divers who explore the Centuries old antikythera wreck Achieved intact pieces of the ship and found artifacts that shed light on life on board the craft.
The Antikythera shipwrack dates from the first century, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The wreck point is located near Crete. The ship was a trade or cargo ship. It was only discovered in the spring of 1900, has it been the subject of several examinations since then. Previously, divers found life -sized marble statues of horses, jewelry and hundreds of works of art and other artifacts. Reminders were found on board the ship in the 1970s.
The latest expedition was led by Swiss archeology in Greece and, according to a press release, took place between May and June 2025.
A diver examines the Antikythera in 2025. / Credit: Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece
One of the main goals of the expedition was to get three outer boards associated with the internal framework of the ship. This “rare” set “of fuselage fragments” was found in 2024, but could only be removed from the wreck for this dive, the school said. The restoration of the boards and the frame confirms the construction method used for the creation of the ship and offers “valuable insights into the old marine techniques,” said the school.
The wood itself seems to be Elm and Oak and can be up to 235 BC. BC, the school said. The construction method used, in which the outer fuselage is built in front of the inner parts of the ship, dates from the fourth and first century BC. It is not clear whether the parts from the upper segment of the ship, a smaller ship or a repair that may have been carried out. Researchers examine the pieces to learn more about them, the school said.
The divers also found small fragments of a naked male statue. The marble base and part of the left leg of the statue was clearly identified. Other fragments are caught at the wreck point and cannot currently be extracted, the school said. A terracotta mortar was also found in the wreck that was used to squeeze and mix food.
Fragments in the wreck of the Antikythera. / Credit: Swiss archeology in Greece
In the meantime, a series of Chian Amphorae, a kind of old Greek glass, which was used for storage and transport, was found “distributed over two different zones of the wreck”.
The divers who explore the wreck had to take additional steps to ensure that they could safely search the area, the school said. The wreck is about 140 to 170 feet below the surface, which is too low for standard diving, but too flat for remote-controlled vehicles, according to the Oceanographic Institution of Woods Hole. The Swiss School of Archaeology Taucher used Closed Circuit rebrochers with gas mixtures to ensure that they were able to explore the wreck safely. Underwater drones monitor the dive in real time.
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