TIRANA, Jan. 6 – The underwater discoveries made in Albania through the assistance of US-based RPM Nautical Foundation have become part of an ambitious project by the prestigious Oxford University in the UK which targets establishing a database of all sunken Roman ships discovered in the Mediterranean.
Sunken ships discovered in Albanian waters, which were highly frequented by Roman ships for trade purposes, are also part of the project.
In 2011, the US-Albanian mission discovered a giant cargo ship believed to have sunk during World War II in the waters of Karaburun peninsula, southern Albania.
The US-Albanian expedition has been searching Albanian waters for four years to discover archaeological objects. The joint expedition will continue scanning Albanian waters to compile underwater maps, putting Albania among the few Mediterranean countries which have been able to identify their underwater heritage.
According to Auron Tare, the expedition’s coordinator, the project’s final goal is to establish a museum of archaeology, possibly in Porto Palermo, which will make possible the preservation and display of underwater heritage.
The US-Albanian expedition has discovered numerous amphoras and artefacts including ancient Greek, Roman, medial and modern finds. Dozens of wreck sites including warships and armoured vehicles have also been discovered.
