Off the coast of Bulala, Sicily, the wreck of an ancient Greek ship was discovered by two scuba divers in 1988. The ship was from the 5th century B.C.E. and was later named “Gela II.”
The wreck was explored in 1995, and a series of missions salvaged various artifacts from Corinthian helmets to ingots of orichalcum, a rare metal alloy made up of copper and zinc. It was associated with the mythical city of Atlantis.
According to Hesiod, a Greek poet from the 7th century B.C.E., the most important structures in Atlantis were covered with orichalcum.
Now, the ship is being hauled out from the depths of the Mediterranean. Divers are in the process of taking apart and recovering the wooden remains, which will undergo restoration before going on display at the Archaeological Park of Gela.
The recovery comes after an earlier underwater excavation of another ancient Greek shipwreck called “Gela I.” Last year, the remains of the wreck went on display in a museum in Bosco Littorio. It is hoped that these types of discoveries will boost interest in Sicily’s history.
The Gela II was discovered in 1988 when two scuba divers were exploring the waters off the coast of Bulala near the port of Gela in Sicily.
The ship dates to the 5th century B.C.E. and measures about 50 feet in length and 16 feet in width. It lies approximately 1,000 feet deep. It used to carry large cargo loads between ports in the Mediterranean Sea.
The first thorough investigation of the wreck was carried out seven years after its discovery, which yielded several intriguing finds, including the Corinthian helmets and 86 orichalcum ingots.
Orichalcum has long been a subject of fascination. Sources like Plato describe orichalcum as a valuable metal, second only to gold. It was said to adorn the walls of the Temple of Poseidon and Cleito in Atlantis.
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