Preliminary studies revealed ingots of a rare metal that was second only to gold in price in ancient times.
A ship that sank in the 5th century off the coast of Sicily with a rare cargo of orichalcum is to be raised to the surface. The wreck, known as the Gella II, was first spotted by divers near the port of Gela in 1980.
The ship, found at a depth of more than 300 meters, is in remarkably good condition. Its preservation provides valuable information about the maritime activities of ancient Greek civilizations, in particular their trade routes and shipbuilding technology.
Previous research in 2015 found 39 ingots of orichalcum, a rare metal alloy, and a more recent excavation in 2017 found a further 47 ingots.
Orichalcum,
whose name comes from the Greek term meaning “mountain copper”, is a
golden-yellow alloy. Ancient writers associated the metal with Atlantis,
and Plato described it in his writings as being very valuable, second
only to gold...<<<Read More>>>...