Divers recently discovered the remains of a 1600-year-old shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea harbor of Caesarea. The Israel Antiquities Authority called the find the biggest discovery of marine artifacts recovered in past 30 years. Numerous bronze statues and thousands of coins were brought to the surface, including a bronze lamp depicting the image of the Roman sun god Sol, a figurine of the moon goddess Luna, and fragments of three life-size bronze cast statues. The coins from the Byzantine era bear the images of the emperors Constantine and Licinius. "These are extremely exciting finds, which apart from their extraordinary beauty, are of historical significance," Jacob Sharvit, director of the IAA marine archaeology unit and Dror Planer, deputy director of the unit, said in a statement.
Off-site Links:
- http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/hoard-of-coins-and-bronze-statues-found-off-israel-160516.htm
- http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Ancient-Roman-treasure-trove-found-off-coast-of-Caesarea-454096