Shipwreck may hold secret to ancient Roman sauce

Scientists hope to piece together the recipe for an ancient Roman fish sauce from storage jars found in a 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the eastern coast of Spain.

"The remains are in excellent condition," co-director of the project, Carles de Juan said.

The well-preserved wreck of the first-century merchant vessel was discovered in 2000 when a ship's anchor got tangled in its cargo.

Scientists now hope the discovery of more than 1,200 storage jars, each a metre high, will yield samples with unbroken seals, allowing them to recreate the recipe for the sauce, a delicacy in ancient Roman households.

The wreck is unusual in that it lies in shallow water near the coast and also holds important lessons about ancient trade routes.

"Normally ships like this sink very, very far from the coast, they are practically impossible to find," Mr de Juan said.

"The boat left its course and tried to come into the coast, probably because of bad weather, but it didn't succeed and sank one mile off the coast of Alicante."

Archaeological work began in July, once authorities had surrounded the wreck with a metal net to prevent plundering.

When the vessel was wrecked its keel sank into the mud, preserving the wood, while wave erosion over 20 centuries exposed the cargo.

- Reuters