Croatian archaeologists, after six years of research near the village of Sukošan, have discovered a Roman wooden boat from the first century, as reported by the local Croatian newspaper Zadarski.hr. The boat measures 29.5 feet in length and nearly 10 feet in width, and was unearthed by a team from the International Center for Underwater Archaeology based in the coastal city of Zadar.

The ancient port of Barbir, identified underwater since 1973, became a focus of serious archaeological study starting in 2017. In 2021, the discovery of wooden fragments and thirty bronze coins from the era of Roman Emperor Constantine led underwater archaeologists to suspect a significant wreck site. Aerial photographs later revealed submerged structures, and a comprehensive underwater survey covering 172 square feet ultimately revealed the remarkably well-preserved ship, protected by a layer of sand for over two millennia.

Mladen Pešić, director of the center, described the find as having the entire shell of the ship preserved, a rarity that underscores its significance. Samples of the ship’s wooden components have been sent to France for analysis to determine their origin, with further research planned for the ship’s remaining half in the upcoming year.