Scuba divers training for underwater mine clearance off the coast of Šćedro island near Hvar discovered an ancient shipwreck containing Roman pottery, much of it intact, dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Underwater archaeologists Saša Denegri and Tea Katunarić Kirjakov identified the find, about 160 feet deep, as one of the earliest completely preserved shipwrecks in the eastern Adriatic. It is the third such discovery found near Šćedro since 2014.
A small island whose medieval monastery and modest settlements have largely been abandoned, Šćedro attracts a handful of local visitors in summer. Given its unique nature, an NGO, Friends of Šćedro Island, is committed to ensuring the long-term protection of the island’s environment and nature conservation.