Police officers spot strange objects underwater, then make remarkable ancient discovery

The artifacts were uncovered off the coast of Porto Rotondo in Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, news agency Cover Images reported.

The discovery was announced by the Sassari Police Headquarters in late August.

The officers were based in Olbia, Sardinia. They spotted the ancient objects while conducting an underwater safety operation.

They first noticed a piece of broken terracotta, prompting them to return for a second dive, when they discovered the largely intact vessels.

The find led divers to conduct a more detailed search of the area for other archaeological objects.

"Careful dredging action allowed the identification and subsequent recovery of three intact terra cotta artifacts, specifically a transport basin, along with other minor items," officials said, according to Cover Images.

"The artifacts were recorded and made available to the competent Archaeological Superintendent."

"From a preliminary analysis, it is hypothesized that the items may date back to a time frame between the second half of the 1st century B.C. and the 1st century A.D., with a potential origin area that can be linked to Lazio, Campania or the Iberian Peninsula," officials said, according to Cover Images.

Looking ahead, specialists will examine the vessels to glean more information about them, including their precise age and origin.

Researchers will also determine whether the vessels came from a larger archaeological site and whether more artifacts await discovery.

At the time, officials said the shipwreck had been discovered off the coast of Apulia during a routine maritime patrol in June 2025. 

The vessel was dated to the late Imperial era, which spanned roughly 284 A.D. to 641 A.D.