Roman Shipwreck off Croatia Coast Reveals Ancient Shipbuilding Techniques

On the coast of Croatia, a Roman-era shipwreck has provided archaeologists with some remarkable insight into how ancient ships were constructed and maintained to be able to endure a long journey at sea. The shipwreck in question, which is referred to as Ilovik–Paržine 1, dates back to approximately 2,200 years ago, thus providing archaeologists with an extremely valuable resource to study the Roman strategy of shipbuilding for the purpose of maritime trade. Most previous research has focused on how to create a sturdy vessel out of wood; most of the focus of the latter has overlooked the use of non-wood materials as well as various coatings used to keep wooden ships protected from seawater, decomposition, and marine life.

Shipbuilders of those ancient times made use of natural products that could safeguard their vessels from rough conditions at sea. One of the main components that was used for this purpose was pitch – a viscous product obtained through boiling conifer resin. According to the discovery titled "Adhesive coatings in naval archaeology: molecular and palynological investigations on materials from the Roman Republican wreck Ilovik–Paržine 1 (Croatia)," which was published in Frontiers, the coating of the vessel consisted mostly of pitch obtained from pine resin, sometimes mixed with beeswax for better elasticity and workability.

The boat had been repaired several times throughout its life cycle. Scientists have discovered four to five coats of paint on different sections of the boat, which suggests that it was serviced on different occasions, perhaps in different places. It can be concluded that Roman boats were serviced regularly within a systematic process of repairing them to make them last longer.

One of the major discoveries was from pollen that was trapped in the substance used for the coating. Being sticky, pitch has helped preserve these minute pieces of pollen that were part of the environment surrounding it. Based on the analysis of this pollen, several landscapes could be deciphered, such as the Mediterranean forest landscape, as well as the coast. This reveals that the ship may have been repaired at several locations around the Adriatic Sea.

The conservation of the shipwreck was also dependent on the nature of the surrounding underwater area. When the ship sank, it partially got buried beneath sediments, limiting the amount of oxygen with which it could come into contact. This decreased the rate at which the bacteria acted on organic materials, thus helping conserve the ship. The ship remained in good condition even after about 2,000 years.

This discovery proves that there was something else behind Roman ship construction other than building wooden boats. There was the presence of some waterproofing materials, an understanding of chemical formulas, and repairs that needed to be conducted on a regular basis. The mixture of pitch and beeswax, together with multiple coatings, indicates the knowledge base that enabled the durability of the ships. The wreck gives us hints into the workings of the ancient maritime system, proving that durable ships were built through effective design and frequent repairs.