The Discovery

Phoenician Project

The Discovery
In 2007, during an offshore remote sensing survey aimed at mapping Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage, a small anomaly was noted in the sonar data.
Since then, the University of Malta, in collaboration with a number of international partners, have been studying what turned out to be one of the most intriguing recent underwater archaeological discoveries.

Situated at a depth of 110m off Xlendi Bay in Gozo, the Phoenician shipwreck consists of an intact and well-preserved mixed cargo datable to the 7th century BC. The mixed contents of stone and ceramic objects are shedding light on the economic history and trade networks of the Central Mediterranean during the Archaic period. In addition to the archaeological benefits – including the study of hitherto unknown ceramic typologies as well as a wide variety of scientific tests in the post excavation phases – this site presents other challenges and opportunities regards methodologies and access, as well as the communication of such a site.