After possibly encountering a storm, sailors dropped the anchors to try to save the ship, Sharvit said, but all their attempts failed; the ship drifted and all its cargo plunged into the water at Caesarea and remained there for 1,700 years.
The port at Caesarea was commissioned by Herod the Great in the first century BC and became an important economic artery in the Mediterranean Sea until it sank for unknown reasons soon after its completion. Some scientists believe it is located on a geological fault line; other theories point to a tsunami.
Starting in the 1960s, Israeli archaeologists brought the sunken port back to life, along with Caesarea's aboveground wonders, including a crusader church and Roman theater. These archaeological treasures are open to visitors as part of the Caesarea National Park.
Last year, Israeli divers found 2,000 gold coins in Caesarea dating to the 10th century.
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| Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago are seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo / Dan Balilty) |
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| Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago are seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo / Dan Balilty) |
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Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago are seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo / Dan Balilty) |
