Ancient shipwreck reveals Atlantis-linked metal treasure
The German portal, Focus, reminds us of the history of the sunken wreck of the Greek ship "Gela II" from the 5th century BC, located off the coast of Sicily near the city of Gela. Over 30 years after the first discovery of the vessel, explorers found 86 ingots of mysterious metal next to the ship, which experts associate with the myth of Atlantis.
The "Gela II" wreck was first discovered in the 1980s near Bulala Beach in the city of Gela in southern Sicily. Although such objects in the Mediterranean Sea are not uncommon, "Gela II" particularly interested archaeologists due to the metal ingots found in the wreck. It is orichalcum, mentioned by Plato, who compared its value to gold. Moreover, orichalcum is linked to the mythical Atlantis, as this material was said to cover the temples in the sunken city.
The ship carried metal ingots associated with the mythical Atlantis
For years, scientists have been interested in the "Gela II" wreck and what is on its deck. During previous searches, the aforementioned orichalcum was found on the ship, which likely contains 75 to 80 percent copper and up to 20 percent zinc, with trace additions of nickel, lead, and iron.
“The discovery of orichalcum ingots is significant because nothing like it has ever been found,” said Sebastiano Tusa, who was involved in the research, as quoted by the portal Archaeology News. Researchers intend to take a close look at the wreck and what else may be found on its deck, and they have recently launched a major project for this purpose.
The Cultural and Environmental Heritage Supervision Office of the Sea of the Sicily Region reports that salvage work on the "Gela II" wreck has already begun. However, the results of these efforts must be awaited because the estimated duration of the work is set at about 9 months. During this time, the dismantling and restoration of the wood from the boat are planned, as these are the stages that will initiate the work.
Let's recall that the "Gela II" measured approximately 15 metres in length and about 5 metres in width. On the deck of the ship, apart from the metal ingots, helmets, ceramics, and personal belongings of the crew were also found.
