A \Roman amphora from the ses Fontanelles shipwreck\, a vessel that sank around 1,700 years ago off the coast of Mallorca, has become the guest exhibit at the \National Museum of Underwater Archaeology (ARQVA) in Cartagena\, where it will remain on display for \six months\. The vessel retains its original lid, painted inscriptions and a distinctive seal featuring Christian symbolism.
The amphora comes from a cargo of around \300 amphorae\ carried by the Roman merchant ship, discovered in 2019 off Palma beach. Its study provides insights into Roman maritime trade and the movement of food and goods between Mediterranean ports during the 4th century AD.
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Antònia Roca, vice-president of the Consell de Mallorca; Llorenç Galmés, president of the island institution; and Rafael Sabio, director of ARQVAtec, during their visit to the museum. Photo: Consell de Mallorca.
The president of the \Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés\, visited the museum accompanied by vice-president \Antònia Roca\. “Ses Fontanelles is one of Mallorca’s great stories, and today it begins to be told across Spain. The fact that a leading national museum such as ARQVA is opening its doors to an artefact discovered on our island is recognition of the work of a team that has made history,” said Galmés.
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An inscription revealing the amphora’s contents\
The vessel belongs to the \Almagro 51C type\ and retains two lines of painted inscriptions, known as \tituli picti\. The first contains the names of two individuals, while the second identifies the goods it carried: \liquamen\, a fish sauce similar to garum that was highly prized in Roman cuisine.
The inscription has been transcribed as \ALVNNII ET AVSONII N N / LIQ FLS\, with the proposed reading \Alunnii et Ausonii NN() / liq(uaminis) fl(o)s\.
Another distinctive feature of this Roman amphora is the seal preserved in the mortar used to secure its lid. It combines a \Chi-Rho, a Christian symbol\, with references to two members of the \gens Flavia\. These details provide further information about how goods were identified and the people involved in their trade.
The ses Fontanelles shipwreck also contains the largest number of painted inscriptions documented to date on a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, further highlighting its archaeological significance.
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A Roman shipwreck discovered off Palma\
The ship was discovered in \2019\, following a storm, off Palma beach. The find is one of the most significant discoveries of \Roman remains in Mallorca\ in recent years, both because of the state of preservation of the artefacts and the information they provide about ancient trade routes.
Research suggests that the merchant vessel had departed from \Carthago Spartaria, present-day Cartagena\, carrying a cargo of garum, oil and wine. The recovery of its amphorae and other remains will expand knowledge of Roman ships that sank in the Mediterranean and the commercial activities connecting its different territories.
On \29 June 2026\, the Consell de Mallorca completed the recovery of the shipwreck after four months of work, which began on 10 March. Specialists from the \Universitat de les Illes Balears\, the \Universitat de Barcelona\ and the \Universidad de Cádiz\ took part in the operation.
The recovered materials are currently housed at \Sant Carles Castle\, where they are undergoing a desalination process expected to last approximately eighteen months. This stage is essential for preserving the archaeological remains after centuries underwater.
The Consell is also preparing an exhibition about the ses Fontanelles shipwreck, scheduled to open in \December 2026\ at the \Centre Cultural La Misericòrdia in Palma\.
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The ship’s timbers will be restored in Cartagena\
The official visit also included the facilities of \ARQVAtec\, the museum’s specialist laboratory, where the president and vice-president of the Consell were accompanied by its director, \Rafael Sabio\.
Once desalination has been completed in Mallorca, the merchant ship’s timbers will be transferred to this centre for further restoration and study.
The work will provide a deeper understanding of shipbuilding techniques in Roman times. Collaboration between the institutions involved will also contribute to advances in underwater archaeology and the preservation of an exceptional part of Mallorca’s historical heritage.
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