Archaeologists excavating a Byzantine shipwreck off the Croatian island of Mljet have uncovered a remarkable collection of gold artefacts, including ceremonial belt fittings, imperial coins and a rare gold signet ring. The discoveries are shedding new light on Byzantine trade, official travel and political connections across the Adriatic during the early Middle Ages.
The wreck dates back to the late 7th or early 8th century AD and is on what was once a busy sea route between Constantinople and ports along the Adriatic coast and northern Italy. From the artefacts so far, researchers believe the vessel was transporting valuable cargo and may also have been carrying a senior representative of the Byzantine state.
The Croatian Conservation Institute first found the site during an underwater survey in 2014. Amphorae scattered across the seabed immediately identified the wreck as Byzantine, and a long-term excavation project has followed since then.
Work has progressed slowly because of the site’s location nearly 140 metres (460 feet) below the surface on a steep underwater slope. Diving opportunities are limited each year, so every excavation season has focused on recording the site in detail before artefacts are lifted.
Among the standout discoveries are four gold belt sets decorated with emeralds, rubies and pearls. Complete with ornate buckles and decorative terminals, the belts were worn by senior officials as part of their ceremonial dress. The Croatian Conservation Institute says no comparable collection has previously been recovered from a submerged archaeological site anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Excavators also recovered a group of gold solidi issued during the reigns of four emperors from the Heraclian dynasty. Besides representing part of the ship’s valuable cargo, the coins provide an important dating tool that could narrow down when the vessel was lost.
Another find has attracted particular attention: a gold signet ring engraved with the portrait of a Heraclian emperor. Rather than serving as jewellery alone, rings of this type functioned as official seals and were used to authenticate imperial correspondence. Their use was generally restricted to senior members of the civil or military administration.
Its discovery raises the possibility that someone of considerable rank was travelling aboard the ship. Researchers have also suggested the ring could have been intended as a diplomatic gift rather than belonging to a passenger.
The ship’s cargo was not limited to luxury goods. Archaeologists have documented transport amphorae, ceramic bowls and jugs, merchant scales and ivory gaming pieces, indicating that the vessel was also engaged in commercial trade across the Adriatic.
Some of the finds hint at wider political connections. One of the gold belt sets closely resembles an example recovered from a Avar burial on the Croatian mainland. The similarity suggests they may have been produced in the same workshop before entering different elite circles, illustrating how luxury objects circulated beyond the borders of the Byzantine Empire.
The Mljet wreck is unusual because Byzantine shipwrecks from this time period were scarce. The only other known example from the Adriatic dates back to the 11th century, which is centuries later than the Mljet vessel.
Excavation and specialist analysis are still ongoing but researchers hope the site will provide a better picture of Byzantine shipping, commerce and diplomacy at a time for which archaeological evidence is limited.
Header Image Credit : Croatian Conservation Institute’s Department of Underwater Archaeology
Sources : Just Dubrovnik
