Underwater explorers have retrieved cargo from an ancient shipwreck thought to date thousands of years near the Aeolian island of Panarea.

Descending 125 meters into the deep waters, highly-skilled technical divers and a professional group from Florida called Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) are aiding Italian researchers unlock the mysteries of the ship by swimming to the wreck and fetching artifacts.

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The ship's cargo lay strewn between piles of amphora or the terra cotta jars used as containers of wine, olive oil and other goods. The size and shape of each amphora can help researchers understand what the ship was carrying.

Among the cargo, divers also found the ship's anchor and a sacrificial altar inscribed with Greek lettering.

Called the Panarea III, the ship was believed to have sailed around 218 - 210 B.C., the period when Rome and Carthage were battling for superiority in the Mediterranean Sea. It was first discovered in 2010 by American researchers about 40 miles north of Sicily.

Experts said the ship was a wooden vessel with a length around 15 meters. It was probably transporting a wealthy merchant's cargo to Naples when it hit the rough seas and rocks before sinking to the sea bottom.

Experts said the ship could also be a supply vessel for the fleet of Claudio Marcelo, a Roman official who conquered the Sicilian city in 212 B.C.

"This shipwreck is a very important occasion to understand more about the daily life on the ancient ship, as well as the real dynamics of ancient trade," said Italian archaeologist Sebastiano Tusa.

Additional research is needed before researchers can fully understand the story behind the ancient ship and its demise. The team is reportedly planning to return to the Aeolian Islands next year to uncover more mysteries from the shipwreck. 

TagsAncient Shipwreck, Aeolian Islands, Global Underwater Explorers, Divers, Underwater Explorers