Archaeologists in Switzerland have discovered an astonishing Roman shipwreck in Lake Neuchâtel. The site is an unexpected treasure of first-century maritime trade. According to Swiss State Media, the discovery of the site occurred in 2024 when drone photography revealed the location, and excavation took place in March 2025 by the Cantonal Office of Archaeology (OARC). The site yielded over 600 artefacts, most notably hundreds of intact ceramic vessels and amphorae for transporting Spanish olive oil. Another unique aspect of this shipwreck site includes the presence of military equipment, such as two complete gladii (short swords), which indicates it was a civilian merchant ship with a military escort provided by an army legion. Therefore, this shipwreck site helps fill in gaps in knowledge of the combined land-and-sea routes forming a connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Roman frontiers located north of the Alps.
Discovery and excavation of the 2,000-year-old Roman Shipwreck in Switzerland’s Lake Neuchâtel
The identification of a Roman shipwreck began in 2024 through the use of high-definition drone photographs that identified the outlines of a ship under a lacustrine sediment layer. Following the aerial discovery, the Cantonal Office for Archaeology (OARC) performed a formal underwater excavation of the site in March 2025. The task was completed by a collaborative team, consisting of professional divers and maritime archaeologists, who completed a 3D photogrammetry mapping of the site and collected fragile archaeological material. This ‘time capsule’ has survived intact due to being preserved in specific lacustrine sediments for 2,000 years, blocking organic and metallic structures from exposure to oxygen and deterioration.
The cargo and logistics found on the 2,000-year-old Roman Shipwreck
The archaeological site has produced an unprecedented number of artefacts (over 600), the most significant being hundreds of complete ceramics and amphorae. As written in Swiss State Media, scientific analysis of the clay and residue of these ceramic containers has confirmed that they were used to transport olive oil from present-day Baetica, Spain. The presence of these ceramics in a Swiss lake highlights the extensive geographical reach of the Roman logistical system, indicating that ‘liquid gold’ from the Mediterranean was widely available to residents and soldiers occupying the farthest northern Alpine territories. The large number of ceramics, along with the diversity of forms, suggests that there was a highly organised supply chain, serving the taste of Roman settlers and their military stationed in the region.
Military evidence within the 2,000-year-old Roman Shipwreck
A highly significant find within the shipwreck site is the military equipment, specifically two complete gladii (Roman short swords). According to Octopus Foundation, these gladii are believed to show that a merchant ship with no military purpose was being escorted by an army legion. During the 1st century AD, the shipping of valuable goods like olive oil over vast areas of land could be disrupted by internal unrest and piracy. This find establishes the physical presence of the Roman government as part of the security apparatus, providing military protection for the commercial interests of the Roman Empire and its means of transporting necessary goods for the economy.
Roman Shipwreck as a hub for intermodal trade
This shipwreck is one of the many links to examine the ‘intermodal’ transportation system of the Roman Empire, where goods were moved via sea, rivers, and land. As per the research published in ResearchGate, Lake Neuchâtel served a major role as an inland distribution point linking the Rhone and Rhine Rivers. Researchers examining the placement of cargo at this site will ultimately provide a clearer picture of the combined use of land and water routes to support the activities of the Roman Empire north of the Alps. The discovery also confirms that the Swiss plateau was not a remote outpost, but rather a bustling corridor of international commercial activity and was integrated into the broader Mediterranean economy.
