2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck discovered with treasures still clustered where it sank

Archaeologists recently found well-preservedancient treasuresat the bottom of a Swiss lake — and the treasures remain close to where the ship sank.

The shipwreck was found in Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, some 75 miles southwest of Zurich, by a team of Swiss archaeologists, according to news agency Jam Press.

A team of excavators from the Cantonal Archaeology Office of Neuchâtel (OARC), the Octopus Foundation and the Archaeological Service of the State of Fribourg conducted the search in March 2025, though officials didn’t announce the finds until last month.

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The cargo, which dates to between 20 and 50 A.D., was once part of aRoman merchant vesseltraveling on Lake Neuchâtel.

The treasure includes hundreds of finely crafted dishes, bowls, cups and plates that were produced across the Swiss Plateau, the central lowland region between the Jura Mountains andthe Alps.

Archaeologists uncovered a remarkably well-preserved collection of Roman-era artifacts from a shipwreck dating back nearly 2,000 years.(Jam Press/Octopus Foundation)

In antiquity, the area was known as the Roman province of Helvetia.

Pictures from the dive show archaeologists surrounded by ceramic plates, dishes and other debris on the lakebed.

Archaeologists also uncovered amphorae once used to transport olive oil from Hispania, nowmodern-day Spain.

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The objects were grouped close together — indicating that they remained close to where the ship sank.

Archaeologists also found everyday items used by the crew, including tools, harnesses and parts of wagons.

Researchers say the condition of the artifacts suggests minimal disturbance since the vessel sank between 20 and 50 A.D.(Jam Press/Octopus Foundation)

The wheels, strikingly well-preserved after 2,000 years underwater, are believed to be the only Roman examples of their kind ever found in Switzerland.

Some of the most vulnerable artifacts have been removed for conservation as researchers continue studying the find.(Jam Press/Octopus Foundation)

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In a statement, OARC said the precious artifacts are exposed to lake bed erosion, as well as “the anchoring of pleasure boats… and, above all, acts of vandalism and looting.”

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Officials said the discovery is unlike anything previously found in the region.

“The richness and diversity of this collection of goods, in an excellent state of preservation, make this discovery exceptional, unique in Switzerland and in the inland waters north of the Alps,” said officials.(Jam Press/Octopus Foundation)

“The richness and diversity of this collection of goods, in an excellent state of preservation, make this discovery exceptional,unique in Switzerlandand in the inland waters north of the Alps,” the statement said.

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Researchers are now conserving and studying the artifacts beforegoing on displayat the nearby Laténium Archaeology Park and Museum, Switzerland’s largest archaeological museum.