Miners accidentally discover an ancient Roman boat in Serbia (photo)

The remains of an ancient wooden structure of a Roman ship have been discovered in Serbia. It was found by miners in a large open-pit coal mine.

After an excavator at the Drmno mine found the wood, experts from the site of a former Roman settlement known as Viminacium rushed to try to preserve the ship's skeleton. This was the second such discovery in the area since 2020, reports Daily Sabah.

The vessel was probably part of a river fleet that served an extensive and highly developed Roman city of 45,000 people. The settlement had a hippodrome, fortifications, a forum, a palace, temples, an amphitheater, aqueducts, baths, and workshops.

Read also: 30 ancient tombs belonging to the highest clergy found in Turkey

Leading archaeologist Miomir Korac said that preliminary findings suggest that the ship may date from the 3rd or 4th century AD. At that time, Viminacium was the capital of the Roman province of Upper Mezia and had a port on a tributary of the Danube River.

Archaeologists believe that two ships and three canoes discovered in the area either sank or were abandoned on the riverbank.

Excavations of the Viminacium have been ongoing since 1882, but archaeologists estimate that they have covered only 5% of the site, which they say is 450 hectares. Finds include gold tiles, jade sculptures, mosaics and frescoes, weapons, and the remains of three mammoths.

As a reminder, English scientists have restored an ancient gate dating back 2,000 years, which was called the door to Britain.

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