In March of 2007, Professor Snjezana Vasilj of the University of Mostar and her archaeological team found 16 Illyrian boats more than 6 metres under the water level in Desilo. This discovery is the first of its kind: Illyrian ships had previously only been known to historians through Greek and Roman myths. The ships were covered with fragments of
amphorae, Roman pitchers for holding wine. From the boat discoveries, Vasilj and her archaeological team concluded that Romans had sunk the ships in retaliation of an Illyrian pirate attack. Archaeologists Marina Prusac and Adam Lindhagen of the University of Oslo did not completely agree with the interpretation of Professor Vasilj's archaeological team.
Sunken boats Among the sunken ships, Vasilj and her team found iron Roman spears and horse shoes in addition to the previously mentioned broken amphorae. In their opinion these findings give credence to their conclusion that the ships were sunk by Romans after an Illyrian pirate attack. Prusac and Lindhagen's archaeological team found a greater number of boats at Desilo than had been previously recorded. They reported over 30 sunken ships. Called "
lembi" by the Romans, these small boats were known for their fast maneuverability. According to Lindhagen's dating of the amphorae, the time span in which the boats were sunk occurred over the course of a century.
Amphorae Among the boats on the lake bed, archaeologists found hundreds of pieces of amphorae and more than 700 amphorae lids. The amphorae are the Lamboglia 2 type. Lindhagen, a specialist in amphorae, said these findings suggest that imports from the Roman colony Narona were much more extensive than previously thought. Lindhagen analyzed the pottery to find the amphorae's origin and determined that they were produced along the
Dalmatian coast, where wine was exported to the entire
Roman Empire. Archaeologists still remain unsure as to why all the amphorae are broken. Prusac and Lindhagen said that they don't think the Romans would have sunk hundreds of amphorae containing their own wine, and hypothesize that the amphorae might have been dumped after being emptied. However, they also note that findings of animal bones, horse teeth, Illyrian pottery and weapons such as axes and spear tips in the sea could indicate that the Illyrians made ritual offerings to the sea. Although this practice was common in Scandinavia during the Iron Age, it has never been heard of before from the Illyrian area or the surrounding eastern Adriatic region.
Remains of a harbour Lindhagen and Prusac discovered the remains of a harbour buried in the river bed. A polygonal wall 20 metres in length and 60 centimetres in width appeared solidly built. The wall had a row of mooring holes along its width. A second wall found underneath the mud in the river bed appeared not as solidly built. The archaeologists thought that the harbour operated as a trading post, with the stable wall likely functioning as a
quay and the second wall as a
dam. They also found many pieces of pottery among the remains of the harbour, which they said indicates that this was a major trading post.
Ruins of a settlement Prusac and Lindhagen found an Illyrian settlement about a hundred metres from the harbour site. Archaeologists Jo-Simon Frøshaug Stokke, Lene Os Johannessen and Ole Christian Aslaksen also discovered
terrace formations in the mountainside of the valley, which they said suggest that a settlement existed for at least several hundred years before any trade occurred between the Illyrians and the Romans. Anchor parts,
lance tips and
fibula, and metal buckles for fastening clothes were also found near the settlement, as well as graves that predate any of the other findings. ==Significance of archaeological findings==