The team are in the final stages of excavation work on the Punic galley which was discovered off the coast of Xlendi back in 2007.

This project is led by the University of Malta in collaboration and with the support of the Ministry for Gozo.

For over 10 years, the University of Malta has, in collaboration with a number of partners, used state of the art technologies to study and explore one of the most exciting underwater archaeological discoveries in the Central Mediterranean.

Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana has had the opportunity to meet with international team composed of professional archaeologists and divers, which is carrying out this work, headed by Professor Timmy Gambin.Dr Caruana expressed her appreciation of the delicate work being carried out by the researchers in such a restricted environment and unfavourable conditions, with the shipwreck located at a depth of over 110 metres.

She pointed out that this historical discovery will provide more knowledge of the island life during this era as well as continuing to enrich Gozo, which is already endowed with a history dating back to 5,000 years BC.

Professor Gambin explained the elaborate process through which the divers are working on so that the galley can be brought to the surface and the items recovered from inside.

He went on to say that the past weeks have been important to the project, as the team had managed to clean sediment from the shipwreck that had collected in and around it over the years.

The Phoenicians were renowned as skillful and brave maritime traders who managed to create an impressive commercial network across several countries.

Their trading routes are known to have extended as far up into Britain and to Mesopotamian ports and also east to mainland Greece and Crete, yet exact routes on which they travelled have remained elusive.

The discovery of shipwrecks which date to the Phoenician Period shed further light on the possible trade routes of these mysterious Phoenician merchants.

This Friday, the 20th of September, the public will have the opportunity to experience this unique archaeological discovery through a 3D Virtual Reality Display, which will show the current condition of the Punic shipwreck.

The 3D Virtual Reality Display will be held in Xlendi Bay and starts at 7pm.

Bottom photo: MGOZ/Terry Camilleri

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