Ragusa underwater archaeology campaign concludes after Cyclone Harry

The seventh underwater archaeology campaign of the Kaukana Project has concluded off the coast of Ragusa, Sicily. Conducted by the University of Udine in collaboration with the Sicilian Region Superintendency of the Sea, the mission focused on documenting and safeguarding submerged heritage damaged by Cyclone Harry.

Supported by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology in Texas and the Pozzallo Coast Guard, the research highlighted how increasingly frequent extreme marine weather events in the Mediterranean affect cultural heritage. The findings will assist in developing monitoring protocols and adaptive conservation strategies to address climate change risks to underwater sites.

A significant discovery occurred at the Secche di Circe, located between Pozzallo and Ispica. The cyclone exposed a new section of a classical-era shipwreck hull. To prevent the loss of artifacts, archaeologists performed site cleaning, direct and photogrammetric documentation, and recovered vulnerable materials. The remaining part of the wreck was protected using geotextile fabric.