French Navy's sea drone uncovers 16th-century shipwreck at record 8,200 feet depth

In a rare convergence of military technology and maritime archaeology, a French Navy underwater drone operating off the southern coast near Saint-Tropez has located the deepest shipwreck ever discovered in French territorial waters.
Resting at a depth of 2,567 meters (1.5 miles or 8,200 feet), the 16th-century Italian merchant vessel, provisionally designated Camarat 4, has emerged as an exceptionally well-preserved time capsule from Renaissance maritime trade.
Detected initially via sonar as an unidentified 'large object,' the wreck was later confirmed through high-definition imaging and robotic exploration.
The vessel, estimated at 30 meters in length and 7 meters wide, was discovered nearly intact, its contents remarkably undisturbed.
Naval authorities, in coordination with French maritime archaeologists, conducted follow-up surveys using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), revealing a diverse and intact cargo, including nearly 200 Ligurian ceramic jugs, an anchor, iron bars, artillery pieces, and neatly stacked yellow-glazed plates resting on the seabed.
Despite minor contamination from modern debris, plastic bottles, fishing nets, and beer cans, the archaeological value of the find remains unparalleled.
Researchers described the Camarat 4 as a 'time capsule' from the early modern period, its preserved cargo providing direct insight into the commercial and cultural networks that connected the Italian peninsula with wider Mediterranean markets.
Initial assessments indicate the ship likely originated in Liguria, northern Italy. Ceramic artifacts bearing the 'IHS' monogram, abbreviating the Greek name of Jesus, along with floral and geometric motifs, are consistent with mid-16th-century Ligurian pottery.
The vessel's design and construction further suggest it belonged to the class of merchant ships operated by Ligurian or Genoese crews, often consisting of family members or men from the same village.
Such vessels formed the maritime backbone of Italy's Renaissance-era trade system, regularly transporting wine, olive oil, metal, and ceramics between Italy, Corsica, and Sardinia.
The metal cargo aboard Camarat 4 primarily consists of iron bars, a common secondary export on Italian merchant ships of the period.
Historical records confirm that these bars were typically bundled and protected against corrosion using organic wrapping.
They were offloaded and distributed on arrival to regional blacksmiths, who converted the raw metal into tools, weapons, and agricultural implements.
The presence of ceramics and iron on the wreck reflects the established risk-mitigation strategies of Renaissance maritime commerce, diversifying cargo to ensure profitability regardless of market fluctuations.
The Camarat 4 joins many significant shipwreck discoveries in the western Mediterranean, including the Genoese Lomellina (sunk in 1516) and the Danish Sainte-Dorothéa (1693).
A recent discovery highlights the fate of larger ships like the Santo Spirito and Santa Maria di Loreto.
The Ragusan galleon sank near Genoa in 1579, carrying over 2,000 tons of naval supplies.
This finding is an important milestone in underwater archaeology and a strong reminder of Italy's historic maritime republics.
The combination of advanced naval detection platforms and methodical archaeological assessment has enabled unprecedented access to a submerged chapter of Mediterranean history hidden beneath 2.5 kilometers of seawater for nearly five centuries.

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