The Zambratija shipwreck

The presence of a shipwreck in very shallow waters in the bay of Zambratija was reported to the Archaeological Museum of Istria in 2008. The remains were fully excavated and studied during the 2013 excavation campaign. Due to its historical value, the shipwreck was recovered between June and July 2023. In September 2025, the timbers were transported to Grenoble for conservation treatment.

A sewn boat

The dismantling and recovery of the Zambratija shipwreck has enabled further study of a sewn boat belonging to the assembled monoxylon family, i.e. those constructed of a mixture of single-piece elements (carved from a single piece of wood) and others made up of an assembly of several pieces.

The preserved half of the hull measures almost 6.7 m long and 1.6 m wide. Since the boat was lying on its side, this left the gunwale, which sits above the hull structure, unusually well preserved.

The sides were erected on a monoxylon base carved from an elm trunk approximately 70 cm in diameter and at least 77 years old. This axial structure has a unique morphology: with a thickness comparable to that of the hull planks (3.5 cm) and ending in a highly tapered end block.

A complex waterproofing system

The hull planks, also made of elm wood, are joined together by ties laid out in a simple pattern in which they do not cross over each other, in channels cut obliquely along their edges. Watertightness is ensured by a sophisticated system combining various materials and techniques.

Between the planks is a material placed there to fill the gaps, probably moss, and the joints on the inside of the boat are covered by fir battens. On the outside of the hull, rods of alder, but also of six other species including willow and poplar, are inserted into grooves created by cutting the points of contact between the planks. The battens and rods are tied together and a thick layer of pitch completes the waterproofing system.

The boat’s structure is reinforced by a transverse frame, of which only three pieces remain, made of alder and wild pear. Their rounded backs and narrow bases were specially designed to tighten the external ties that held them to the hull.

The ADRIBOATS – Ships and Navigation in the Eastern Adriatic in Antiquity project is supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Find out more

• Naval archaeology research in the Eastern Adriatic
• Zambratija. Prehistoric sewn boat
• An ancient shipwreck pulled from the water
• The arrival of the shipwreck at ARC-Nucléart
• In the footsteps of Archimedes, with Guilia Boetto

A fragment of shipwreck pulled from the water, 2023:

The arrival of the Zambratija shipwreck at ARC-Nucléart: