RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Rachel Martin. Two divers recently discovered a rare shipwreck on the coast of Italy. Confirmation of the ship's identity will make it the first Renaissance-era vessel with its whole timber still intact. It was one of the largest Italian merchant ships of its time when it went down in a storm. As they explore the wreckage, divers expect to find ceramics, coins, even cannons. It's been a long time coming. Archaeologists have been looking for this ship since it sank in 1579. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.