Romans Used On-The-Go Coatings to Keep Ships Afloat, Study Finds
A Frontiers in Materials study of the Ilovik-Paržine 1 shipwreck shows Romans used zopissa—a pine tar and beeswax waterproof coating—applied in multiple phases, suggesting ships were regularly refurbished during voyages. Palynology tied the coating’s materials to diverse Adriatic environments, revealing a web of long-distance naval knowledge transfer around the Mediterranean.