Fishermen net ancient Roman 'dolium'

Fishermen working off the Tuscan island of Gorgona have discovered an enormous globe-shaped Roman dolium, or storage container, with a capacity for 2,000 litres.

The fishermen called the coastguard after hauling the two-tonne dolium, which is two metres high and a metre wide, on board.

Art police Thursday said the dolium dates to the first century AD and may have belonged to a Roman ship.

The Romans used the massive terracotta storage containers both for liquids such as oil and wine and for cereals.

A diving team from the Tuscany archaeological department have temporarily secured the dolium in Livorno harbour, partially submerged in water to avoid damage.