Three kilometers off the coast near Tartus sits the island of Arwad. Known as Arados in antiquity, it was active in the maritime trade of the Mediterranean throughout its history. This amphora, a vestige of the island’s role, was discovered in a wreck recently excavated by a Japanese team. The shells encrusted in the surface of the amphora are evidence of its long stay underwater. This type of container was very practical, since its tapered shape meant that the weight of its contents was evenly distributed over the entire surface of the walls, rather than concentrated at the base, which might have given way when the container was handled. As well, amphorae were easy to stack against the sloped walls of a ship’s hold.