A shipwreck accidentally discovered off France’s southeastern coast near Saint-Tropez appears to be a striking well-preserved 16th-century Italian merchant ship. But next to scattered ceramics, metal bars, and rigging rests what appear to be jarring reminders of modern life. Earlier this year, French military personnel noticed an odd ping while guiding an underwater drone along a routine surveying expedition. Credit: National Navy via France’s Department of Underwater and Submarine Archaeological ResearchThe mystery objects may be identified in the near future. “[The wreck] is a remarkable discovery for its depth, unprecedented character and the opportunity it offers to study an almost intact 16th-century wreck,” France’s Department of Underwater and Submarine Archeological Research said on June 11.