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IN PHOTOS: Israeli divers find trove of sunken treasure

Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel. Monday, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

CAESAREA, Israel – Israeli archeologists say two divers have made the country’s biggest discovery of Roman-era artifacts in three decades.

The Roman-era treasures, discovered last month by divers Ran Feinstein and Ofer Raanan, were showcased for the first time Monday.

Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago are seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel, Monday, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) sent down its divers to investigate further and recover the precious Roman-era cargo, which includes bronze statues, lamps, jars, animal-shaped objects, anchors and thousands of coins featuring images of Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius.

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Rare bronze artifacts, part of a large ancient marine cargo of a merchant ship that sank during the Late Roman period 1,600 years ago seen during a presentation of the Israel Antiquities Authority in Caesarea, Israel. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

Jacob Sharvit, director of marine archaeology at the IAA, says some of the objects date back to the fourth century, while others are from the first and second century.

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Diver Ofer Raanan says “It was amazing, I dive here every other weekend and I never found anything like that ever.”

Jacob Sharvit, director of the Marine Archaeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, holds a bronze lamp depicting the image of a Roman sun god Sol Invictus, in Cesarea, Israel, Monday, May 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

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