TIRANA, Albania — A joint Albanian-American underwater archaeology project says it has found amphoras that are at least 2,500 years old off the Albanian coast, which might yield an ancient shipwreck.

The research vessel Hercules of the RPM Nautical Foundation said Friday they had found 22 containers on the bed of the Ionian Sea near the Karaburun peninsula.

Archaeologist Mateusz Polakowski said they believe the Corinthian A type amphoras date to between the 7th and 5th century B.C.

Since 2004, the RPM has mapped Albania’s seabed for ancient and modern shipwrecks, with ongoing plans to open an underwater museum in western Albania.

Albania is trying to protect and capitalize on its rich underwater heritage, with scant funding for its preservation from the government of one of Europe’s poorest nations.