An amphora as a home. The Almanacco della Scienza – CNR
[editor’s note] From the depths of the sea comes another piece of good news from the CNR, National Research Council. We are pleased to share the article by Ester Cecere, recently published in the Almanacco della Scienza: a sign of hope, of sensitivity toward the underwater world, of care for ecosystems at risk.
The article that follows accompanies us along a thin line between past and present, where historical memory meets scientific research and turns into concrete action. From the Tuscan coasts to the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, a simple yet powerful idea takes shape: restoring space to marine life through solutions rooted in the past.
A story that invites us to consider the sea not as a backdrop, but as a living organism, capable of welcoming — and perhaps recognizing — what humans, with care, choose to give back. [end editor’s note]
Published on 25/03/2026
Using amphorae as “homes” are marine species such as octopuses and seahorses, explains Ester Cecere, former researcher at the CNR’s Institute for Water Research, who also recalls several projects on the topic carried out by different scientific institutions, including the Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment of the CNR in Palermo.
by Ester Cecere
We are all familiar with the amphora. It is a terracotta vessel with an elongated or globular shape, with two handles, used in antiquity for transporting liquid or semi-liquid food supplies. Today, amphorae are making a comeback in the field of artisanal winemaking, combining traditional techniques with modern practices. In fact, they allow natural fermentation of wine, promoting its interaction with oxygen in a way that differs from stainless steel or wooden containers.
It is easy to understand why archaeologists use them as “archaeological indicators” when they are found at sea (silent witnesses of a shipwreck) to reconstruct ancient trade routes. But they are also used as “homes for octopuses.” This is what is happening in the Tyrrhenian waters off Punta del Corvo and Cannelle, in Tuscany, as part of the project “La casa dei polpi,” developed by the association “La casa dei pesci” and environmentalist fisherman Paolo Fanciulli, with scientific support from the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the University of Siena. The project involves sinking 5,000 terracotta amphorae, stabilized by a heavy support to keep them firmly on the seabed, in order to provide safe shelters for octopuses for reproduction, as they are becoming endangered. Octopus fishing is permitted, but due to the many illegal traps — PVC jars, which are also highly polluting — the fish stock has declined by 90%.
The amphorae, 25–30 centimeters long, were designed by Beppe Anselmi and made by ceramist Claudio Pisapia. The choice of terracotta vessels is not accidental, as octopus fishing with amphorae was already practiced by the Greeks and Romans. Their effectiveness will be assessed by the university through periodic monitoring, with the aim of studying octopus population dynamics and observing how they respond to new artificial habitats. In January 2025, the first amphorae “inhabited by these particular tenants” were observed.
Less original, but equally effective, are the “meeting places” created in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto to encourage the return and permanence of seahorses. This basin once hosted one of the most abundant populations of Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier 1829 and H. hippocampus (Linnaeus 1758) in the entire Mediterranean. However, in recent years, there has been a drastic decline in their density, linked to the loss of suitable habitats, but above all to illegal fishing for the Chinese market. To halt this phenomenon, a project called “Seahorse Hotel” was launched, in collaboration with One Ocean Foundation, the University of Bari “Aldo Moro,” and the Municipality of Taranto, with technical support from the Danish company Rockwool and the Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS) of the CNR in Palermo.
The project involved the creation of an artificial structure made of rock wool, a material used in construction for its insulating properties, applied for the first time in a marine context. Rock wool is obtained by melting volcanic rocks at very high temperatures (about 1500°C). Thanks to its specific characteristics, this material appears to provide a suitable substrate for the settlement of marine organisms, forming communities with high biodiversity.
The submerged structure consists of a single modular prototype made of recycled rock wool, composed of six modules assembled into a single platform. The modules are divided into two types: three with a uniform basal surface and three with parallel grooves, designed to favor the settlement of fouling communities, made up of animals and plants that colonize artificial substrates submerged in the sea. Each module includes 25 metal rods, intended to increase the three-dimensional complexity of the substrate and to provide suitable grips for the prehensile tails of seahorses. These structures were designed to function as “fish aggregating devices (FAD),” attracting organisms such as seahorses and pipefish.
Professor Cataldo Pierri, from the Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment at the University of Bari, reports that during monitoring activities carried out monthly from October 2023 to October 2025, it emerged that seahorses significantly frequent the artificial structure, which has therefore proven to be a habitat that facilitates anchoring and is progressively accepted as a refuge. Remarkably, the first individual of seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) was observed five months after immersion. From that moment on, the presence of seahorses on the structure progressively increased over time, demonstrating that it is being used as a new stable habitat not only by both Hippocampus species but also by pipefish.
Texts: Ester Cecere CNR
Landscape photos: Gabriele Bevilacqua
Seabed photos: Luca Giannattanasio, Stux, Taken, Sashafritz, Newart
Thanks to the CNR Press Office for their collaboration
Giornalista detentore dal 2015 del Guinness World Records TV e Ambasciatore Borghi più Belli d’Italia.
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