The Sims Memorial Library is home to a wide collection of classical works from the past, but what some do not realize is that it also houses two artifacts that are older than the U.S. Encased in glass outside the second floor offices of the library are well-preserved jars known by their Greek name amphorae, which were used in wine trade over 2,200 years ago.

“We’re such a young country compared to a lot of the other countries of the world,” said Sims Memorial Library Director Eric Johnson. “So it’s interesting to me that we have something that is nearly 2,200 years old. What we consider old in this country might not even be considered historic in another country.”

The amphorae were originally retrieved in 1952 by French explorer Jacques Cousteau, who led the Calypso Archeological Expedition to study a Grecian shipwreck from the third century B.C., which was located 40 meters under the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Marseilles, France. There was an estimate of 10,000 amphorae on the ship, which were brought to the surface, and taken back to the Borely Museum and the Roman Docks Museum of Marseilles.

“What I find interesting is the fact that they’re here at all and that it seems to be a nice compliment to the book collection,” said Johnson. “We have books that talk about this time period, we have books by people from this time period and I find it fascinating to have artifacts from this time period.”

Southeastern became home to the amphorae in 1966 after being donated by Heyward Gibbes Hill, a native of the Hammond area and a U.S. career diplomat. According to Johnson, Cousteau presented the two amphorae to Hill while Hill served as American Consul General in Marseilles. Hill would later then donate the amphorae to the university.

“They have been here since I have been here,” said Johnson. “I remember when I first came, I thought, ‘What an interesting treasure to have in a library.’ It’s the kind of thing you would find in an art museum or maybe a history museum.”

According to Johnson, the amphorae are not terribly fragile, but could break if they fall over, and thus are kept upright in stands within their case for safekeeping. The amphorae are standard Grecian containers believed to have been produced on the island of Delos around 230 B.C. Made out of terra-cotta, these amphorae could hold a full weight of nearly 100 pounds and were used to contain liquid or granular products that would flow into and out of the jars, such as wine, oil, grain, olives, dates and dyes.

“I find the shape of them to be beautiful, but obviously it was a utilitarian object, something made to be used,” said Johnson. “It just stops you, and then you start thinking, ‘How long we’ve been on this planet and how long people have been creating beautiful or useful things?'”

For all the time the amphorae have been at Southeastern, and for all the history they contain, their presence has gone unnoticed by the student body.

“A lot of people never really noticed them,” said Johnson. “People would sit and read next to them or study, and I’m sure it has never dawned on them what was inside. Hopefully they’ll make students think about history, and how some things last and how some things don’t last.”