Athens - Four pomegranates thought to be 2 500 years old were found preserved intact inside a woven basket placed in a bronze vessel that was unearthed during an archaeological dig, an archaeologist said on Friday.

The fruits were found at an archaeological dig in the area of Ancient Corinth, located about 100 kilometres west of Athens.

"They were preserved because the vessel was closed very well. The oxidization of the bronze functioned protectively, so no microorganisms developed and destroyed the them," said Panayiota Kasimi, the archaeologist in charge of the dig.

Archaeologists have been digging in a search for any antiquities ahead of the construction of a railroad line in the area. Such archaeological digs are common prior to major construction projects.
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