4 Visitable Underwater Archaeological Sites in Greece

Famend for its wealthy cultural heritage, Greece gives a novel glimpse into the previous via its underwater archaeological websites. From historic shipwrecks to submerged prehistoric landscapes, these underwater treasures unveil tales of commerce and maritime exploration courting again hundreds of years. With over 6,000 islands and an intensive shoreline, Greece boasts a wealth of submerged websites ready to be found and explored.

To that finish, the Hellenic Ministry of Tradition is about to unveil an exhilarating alternative for diving fans: guided visits to 4 underwater archaeological websites off the east coast.

This newest initiative marks the end result of a pilot section launched in 2020, beginning with the long-lasting Peristera Shipwreck off the island of Alonnisos, Greece’s first underwater museum. Spearheaded by the Ministry’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, the undertaking goals to create an immersive expertise whereas safeguarding the nation’s wealthy maritime heritage.

In a current assertion, Tradition Minister Lina Mendoni emphasised the importance of this endeavor: “Our dedication to showcasing our underwater cultural legacy has led us to open 4 underwater archaeological websites within the Magnesia area of Thessaly. This underwater archaeological park not solely enriches our cultural panorama but additionally positions Greece as a outstanding vacation spot for diving tourism.”

In Greece, entry to underwater archaeological websites is strictly regulated by legislation, which stipulates the safety, administration, and examine of submerged cultural heritage. This legislation grants the Greek State possession and jurisdiction over all underwater antiquities inside its territorial waters and unique financial zone. Unauthorized entry, excavation, or the removing of artifacts from underwater websites is forbidden and topic to extreme authorized penalties.

Till lately, underwater archaeological websites in Greece had been off-limits to all however a handful of extremely specialised maritime archaeologists. This coverage was initially designed by the nation’s Ministry of Tradition to guard the possibly hundreds of submerged websites from would-be looters. With the huge potential for diving tourism, restrictions had been steadily relaxed in 2005, opening a choose variety of websites to the scuba-diving public.

An inventory of the presently accessible wrecks will be discovered here.

On this newest initiative, overseen by personnel from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, the Ministry is laying the groundwork for structured visits to 4 underwater websites: one off the island of Alonnisos, and three within the Pagasetic Gulf, east central Greece.

With funding from the Regional Operation Program of Thessaly, and with a completion schedule on the finish of 2025, the rules will dictate the variety of divers per go to, set up a community of designated diver trails round every web site, and implement strict prohibitions on touching or interfering with the artifacts.  

Divers embarking on these organized visits will depart from licensed diving facilities within the firm {of professional} guides. Mooring factors, floor marker buoys, and dive strains will guarantee the protection of the divers, in addition to the safety of the antiquities from fishing, anchoring and the passage of boats.

As well as, superior applied sciences, together with the Submarine Optical Monitoring System and a community of floor cameras, will present real-time surveillance of the websites by the Hellenic Coastguard, permitting for distant supervision and the swift response to any potential threats.     

Underwater Treasures

Peristera Shipwreck, Alonnisos

The Peristera Shipwreck, nestled east of Alonnisos inside the marine park of the Northern Sporades, stands as a testomony to historic maritime commerce. Found in 1985 by a neighborhood fisherman, this exceptional web site, dubbed the “Parthenon of Shipwrecks,” gives a glimpse into the bustling commerce of the late fifth century BC.

At depths starting from 22 to 30m, the shipwreck reveals an unlimited cargo of some 3,500 to 4,000 amphoras (two-handled ceramic storage jars), heaped in a big hull-shaped mound on the seabed. These clay vessels, used for transporting items comparable to wine and olive oil, kind the spine of the ship’s cargo, which might have exceeded 100 tons.

Of explicit curiosity are the 2 distinct forms of amphoras recognized: these hailing from the Macedonian port of Mende (Chalkidiki), and others from historic Peparethos (Skopelos). Thought to have carried wine, these vessels present beneficial insights into historic commerce routes and cultural exchanges through the time of the Peloponnesian Warfare (431-404 BC).

Additionally among the many findings are luxurious vessels (black-glazed bowls, consuming cups and plates) serving as secondary cargo, on a regular basis objects (oil lamps, jugs) of the crew, and objects associated to the ship’s rigging (lead anchor parts and nails).

For our full information to the well-known Peristera wreck, click on here.

Telegrafos Shipwreck

Found in Telegrafos Bay (Pagasetic Gulf) within the yr 2000, this shipwreck presents a wealthy focus of Late Roman-era amphoras, together with one identified sort from historic Palestine within the southern Levant. Nestled on a rocky seabed with sandy patches at a depth of 17 to 23m, this web site gives an interesting glimpse into the maritime commerce networks that linked the northeast Aegean with the broader japanese Mediterranean world in Late Antiquity.

Among the many discoveries are eight distinct forms of business amphoras, all courting again to the 4th century AD. Traces of pitch discovered inside 20 of the vessels – the most important identified focus in Greece – counsel their use in transporting wine.

The shipwreck web site reveals two most important concentrations of amphoras on the seabed, suggesting its sinking didn’t occur rapidly. The thriller surrounding its destiny provides an aura of intrigue to the location.

Kikynthos Shipwreck

Archaeological surveys on the uninhabited islet of Kikynthos, positioned at the doorway of Amaliapolis Bay within the western Pagasetic Gulf, have revealed an assortment of artifacts ranging in date from the early Christian interval to the nineteenth century. As such, the native Ephorate has designated the islet a protected archaeological web site. 

In 2005, at a depth of three.5 to 12m, a big mound of damaged transport vessels was found off the northwest coast of the islet, together with fragments of amphoras typologically courting to the ninth century. Different amphoras had been extra exactly dated to the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

The archaeological information thus far signifies the wreck of a comparatively small service provider ship of the Center Byzantine interval, in all probability of the eleventh century.

Cape Glaros

Located on the southwest coast of the Pagasetic Gulf, Cape Glaros stands as a testomony to the perils confronted by historic mariners. This location served as a passageway for ships trying to enter the sheltered waters of the gulf from the open sea. Traces of at the least 4 historic shipwrecks, one Hellenistic, one Roman, and two Byzantine, dot the seabed, together with pottery and anchors from different intervals that symbolize attainable discards – objects that had been intentionally thrown overboard.

Of explicit word are the findings of over ten iron Byzantine anchors, present in two distinct concentrations – the most important assortment present in Greek waters so far. These anchors are believed to be related to amphoras courting again to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, suggesting a wreck of a giant Byzantine service provider ship.