Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Underwater archaeologists researching the Island of Kasos have made remarkable discoveries. In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Hellenic National Research Foundation science team conducted four research expeditions and identified ten shipwrecks and numerous significant ancient artifacts.
Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture
The Ministry of Culture announced in a press statement that the shipwrecks date back to prehistory (3000 BC), the classical period (460 BC), the Hellenistic period (100 BC to 100 AD), the Roman period (200 BC to 300 AD), the Byzantine period (800 to 900 AD), and finds from the Medieval and Ottoman periods. The ships carried goods from Spain, Italy, Africa, and the coasts of Asia Minor.
Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture
The submerged finds were recorded and documented using modern scientific methods. Sampling archaeological artifacts has unveiled fresh insights and data about Kasos’s past, enriching our understanding of the Mediterranean’s abundant cultural heritage.
Several unique artifacts were found. These include a Dressel 20-type Spanish amphora with a seal on the handle dating back to 150 and 170 AD, various drinking vessels, and Terra Sigillata pottery from the Roman period originating from Africa. An archaic period anchor was also found along with other significant archaeological evidence.
Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture
The underwater archaeologists also discovered the remains of a modern-era shipwreck, likely from World War II. It is a wooden vessel with metal elements, estimated to be between 25 and 30 meters in size.
The Greek Ministry of Culture informs further that the underwater research in Kassos was the subject of an original film production by AORI FILMS entitled “Diving in the History of the Aegean.”
Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture
The film has already been selected for participation in the competition section of leading international archaeological film festivals, including The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival in America and the Firenze Archeofilm Festival in Europe.
The Hellenic National Research Foundation intends to publish a comprehensive volume by the end of 2024. This volume will feature an assessment of research supplemented with original studies conducted by historians, archaeologists, conservators, and various other scientists. The content will be presented in a foreign language for broader accessibility.
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Furthermore, in June 2024, there are plans to extend the scope of this research to include the marine region of Karpathos. This area is geographically linked with Kasos and thus presents an interesting extension for study.
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
