A shipwreck from the Classical era first, discovered in the narrow channel between the island of Kythira and Neapolis on the Peloponnese in 2019, was found to carry several amphorae, reported Greece’s Ministry of Culture and Sports. Most of the amphorae were of the Corfu type and then of the type known as Solocha II (possibly from ancient Peparithos, as the island of Skopelos was known), some from Chios, and several other ceramic tableware.
The amphorae were raised between 24-27 September from a depth of 222 meters in a salvage operation by the Underwater Antiquities Ephorate with funding by the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO). The ship lies in the area of a project to lay a cable for electricity linking Kissamos to Neapolis. The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research lent a Max Rover submerged remote operated underwater vehicle.
According to the ministry, the wreck is dated between the end of the 5th century BC and the middle of the 4th century BC, and appears to have settled in the bottom of the sea intact, since the dispersal of the objects follow the shape of the ship.
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Greece’s land and seas “ hide unexplored cultural treasures,” Greece’s Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni said, “ and during any major public or private project, the possibilities of discovering antiquities are extremely high.” She thanked all agencies involved.
A 3D image of the wreck is being worked on and expected to clarify the number of objects lying on the seabed, the extent of their dispersal, and the approximate size of the ship, possibly the volume of the freight also. Working on this are members of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, while archaeologists and oceanographers are studying the shipwreck at the Ephorate.