Above: The research team EUA and WHOI

A wreck of Middle Byzantine times was located/detected at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos - Northern Sporades during an underwater archaeological survey.

From Sept. 24th to Oct. 6th a team of archaeologists and technicians/technologists from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities - Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece (EUA) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution – USA (WHOI), conducted an underwater archaeological investigation at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos Northern Sporades, in order to locate, map and record ancient shipwrecks. The investigation focused on default areas of the islands Alonnesos, Kyra Panayia and Peristera and materialized both by scuba diving and the operations of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Remus 100, equipped with side scan sonar and a high definition camera. The vehicle is used for first time worldwide in underwater archaeological investigation and mapped an extensive area of 8 sq. kilometres, at depths ranging from 40 to 85m., which are inaccessible to scuba diving. A new type of underwater thrusters (Pegasus Thrusters) was also used, adapted on diving tanks, increasing significantly –at least doubling– the area under review.

During the research a cargo of a Middle Byzantine wreck was located. It is consisted of mainly broken amphorae, spread on a sloping rocky bottom from 17 to 42 meters deep. The wreck was photographically documented with high-resolution digital and stereoscopic cameras, in such a way to form a photo mosaic of the entire side. An amphora was also retrieved for study purposes. From the internal wall of the amphora a series of samples was taken and send to the Biological Laboratory of Lund University in Sweden, with which the team cooperates, in order to detect DNA of the vessel’s content.

Click on the images below to view larger and a description.

Above: The research team EUA and WHOI

A wreck of Middle Byzantine times was located/detected at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos - Northern Sporades during an underwater archaeological survey.

From Sept. 24th to Oct. 6th a team of archaeologists and technicians/technologists from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities - Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece (EUA) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution – USA (WHOI), conducted an underwater archaeological investigation at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos Northern Sporades, in order to locate, map and record ancient shipwrecks. The investigation focused on default areas of the islands Alonnesos, Kyra Panayia and Peristera and materialized both by scuba diving and the operations of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Remus 100, equipped with side scan sonar and a high definition camera. The vehicle is used for first time worldwide in underwater archaeological investigation and mapped an extensive area of 8 sq. kilometres, at depths ranging from 40 to 85m., which are inaccessible to scuba diving. A new type of underwater thrusters (Pegasus Thrusters) was also used, adapted on diving tanks, increasing significantly –at least doubling– the area under review.

During the research a cargo of a Middle Byzantine wreck was located. It is consisted of mainly broken amphorae, spread on a sloping rocky bottom from 17 to 42 meters deep. The wreck was photographically documented with high-resolution digital and stereoscopic cameras, in such a way to form a photo mosaic of the entire side. An amphora was also retrieved for study purposes. From the internal wall of the amphora a series of samples was taken and send to the Biological Laboratory of Lund University in Sweden, with which the team cooperates, in order to detect DNA of the vessel’s content.

Click on the images below to view larger and a description.

Above: The research team EUA and WHOI

A wreck of Middle Byzantine times was located/detected at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos - Northern Sporades during an underwater archaeological survey.

From Sept. 24th to Oct. 6th a team of archaeologists and technicians/technologists from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities - Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece (EUA) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution – USA (WHOI), conducted an underwater archaeological investigation at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos Northern Sporades, in order to locate, map and record ancient shipwrecks. The investigation focused on default areas of the islands Alonnesos, Kyra Panayia and Peristera and materialized both by scuba diving and the operations of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Remus 100, equipped with side scan sonar and a high definition camera. The vehicle is used for first time worldwide in underwater archaeological investigation and mapped an extensive area of 8 sq. kilometres, at depths ranging from 40 to 85m., which are inaccessible to scuba diving. A new type of underwater thrusters (Pegasus Thrusters) was also used, adapted on diving tanks, increasing significantly –at least doubling– the area under review.

During the research a cargo of a Middle Byzantine wreck was located. It is consisted of mainly broken amphorae, spread on a sloping rocky bottom from 17 to 42 meters deep. The wreck was photographically documented with high-resolution digital and stereoscopic cameras, in such a way to form a photo mosaic of the entire side. An amphora was also retrieved for study purposes. From the internal wall of the amphora a series of samples was taken and send to the Biological Laboratory of Lund University in Sweden, with which the team cooperates, in order to detect DNA of the vessel’s content.

Click on the images below to view larger and a description.

Above: The research team EUA and WHOI

A wreck of Middle Byzantine times was located/detected at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos - Northern Sporades during an underwater archaeological survey.

From Sept. 24th to Oct. 6th a team of archaeologists and technicians/technologists from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities - Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece (EUA) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution – USA (WHOI), conducted an underwater archaeological investigation at the area of National Marine Park of Alonnesos Northern Sporades, in order to locate, map and record ancient shipwrecks. The investigation focused on default areas of the islands Alonnesos, Kyra Panayia and Peristera and materialized both by scuba diving and the operations of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Remus 100, equipped with side scan sonar and a high definition camera. The vehicle is used for first time worldwide in underwater archaeological investigation and mapped an extensive area of 8 sq. kilometres, at depths ranging from 40 to 85m., which are inaccessible to scuba diving. A new type of underwater thrusters (Pegasus Thrusters) was also used, adapted on diving tanks, increasing significantly –at least doubling– the area under review.

During the research a cargo of a Middle Byzantine wreck was located. It is consisted of mainly broken amphorae, spread on a sloping rocky bottom from 17 to 42 meters deep. The wreck was photographically documented with high-resolution digital and stereoscopic cameras, in such a way to form a photo mosaic of the entire side. An amphora was also retrieved for study purposes. From the internal wall of the amphora a series of samples was taken and send to the Biological Laboratory of Lund University in Sweden, with which the team cooperates, in order to detect DNA of the vessel’s content.

Click on the images below to view larger and a description.