Greece: The intervention of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities within the framework of BLUEMED

Completion of the intervention of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities and its partners in the shipwrecks of Alonnisos and Pagasitikos within the framework of the European project BLUEMED In October 2018 a very significant phase of the European project BLUEMED has been finally completed. The project has started in November 2016 and is expected to end in October 2019. Its scope is to study internationally for the first time the optimum and best practices for the protection and promotion of the underwater cultural heritage and more specifically the operation of the underwater accessible archaeological sites in ancient shipwrecks. At the same time, the project will protect and exploit the enormous underwater natural wealth and biodiversity of the Mediterranean.

More specifically, the first in situ intervention was implemented by the Ephorate of Old Antiquities and its partners from Cyprus (Oceanography Center University of Cyprus), from Croatia University of Zagreb (School of Electrical Engineering & Computing) and from Italy University of Calabria (Department of Mechanical, Energy & Management Engineering) in the selected sites to be announced as accessible, based on the Documents issued by the Ministry of Culture and Sports DAPK/DIPKA/ΤPΚΑΧΜΑΕ/F53/12387/6960/772/240/19-1-2015(FEK119/Β/21-1-2015) concerning the shipwrecks of Alonnisos and Pagasitikos Bay. Highly significant was the support from the Region of Thessaly, who is also the Coordinator of the 14 in total partners of the Project, as well as the contribution of the local diving centers.

In the period between 28/9/2018 and 15/10/2018 specialized teams from the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities implemented underwater autopsies, cleansing works and inspections in the selected pilot sites of Peristera located at Alonissos at Western Pagasitikos on the context of the European project, in which the Ephorate participates as partner. Main target of these works both in the classical wreck of Peristera situated in Alonissos as well as in the areas of Kikinthos, Cape Telegraphos and Cape Glaros was to initially to delimit and define the "microregions" of the monuments, corresponding to the route of the visit, to document their current situation, to identify points of interest for visitors / divers and to clean the sites from any waste and modern interventions.

In total, the works of the Ephorate of the Underwater Antiquities aimed at preparing the sites for the development of three-dimensional surveys of the wrecks and the geomorphology of the seabed, a project being implemented by the University of Calabria (Department of Mechanical,

Energy & Management Engineering) in cooperation with the University of Zagreb (School of Electrical Engineering & Computing)

For the achievement of the representation of the sites, lateral scanning sonar and autonomous underwater vehicles as well as photogrammetric imprinting method were used. These works were preceded by the mapping and exploration of the biodiversity of the sites, which has been undertaken by the Oceanographic Center of the University of Cyprus.

All of these actions occurred in the specific underwater pilot sites aim to create the conditions and prerequisites so as these pilot sites will become securely accessible to the public. This month’s project ends by succeeding highly satisfactory results and acquiring more updated information, thus allowing us to organize better our next steps for the successful completion of the Program.

Photo by Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities

The shipwreck of Peristera after the cleansing process and the removal of bearing organisms

Antiquities

The site of the shipwreck Kikinthos

Photo by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities

The site of the shipwreck at Cape Telegraphos

Photo by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities