A journey spanning millennia, Greek archaeologists have embarked on an extraordinary quest to unveil the secrets hidden beneath the waves off the shores of Kasos, an island steeped in myth and history. Spanning nearly 5,000 years of maritime activity, the discovery of ten ancient shipwrecks serves as a tangible testament to the enduring maritime legacy of Hellas and its neighboring civilizations. From the dawn of civilization around 3,000 BCE to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, each wreck holds within its barnacle-encrusted hull a chapter of the Aegean’s rich tapestry of trade, conflict, and cultural exchange.
Leveraging the timeless verses of Homer’s Iliad as a navigational guide, the research team from the National Hellenic Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, meticulously pieced together fragments of historical accounts to pinpoint the resting places of these ancient vessels. Assembling a multidisciplinary team of experts including divers, geologists, and historians, they delved into the depths of the Aegean Sea, where sunken treasures lay dormant for centuries. Through modern scientific methods and painstaking analysis of recovered artifacts, such as amphorae bearing seals from distant lands and stone anchors reminiscent of an era following the Trojan Wars, each discovery offers a glimpse into the vibrant mosaic of Mediterranean maritime history. Captured in captivating underwater footage for the documentary “Diving into Aegean History,” the Kasos maritime project stands as a poignant tribute to the enduring allure of ancient seafaring and the relentless pursuit of knowledge across the ages.
