A project of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
The amazing weather window continues and team in logging one of the most productive field season yet. Typical dive rotations include staggered archeologists / guardians who have a bottom time between 40 and 70 minutes with a total run time of 2 to 3 hours. In addition an imaging team jumps between the rotations capturing both still and 4K video.
The diving continues at Antikythera. We have had a run of exceptional weather with light winds from the west which allows the team to access the site under the protection of the island. Todays dives were focused on continued test excavations in known areas of the site that have yielded either diagnostic finds or metal detector signals. In addition, divers and archeologists worked to delineate the extent of the wreck site with the use of specially engineered metal detector capable of penetrating deep into the sediment or under rocks. Each “hit” is recorded on the GIS based high resolution map generated in 2014 with the use of a subsea tablet and will be investigated on subsequent dives. This growing database of artifacts, site diagnostics and surveyed areas aid the archeologists in understanding the position of the wreck and the 2000 year plus site formation process.
Upon completing the diving rotations the team was met back in Potamos Harbor by project supporters aboard the familiar M/V GLAROS. Those aboard included Panos Laskaridis and Dr. Ageliki Simosi, Director of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.
Even though Antikythera is in a remote location, we remain connected to the rest of the world through the latest 4G technology. Quality telecommunications are also vital for 3D modeling and remote data processing, interactive software support, firmware updates, cloud storage, and video conferencing with stakeholders around the world. Once again, COSMOTE has exceeded expectations in keeping us connected.
Today was the first day of the 2017 expedition, one of the most physically demanding stages of the project. Around ten tonnes of equipment and supplies were unloaded and readied for usage. The team split into three, setting up the mess area for the next three weeks, building the gas station to fill SCUBA cylinders, unloading the dive boats and preparing dive equipment. There is only limited infrastructure on the island, meaning that almost everything has to be shipped in and set up each time.
Team members have been arriving from around the world, with; Theotokis Theodoulou, Nikolas Giannoulakis, Mihalis Kelaidis, Phil Short and Gemma Smith making the transit from Chania to Antikythera aboard diving support vessel “Nikolas”.
Alexander Sotiriou and Dimitrios Romios made the transit to Antikythera from Alimos on diving support vessel “Poseidon”, collecting John Fardoulis from Kythera on the way.
Brendan Foley, Alex Tourtas, Michael Tsimperopoulos, Paolo Iglic, Ilias Charalampous and Dimitra Kotsi arrived on the ferry from Neapolis, with four heavily laden vehicles and thirteen pallets of equipment and supplies.
The main job for tomorrow, day two, will be to finish assembling dive equipment and do shakedown dives, ideally heading to the wreck on Wednesday to do the rigging, before excavating can begin. Stay tuned for more…
