18 March 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

Antikythera underwater excavation digs up new discoveries “huge marble head”

The second phase of underwater archaeological research (May 23 to June 15, 2022) on the Antikythera shipwreck resulted in the discovery of a statue head identified as Farnese-type Hercules and two human teeth embedded in a compact mass with copper traces.

Marble head of a male bearded figure, bigger than life-size, which at first sight can be identified with Herakles (Hercules) of the so-called Farnese type. It most probably belongs to the headless statue of the so-called “Herakles of Antikythera”, inv. no. 5742 of the National Archaeological Museum, which was retrieved by sponge divers in 1900.

Two human teeth recovered in a solid agglomeration of marine deposits, together with bits of copper, wood, and other components indicative of a nautical calamity, are likely to yield important information. The genome and other features related to the origin of the persons to whom the teeth belonged might be deduced using a genetic and isotopic examination of the teeth.

Several items from the ship’s equipment were also found, including bronze and iron nails, a lead collar from a large wooden anchor, and amorphous iron concretion masses coated in marine deposits. Their function will be determined using X-rays and other specialist laboratory tests.

Marble Head. Photo: Nikos Giannoulakis
Marble Head. Photo: Nikos Giannoulakis

The Swiss School of Archeology in Greece is conducting the research under the direction of Dr. Angeliki G. Simosi, head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Euboea, and Lorenz Baumer, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Geneva; the field research is overseen by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, and the project is supported by H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic, Ms. Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

The main objective of the program is to formulate a clearer and more acute understanding of the ship, its route, its cargo, and the wreckage conditions.

Marble head. Photo:Orestis-Manousos
Marble head. Photo:Orestis-Manousos

The 2022 field study included the movement of chosen large natural stones weighing up to 8.5 tons apiece that had partially obscured the shipwreck region during an investigational event; their removal allowed access to a hitherto unknown portion of the wreckage. The popular Swiss watchmaker’s Hublot Xplorations team planned and built a unique system consisting of sturdy rigging, underwater lifting bags, and pressurized air supply.

Antikythera Wreck

The Antikythera Wreck contains the wreckage of a Greek freight or commercial ship from the First Century BCE. It is situated at the crossroads of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas on the east side of the Greek island of Antikythera, near Crete.

Excavation. Photo: Nikos-Giannoulakis
Excavation. Photo: Nikos-Giannoulakis

The wreck was discovered in the spring of 1900 by a group of Greek sponge divers on their way to Tunisia who took shelter from a storm near the island and decided to look for sponges while they waited for calmer conditions. One of the divers discovered the wreck at depths reported between 40 and 50 meters.

That excavation revealed a wealth of discoveries that today are housed in Greece’s National Archaeological Museum in Athens. These included three life-size marble horses, jewelry, coins, glassware, and hundreds of works of art, including a seven-foot-tall “colossus” statue of Herakles.

Antikythera
Antikythera

The most surprising discovery, however, was an unassuming lump of bronze recovered during the first excavation that was later found to be a complex set of interlocking gears capable of predicting the movement of the sun, moon, and several planets, as well as the timing of solar and lunar eclipses years into the future. The Antikythera Mechanism is believed to be an early computer used to plan important events including religious rituals, the early Olympic games, and agricultural activities.

Cover Photo: Marble base. Photo: Nikos Giannoulakis

Press release

Banner
Related Post

Unsolvable Megalithic Mystery of ancient Greek “Dragon Houses”

4 July 2022

4 July 2022

The Dragon Houses of Euboea, which probably dates to the Preclassical period of ancient Greece, are one of the historical...

Viking Ship Burials Shrouded in Mystery on Danish Island

25 May 2021

25 May 2021

Archaeologists studying the origins and makeup of the Kalvestene burial field, a famed place in Scandinavian legend, have undertaken new...

Columns in Lagina Hecate Sanctuary Rise Again

19 February 2021

19 February 2021

Lagina Hecate Sanctuary is located in Yatağan district of Muğla. It is an important sacred area belonging to the Carians...

10,000-year-old Sculptures and Figurines holding Phallus of the Taş Tepeler in the southeast Turkey

17 June 2022

17 June 2022

One of the common features of male depictions with similar features found in the region called Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills),...

3,500-year-old perfectly preserved ancient frozen bear found in Siberian

28 February 2023

28 February 2023

As the permafrost on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island in eastern Siberia melted, a mummified brown bear that lived more than three...

Rescue work begins on a 160-year-old shipwreck, the largest and best-preserved wooden shipwreck ever discovered underwater in China

3 March 2022

3 March 2022

Rescue work has begun on a 160-year-old shipwreck in China, the largest and best-preserved wooden wreck ever discovered underwater. This...

Archeologists find a 3,500-year-old mosaic in central Turkey

16 September 2021

16 September 2021

Archaeologists have discovered a 3,500-year-old mosaic in central Turkey, which might be one of the world’s oldest. The impressive power...

Neo-Assyrian underground complex discovered under a house in southeastern Turkey

11 May 2022

11 May 2022

An underground Iron Age complex has been found in Turkey that may have been used by a fertility cult during...

For the first time, a Viking Age grave rich in artifacts has been found in Norway’s capital city, Oslo

23 December 2022

23 December 2022

A Viking Age grave rich in artifacts has been discovered for the first time in Norway’s capital city, Oslo. The...

Philippines Cagayan Cave Art 3500 Years Old

29 June 2021

29 June 2021

A depiction depicting a human-like figure on a cave wall in Penablanca town, Cagayan province, is Southeast Asia’s first directly...

Archaeologists revealed Urartian King Menua second temple in Van excavations

22 December 2022

22 December 2022

The second temple of King Menua as well as a chamber tomb were unearthed during the excavations carried out this...

Human Relief Found at Million Stone Excavation Site in İstanbul

18 July 2021

18 July 2021

The Milion Stone (also known as the Million Stone) from the Eastern Roman period is one of important the historical...

Archaeological Finding Traces Chinese Tea Culture Back To 400 BC

7 February 2022

7 February 2022

An archaeological team from Shandong University, east China’s Shandong Province, has found the earliest known tea remains in the world...

Fingerprints Found on Orkney Pottery Belong to Young Men

14 June 2021

14 June 2021

Details of the two young guys whose fingerprints were discovered on a fragment of a clay pot dating back over...

Urartian King Argishti’s shield reveals the name of an unknown country

30 January 2023

30 January 2023

The inscription on a bronze shield purchased by the Rezan Has Museum revealed the name of an unknown country. It...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *