August 8th, 2011
Another project some of the team participated in was an underwater excavation of the Mentor shipwreck, off Avlemonas in Kythera.
An official Ministry press release is here.
Will share lots more photos and video once I have permission from the Ministry.
Below is a rough translation via Google Translate…
8/8/2011
Between 6 to July 15 conducted by team of Department of Underwater Antiquities, under the direction of archaeologist Dr. dive. Rep. Kourkoumelis, underwater archaeological excavations in historic shipwreck “Mentor” in the southeast near Kythira Avlemona. Research funded and assisted the Australian Institute «Kytherian Research Group».
The ship, which carried a known sculptures of the Parthenon to England via Malta sank at the entrance of the port of Avlemona southwest Kythera, in September 1802.
Earlier investigations had been on that ship so by Captain Cousteau (1975), the Institute of Underwater Archaeology (1980) and the Department of Underwater Antiquities (2009) and none of them nor in this year identified fragments of marble or sculpture.
This year’s survey focused on area of the stern, where in 2009, were identified among the ballast stones probably of the ship, several findings, such as fossil fish slate, which has since been presumed to be derived from the load. Even cleaned out a portion of the shell of the ship, which had already been identified by the survey of 1980, and found preserved in fairly good condition.
From the area surveyed, anelkysthikan several objects from those that used the 10/meles crew, as different types of cookware, glass, ceramic or porcelain, bottles, decorative items, which were apparently at the officers’ accommodation, coins of the period, but two weapons like pistols, the decoration of a butt shot was fired, bullets of different calibers three, stone lighters for arms, a small cannon shell, and navigation equipment, a small compass hand with gold chain and a compass on board.
An important fact is to find at least two ancient silver coins and a bronze, between the ballast stones.
The results research are particularly interesting and encouraging, both because this is sinking in a very embarrassing moment of the ongoing adventure of the Parthenon, and the fact that remains, recovered from the wreck are indicators of welfare of seafarers merchant ships in a turbulent historical period of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Continued research may yield new information on the ship itself and the adventures of the Parthenon marbles.
The project was by the Ephorate of Underwater of Antiquities in Greece, with assistance from the Kytherian Research Group (KRG) from Australia.
Major supporters were the Nicholas Anthony Aroney Trust and Kytherian Association of Australia. The project couldn’t have taken place without financial support from both these organisations.
Part of the hull of the ship revealed after the underwater excavation
Collection of artifacts from the site of the stern of the ship
Pistol encrusted with rock and broken bottles.
