For the sixth year, under a new three-year program (2020-2022), the underwater exploration on the east coast of Salamis, in collaboration with the Institute of Underwater Archaeological Research (IENAE) and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities (EEA) of the Ministry of Culture, under the direction of Dr. Angeliki G. Simosi, Head of EFA Evia, and Giannos G. Lolos, Professor of Prehistoric Archeology at the University of Ioannina and President of I.EN.A.E. This is the first interdisciplinary underwater research, carried out since 2016 systematically, by Greek agencies, in areas of the historic Strait, in the sea area of Ampelaki-Kynosoura.
Underwater research, in its first phase, evolved into north side of the innards of the current Bay of Ambelaki, where they are systematically investigated, since 2016, sunken relics of the ancient city of Salamis, which extends to southern slope of the Punta peninsula.
Specifically, the excavation investigation of a large part, partially submerged, of the seaport of the Classical city, in the direction of N.-N. The exploration, based on a grid with squares 4 x 4 m., Was carried out, again successfully, with the application of “amphibious” excavation process, which combines means and techniques of terrestrial and underwater Archeology, with the installation of a flexible dam and the use of 3 water pumps, for the daily dehydration of a sea field with a total area of 140 m2.
With the progress of the excavation, in an area of about 50 m2, the investigated part of the wall, although dismantled in some places, was further monitored to the N. at a length of about 16 m. It was confirmed that in its structure two construction phases are represented, within the 4th c. BC, with a final thickness of 3 m., while the stable use of bricks and other large worked stones on the two fronts of the wall, the east and the west (interior) was also documented: the west was also the background for the construction (with ancient building material), in Revolutionary or Pre-revolutionary times, of the existing long pier, which now stands on the surface of the sea.
It is noted that the revealed (during 2020-2021) part of the wall, on the NW-axis, the total length of which is estimated at at least 57 m. is, so far, the only systematically excavated section of the fortification of the ancient city.
It came from the last excavation significant amount of stacked mixed pottery (shells of pottery and pottery) of the historians, mainly of the Hellenistic-Roman, but also of later years, while black Attic pottery of the Late Classical period was also noted at the level of the foundation of the wall. Clay plugs of amphorae and a few fragments of marble objects were also found.
In general, based on the results of the surveys of the five years 2016-2021, the course of the seafront, near the port of the Classical-Hellenistic city of Salamis. It is a very important part of the whole fortification system of the ancient city, the perimeter of which can now be almost completely reconstructed, based on the findings of 19th century researchers (WM Leake, HG Lolling, A. Milchhöfer), in an then unstructured landscape, and the elements from older small-scale land excavations by Antonios Keramopoulos and Dr. Ifigenia Dekoulakos.
The underwater research, during its second phase, developed in the inland bay of Ampelaki, that is, at the berth of a large part of the Greek fleet on the eve of the naval battle of 480 BC, using a floating platform designed and built by G. Arvanitis and N. Golf.
Pilot excavations were carried out at three points of interest (Objectives 1, 2, 3), of the many that have been identified by the intensive geophysical research of previous years of the University of Patras, under Professor G. Papatheodorou.
From the exploratory sections, which reached a depth of 1 to 2 m in the seabed and performed with difficulty in turbid waters, Evidence emerged, which will contribute to the study of local sedimentation, the reconstruction of the palaeogeography of the historic bay, as well as the more accurate identification of its coastline in the Classical years.
Material of archaeological interest came only from the intersection at Objective 3, on the northwest side of today’s Bay. In this section, up to a depth of about 1 m, a dense accumulation of stones mixed with fragments of pottery and pottery of various periods (including Hellenistic amphorae) was found.
It is probably drifted mixed material, very similar to that from the neighboring excavation of the wall and other submerged remains, which seems to be related to land activities in Antiquity.
The research team included: Giannos G. Lolos and Angeliki G. Simosi (Research Directorate), Christina Marabea (Dr. Archaeologist, Head of Fieldwork and Documentation), Efi Ustampasidou (Archaeologist) and Anna Notia (Teacher), Teacher S. Kroustalis (Dr. Archaeologist, responsible for photogrammetric images), Christos Agouridis (Archaeologist MA), Paraskevi Takorou (Archaeologist), Nikolaos Golfis (Technical Officer), Petros Tsambourakos, Dykolakis Konstantos (Head of EEA Maintenance Department) and Irini Malliou (EEA Conservator), Spyros Agiazi and Bilbil Mustafa (Craftsmen), Konstantinos Tsitlakidis (Research Area Night Watchman).
The group expresses its gratitude to the sponsors-supporters of the research: Michalis and Myrto Patera, Metochion of the Holy Episcopal Monastery of Agia Skepi Keratea (Fr. Athanasios and N. Sardelis), Consortium of Passengers-Vehicles Salamiadis F. Salaminos (I.). Δ. Stanota, G. Arvaniti, El. and A. Bekri, A. Koutsiari, K. Katsigiannis, I. H. Frangopoulos, D. Koumbloudeli, X. Argyriou (D. Frattis-D. Kotselis), N. Tzanoudaki, G. Valvi, I. P. Theodoropoulos, Christodoulou Bros., G. Panagopoulos.
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