Despite the long history and powerful position the island held in the past, nowadays the island is barren, uninhabited and has few water sources
It is located between Hydra and Hermione in the Argolic gulf and there are many who are unaware of its existence and its importance throughout the centuries. In the past it was called Aperopiabecause of infinite view offered by its strategic location, while being renamed to Beam during the Byzantine period due to its geographical location, a name it retains even today.
It is noteworthy that the first signs of its habitation are mentioned according to archaeological researches in the Bronze Age, i.e. 6000 years ago.
During the Proto-Helladic II period, on the north coast of the island, two permanent facilities were established, at Cape Mytis Kommeni and in the location Ledezawith a great flourishing of sea trade both in the waters of the Argosaronic Sea and in the Myrtoos Sea.
But despite the long history and the strong position occupied by Dokos in the past, nowadays the island is barren, uninhabited and with few water sources. However, at regular intervals, they used it as a safe anchorage, which also happened during the revolution of 1821.
In August 1975 Peter Throckmorton, pioneer seabed researcherfound a large concentration of broken ceramic mass at the bottom of the island of Dokos, at a depth of 15-30 meters. A little later he returned to the site together with the archaeologist Giorgos Papathanasopoulos and together they tried to date the finds he had discovered.
The results were truly incredible. The ceramics belonged to the period of the Proto-Hellenic era, concluding that it was about the world’s oldest shipwreck, dated to 2200 BC The underwater excavation research, which lasted 4 whole years due to the rarity but also the importance of the finds, brought to the surface two stone anchors, large quantities of ceramics such as lamps, cooking utensils as well as a number of stone tools, such as millstones, graters from the Saronic and obsidian blades from Milos.
It is no coincidence that the first Greek ship was wrecked in Skidus Bay, for the captain knew that there was a settlement there, and that the bay would afford him shelter. The assessment is therefore that the shipwreck was caused when the boat was in danger due to the storm and upon trying to turn into the bay it lost stability and sank a short distance from the southern rocky coast of Cape Kommeni.
In today’s Dokos, in the same bay, several sailing and tourist boats find a temporary anchorage during their passage from the Saronic to Myrtoos and vice versa, but ignoring its importance over the centuries. Its crystal clear waters, the tranquility of the place and the safety they encounter are the only reason to stay, after all, at the moment when the only signs of life that the visitor sees are the three donkeys, the free turkeys, and the goats that bleat grazing freely in their own place which the Ministry of Culture has now declared an archaeological site.
View the news feed and get the latest news.
