A fun educational journey into the world of Maritime, Geography and History of the Mediterranean during the 19th century is attempted by the board game “Sealit”, which is a creation of the Institute of Mediterranean Studies of the Foundation for Technology and Research (ITE).

Players take on the role of ship owners and try to grow their business by exploring the universe of maritime trade. Through the tabletop they discover the historical development of shipping and trade in the Mediterranean, the main types of sailing ships and steamships, the important ports of the Mediterranean and the main products that were traded (cotton, wool, grain, oil, wine, timber, tobacco, iron and processed industrial products). They also learn the rules of navigation and the mechanics of the shipping industry, namely ship chartering, the credit system, insurance and ship repair.

The game takes place during the 19th century, specifically the period from the French Revolution to 1910, on the eve of the First World War. This period, delineated by the two major events, is referred to as the long 19th century by the historian Eric Hobsbawm. “The French Revolution opens the part of the rise of the bourgeois world to power and all this development and the creation of many states comes to an end with the First World War which destroys everything we knew until then”, the creator explains to APE-MPE of the game and researcher at the Maritime History Center of the Institute of Mediterranean Studies of the ITE, Apostolos Delis.

In Shipping, he adds, “this period has characteristics of great growth in international trade because it also coincides with the Industrial Revolution, which together with urbanization forms other needs. Therefore, Shipping is developing because it is coming to supply all these markets.” The 19th century is also marked by other important events, the transition from sailing ships to steamships, but also the end of piracy.

The Maritime History researcher, Apostolos Delis, wanted to show through the board game “all this mechanism moving in the Mediterranean at this particular time. I wanted to show some aspects that what we call innovation and development is a long process and people adapt to new technologies little by little. I also wanted to highlight the geographical differences. Players have different chances of success depending on the port they start from.”

Furthermore, he characterizes the creation of the game as the most difficult research process he has undertaken. “All this adaptation of scientific information to a general public so that they can understand the game and enjoy it is very difficult,” he says.

The game was enriched and completed in the framework of the eponymous research project, which was implemented with funding from the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants and had as its theme the transition from sail to steam in the Mediterranean and the effects of the phenomenon on maritime businesses and maritime communities of the Mediterranean.

The game, published by the University Press of Crete, will be presented at the library of the Eugenides Foundation on December 13, at 6 pm. Players ages 12 and up will be divided into teams of four and have the opportunity to play the tabletop.

The manager of the library, Hara Brindezis, characterizes “Sealit” as an interdisciplinary game “that talks about Shipping, Economy, Trade and Geography and makes you develop your critical thinking”. As she emphasizes, “we consider this game very important because it is the product of research work, exactly on the goals of the library of the Eugenides Foundation, which have to do with Science, Technology, Shipping and with the children’s acquaintance with the scientific fields in a pleasant way way”.

Participation in the tabletop presentation program will be free, while those interested have the opportunity to play the game outside of the specific action, by coming to the library. The library of the Foundation is open every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8.30 am – 4 pm, and every Thursday, 12 noon – 8 pm.