About 15 buried amphorae, including one type of amphora rendered in the city of Sinope, on the Black Seaa number of table ceramics and pieces of wood, attributed to the frame of the hull, are some of the results of Underwater Archaeological Research in the archipelago of Fourni.
As his announcement informs ΥΠΠΟΑthis is the sixth ESA research mission to Ovens. It took place in 2021 and focused on the study and documentation of a shipwreck of the early Byzantine period which was located near Cape Fygou (Aspros Kavos), north of the settlement of Kamari, on the east coast of Fourni, on a steeply sloping, sandy bottom with 43 , in one of the most steep and inaccessible areas of Fourni, which is affected by strong winds during most of the year.
This particular shipwreck was selected from a total of 58 shipwrecks found in the Fourni archipelago as the most scientifically interesting, both because of its integrity and coherence, and because of the heterogeneous load it carries, from six different types of amphorae, originating from the area. of Crimea and Heraklion of the Black Sea Pontus. The main load is framed by an additional load of table ceramics, coming from the area of ​​Phocaea in northwestern Central Asia, as noted in the same announcement.
The 2021 investigation focused on the perimeter cleaning of part of the west, shallower side of the wreck from the sand deposits and the opening of a test section in its northwest corner, in order to diagnose the stratigraphy of the wreck. About 15 buried amphorae were discovered, including a type of amphora attributed to the city of Sinope, the Black Sea, a number of table ceramics and pieces of wood, which are attributed to the skeleton of the hull, which probably survived on the stainless steel floor. the cargo of the wreck.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the excavated table ceramics were particularly enlightening in terms of the exact date of this shipwreck, which can now be safely dated between the years 480 and 520 AD, probably during the years of Emperor Anastasius A. 491 – 518 AD), of the Lion dynasty, known from historiographical sources mainly for its tax and monetary reforms, which strengthened the state coffers and allowed the expansionist policy of the emperors of the 6th century.
Along with the test sections in the shipwreck, documentation actions were undertaken for other shipwrecks in Fourni, in the framework of the European Cross-Border Cooperation Program Interreg VA Greece – Cyprus 2014-2020, “Diving Routes in Marine Protected Areas of the Eastern Mediterranean .Δι.Κα.Τ.) ».
The general direction of the research was the archaeologist of the Ephorate of Marine Antiquities Dr. George Koutsouflakis. The research was framed by a staff of 25 divers from different specialties (archaeologists, architects, conservationists, professional divers, photographers, filmmakers, undergraduate and postgraduate students).
As part of the research, a total of 292 individual dives were performed, which correspond to approximately 220 working hours on the seabed. The research data collected are considered to be extremely important for the organization of the systematic excavation of the wreck in the near future.
The research was financially and logistically supported by the Municipality of Fourni / Korsea, the European Program “Interreg Greece – Cyprus 2014-2020 Andi.KAT”, the “Korseai” Foundation, the Explorers Club Foundation and the companies Hellenic Seaways, Blue Star Ferries, Seiko Japan and Scubapro USA. The Ministry of Culture sends warm thanks to the mayor of Fourni-Korsea Dimitrios Karydisto the executives of the Port Station of Fourni and to Alexander Schwarzenberg.
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