The inevitable damage inflicted by the sea, wind, and rain to the archaeological remains on the island of Delos has clearly accelerated in the last 10 years, the director of the French School of Athens Alexandre Farnoux warned during a two-day conference on the impact of climate change on cultural heritage.
Farnoux reported “serious damage to the walls, especially sensitive walls made of limestone, the disappearance of joins and the penetration of water into the foundations of buildings.” He noted that the rains of recent years have raised the water table and, together with rising sea levels, “caused the water to destructively encroach on the archaeological site”.
Work to stabilize the worn walls is carried out each year, he said, while the famous Delos lions were replaced with copies, with the originals now held in an indoor gallery at the Archaeological Museum.
The French Archaeological School of Athens has been involved in the maintenance and study of Delos since 1873.
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