Significant archaeological data is among the finds of the first underwater research expedition off the island of Kasos. A total of five shipwrecks were found, as well as a possible ancient harbor facility. A particularly remarkable find is a shipwreck of the Late Classical period, bearing five pyramid-shaped stone anchors.
Apart from at least four different types of amphorae, the ship’s cargo includes delicate pottery as well as parts of storage jars. Based on the pottery recovered, the shipwreck can be dated from the end of the 4th or the early 3rd century B.C. The type of cargo and the stone anchors located resemble the shipwreck of Antidragonera off Kythera, dating from the 4th century BC.
Pyramid-shaped stone anchor from a Late Classical shipwreck off the Kasonisia (photo: Greek Culture Ministry/F. Kvalo).
Concerning the other four shipwrecks, there is one with a cargo of 1st c. BC Rhodian amphorae, one with amphorae and tableware pottery of the Byzantine period dating between the 8th and 10th century AD, a wooden hull of a ship dating from the post-revolution era and a later shipwreck carrying building material. Other than the shipwrecks mentioned above, a great number of individual finds were located with iron canons among them, Byzantine and later anchors, as well as pottery, rejects, testifying to the continuous uninterrupted use of the sea from antiquity to modern times.
Ribs and shell of a shipwreck from the time of the Greek Revolution (photo: Greek Culture Ministry/F. Kvalo).
For the first time, the remote Greek frontier island of Kasos became the field of systematic underwater archaeological investigation, as part of a three-year research program (2019-2021) aiming to locate, record and study the underwater antiquities of a region that was a cultural crossroad and a significant seafaring center.
Amphora ready to be lifted (photo: Greek Culture Ministry/F. Kvalo).
During the 2019 research season, team diving was carried out 67 times, with individuals spending over 100 hours on the sea bed, while about 1/3was covered of the region’s total area programmed for research.
Iron cannon with a crust of limestone sediments (photo: Greek Culture Ministry/C. Hoye).
The research was conducted from September 24 to October 10, 2019, by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture and Sports in collaboration with the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation, headed by archaeologists Dr. George Koutsouflakis and Xanthi Argyri.
Photographing a shipwreck from the Hellenistic times (photo: Greek Culture Ministry/C. Hoye).
The expedition was realized with financing by the Kassian Brotherhood of New York, Carlton Hoye and logistic support from the Kasos Municipality and the following businesses: Apnea, Aquatec, Assosubsea, Blue Star Ferries, Eurobrokers and Map4u.
