Remarkable archaeological finds, including amphorae and pottery of various styles and eras, were discovered in shipwrecks located in the sea off the Greek island of Kassos.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Sports, "In the remote Kassos, which was a crossroads of civilisations, but also an important navigation centre from antiquity to recent years, underwater archaeological research has brought to light important new findings."
The most significant find is the Roman-era shipwreck, which carried amphorae (Dressel 20) containing oil constructed in Spain in the area of Guadalquivir (1st to 3rd century AD), as well as Africana I amphorae made at the ceramic workshops of Africa Proconsularis and specifically in the region of present-day Tunisia.
Kassos is the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea.
The underwater discovery also found another three shipwrecks:
- one carrying amphorae made in the North Aegean in the Hellenistic era (1st century B.C.)
- another carrying amphorae made in ancient Mendi during the Classical era (5th century B.C.)
- one that dates to more modern times
The trove of treasures was discovered during the second underwater research mission carried out by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture and Sports in collaboration with the Institute of Historical Research of the National Research Foundation.
Twenty-three specialised scientists and technicians participated in more than 100 group dives, exploring the seabed for more than 200 hours.
