Lina Mendoni: "In 2026, the Ministry of Culture will deliver the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities"

Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, inaugurated the exhibition "Return to Antikythera," hosted at the exceptional Historical Library of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation.

In her address, Mendoni said, "Around the mid-1st century BC, a large merchant ship, an 'olkas,' fell victim to gale-force winds and dangerous currents in the Antikythera Strait. It carried a cargo that, both by today's standards and those of its time, constituted a true treasure of great economic and, above all, historical and cultural value. This cargo reveals much about commercial connections, and especially about market 'trends' and the preferences of high society within the politically and economically Roman-dominated Mediterranean, which, however, remained firmly under Greek and Hellenistic cultural and intellectual influence."

She described the ship's contents: "Impressive sculptures, marble and bronze, many of colossal size, such as the Bronze Ephebe, the marble Hercules of the Farnese type, and the statue of the 'Philosopher'; precious metal vessels, furniture, glass and gold jewelry; amphorae of various origins and contents, all of which testify to the enormous demand of the Roman aristocratic and urban class for luxury products and artifacts from the Eastern Mediterranean, destined to adorn their villas in Italy. The Antikythera Mechanism, an amazing analog computer for astronomical use, an achievement of Greek scientific thought and technology, the likes of which would not reappear for many centuries, was, as is well known, part of the cargo that sank with the ship and was scattered on the steep seabed off the coast of Antikythera."

Mendoni emphasized that the exhibition is "dedicated to one of the most important and fascinating chapters in underwater archaeological research internationally, which aims to uncover and highlight the many hidden secrets of the Antikythera shipwreck. The partial recovery of the shipwreck constitutes the first large-scale underwater research worldwide: A chance discovery in 1900 by Symi sponge divers, who brought unparalleled treasures to the surface from the seabed with the assistance of the Royal Navy and the Archaeological Service. Since then, it continues to fascinate, to pique global interest, and to constantly enrich our knowledge of the ancient world."

She recounted the history of the shipwreck’s exploration, from the initial difficult investigations of 1900-1901 to Jacques-Yves Cousteau's 1976 expedition with his Calypso team and Lazaros Kolonas from the Archaeological Service, which marked the first underwater research with a scientific approach and specialized equipment. After that mission, no one dived at the wreck site until 2012.

Mendoni acknowledged previous exhibitions, particularly the landmark 2012-2014 exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum, but highlighted the importance of the current one: "This exhibition is extremely significant because it demonstrates that the Antikythera shipwreck has not yet revealed all its secrets. On the contrary, it seems to hold many important discoveries for the future. Discoveries that modern archaeological science, with the help of technology, is now able to decipher and interpret much better than in the past."

Looking to the future, the Minister announced, "In 2026, after a delay of many decades, the Ministry of Culture will deliver the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities to the Greek and international public not far from here, in the SILO building in the Great Harbour. It is one of the flagship projects of Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government, funded with approximately €100,000,000 from the Recovery Fund, and comes to fill a large gap in the history, archaeology, promotion, and presentation of the cultural wealth of the Greek seas." She called for continued investment in modern underwater archaeological research and collaboration between the public and private sectors to preserve and showcase Greece's valuable cultural heritage.

The exhibition, which runs until mid-January 2025, presents sections of marble and bronze statues, glass and metal vessels, and pieces of the ship's wooden hull. A highlight is the head of a Hercules with a vine wreath, which may belong to the headless marble statue of the Farnese-type Hercules from the National Archaeological Museum, recovered in 1901. A small bronze object, possibly related to the famous Mechanism, is also on display. The "Return to Antikythera" program, which restarted research in 2012, is currently directed by Angeliki Simosi and Professor Lorenz Baumer, in collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. The project, generously supported by the Aikaterini Laskaridis and Athanasios K. Laskaridis Foundations and Hublot watchmakers, is at the forefront of international underwater archaeological research, applying innovative methods and utilizing the latest technological advancements.