Pavlopetri

As Pavlopetri (Greek Παυλοπέτρι ) is called before the coast of southern Laconia in Greece archaeological site. It is a Bronze Age city that is set by subsidence of the land and the sea level rise today under the sea level of the Mediterranean.

Location

The archaeological site is located at the small island Pavlopetri between the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese and the island Elafonissos in three to four feet of water on a sandy seabed.

History of Exploration

The site was founded in 1967 by Nicholas Flemming, then at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, discovered and mapped in 1968 by a team of archaeologists from Cambridge. The archäölogischen field studies brought an almost complete floor plan with streets, buildings and tombs to light.

The underwater archaeological investigations were initiated after 40 years in 2009 as a joint project of British and Greek researchers again. The archaeological team, which also includes Nic Flemming belongs, is directed by Jon Henderson of the University of Nottingham in collaboration with Elias Spondylis from ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture.

The field studies in 2009 had essentially the surveying and mapping of the site to the content. As the first sunken city Pavlopetri is measured digitally in three dimensions. This sonar measurement techniques have been used by the military and developed in the oil prospecting.

As of October 2009, four more campaigns for site field studies are planned. This is not to excavations. The research results will be published in 2014 in its entirety.

Dating

First, the ruins of the Mycenaean period 1600 to 1100 were attributed to BC. Later research showed an older settlement time. The buildings date mainly from the early Bronze Age from about 2800 BC, single stone boxes Tombs are much younger and come from the Mycenaean culture of the late Bronze Age, 1680-1180 BC

An even older settlements occupy pottery fragments from the end of the Neolithic period around 3000 BC, which were found during recent explorations. Media calls Pavlopetri therefore be the oldest submerged city in the world.

It is believed that the city sank around 1000 BC by seismic activity in the sea. Since it was inaccessible after, she was neither overbuilt nor affected by agriculture.

The city

The city's buildings are partly preserved. Over the centuries, the site was indeed affected by erosion, the foundation walls and the floor plan, however, can almost fully reconstruct. There are at least 15 buildings. The latest discoveries in 2009 extend only to 9000 square feet. It is believed that the city was once 100,000 square meters; about half of the area, the archaeological team mapped now. Houses, streets, yards and buildings for religious purposes probably, tombs and graves. The site is currently being damaged by anchoring boats, tourists and souvenir hunters.