‘Amphibious’ Excavation at Coastal Sites: The Use of a Cofferdam at Ambelaki, Salamis (Greece)

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Acknowledgments

The initial stage under the title ‘Salamis Harbour Project’ (in 2016) was generously sponsored by the Honor Frost Foundation and hereinafter by local bodies and private donors (primarily by Michalis and Myrto Pateras). To chief technician Nikos Golfis, I am indebted for his creativity and hard work and also for solving so many issues, big and small, for the successful functioning of the cofferdam. Archaeologist Efi Oustabasidou and philologist Anna Notia have been instrumental while trying to keep a balance between excavation methodology and technical aspects in the field. My sincere thanks are due to Emeritus Professor Yannos G. Lolos and Dr. Angeliki G. Simossi for allowing me to proceed with the initial idea of a portable cofferdam and their constant encouragement. Mr Charalambos Kritzas, Emeritus Director of the Epigraphical Museum at Athens, has generously provided me with information on older shallow-water investigations. Lastly, my thanks go to two anonymous reviewers and the editor for their useful comments.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Permission Statement

‘Salamis Underwater Project’ is an on-going collaboration programme between the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities (E.U.A.) of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Hellenic Institute of Marine Archaeology (H.I.M.A.), with the support of the Laboratory of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography of the University of Patras (Greece), under a permit issued by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The author is a member of H.I.M.A. and responsible for the fieldwork and documentation.