Before Antikythera: the First Underwater Archaeological Survey in Greece

Abstract

The aim of this article is to introduce to the international bibliography a report submitted to the Archaeological Society of Athens by Ephor Christos Tsoundas in 1885 summarizing what was to be the first state‐sponsored underwater archaeological survey in Greece, and potentially the first such survey in general. A brief introduction is followed by a translation of the decision to conduct the survey, as well as of the final report submitted the following year. The fascinating insight which Tsoundas demonstrates in the report allows us a glimpse of the beginnings of underwater archaeology at the worthy site of the Battle of Salamis.

© 2006 The Author

Key words:

• first
• underwater archaeological survey
• Greece
• landmark
• Battle of Salamis
• scientific report

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Correction

Acknowledgements

Many thanks are owed to the late Nikos Tsouchlos for bringing the early report to my attention and to Dr Yannos Lolos, who, as I understand, was the first to rediscover the text.

Notes

1 There is another vessel in the collection of the Ministry of Education, identical to the one described in the text and also found in the sea (as evidenced by the piece of sponge still attached to it), but the location of its discovery is not known.