Astronomical mechanisms, the genius of Archimedes, Nazis, adventures, time travel... Indiana Jones and the Dial of Fate features the most classic elements of the saga, which on this occasion revolve around the famous shipwreck near the island of Antikythera.
More than 2,000 years ago, in the 1st century BC, a Greek cargo ship sank in the Aegean Sea and its remains remained at the bottom of the sea, 50 meters from the surface, until, at the beginning of the 20th century, some fishermen who They were trying to take shelter from a storm and came upon the wreck by chance.
Archaeologists have been studying the site for a century and their discoveries have been astounding. Above all, the Antikythera mechanism stands out, an artifact with cogwheels probably made between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. and that some have come to consider a precursor of computers.
Some specialists consider that this computer could be one of the two machines built by Archimedes of Syracuse, one of the most important scientists of antiquity, which were used to predict the movements of the stars and also eclipses of up to 19 years.
One hundred years after its discovery, an international team of researchers, divers, engineers and physical and natural scientists continue to excavate the ship in search of more evidence in a site full of treasures. This year, for example, specialists have made significant progress in gaining a detailed understanding of the site's structure, stratigraphy, the remains of the disaster and its precious cargo.
As explained by archaeologists from the University of Geneva in a statement, the latest campaign, carried out between May 19 and June 18 of this 2023 and which is part of a five-year project, has made it possible to study previously unexplored areas, which have already been meticulously documented from the richest ancient shipwreck ever discovered in Greece.
“The aim is to better understand the circumstances surrounding the sinking, taking a close look at the preservation and positioning of the wreck, its possible route and its cargo. The discoveries of this season are essential to formulate a global vision of this tragic historical event ”, the experts explain.
Archaeologists have used drones to take digital captures that were then processed with 3D modeling software, allowing the site to be visualized and analyzed with remarkable precision. In addition, all the archaeological finds were documented and continuously integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS), which made it possible to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of the finds.
Work has focused on the eastern edge area of the wreck, where parts of monumental marble statues were found last year after removing a group of large natural rocks. This time, the team discovered the skeletal remains of at least one other individual, the tragic victim of this devastating incident 2,200 years ago.
Artifacts characteristic of the Antikythera wreck were also unearthed, such as fragments of marble statues, ceramics, glassware, and copper alloys, lead, and wooden elements of the ship's structure. Among the marble fragments discovered, one most likely belongs to the beard on the head of Heracles discovered during the 2022 expedition.
Furthermore, at a higher stratigraphic level, several late pottery shards have been unearthed, indicating that another ship, probably much smaller, suffered the same tragic fate in proto-Byzantine times, between the 4th and 5th centuries AD.
