The second five-year program (2021-2025) of Underwater Archaeological Research at the Antikythera shipwreck has successfully concluded, marking 125 years since the initial discovery in 1900 to 1901.
The shipwreck of Antikythera, with its famous Mechanism and rich cargo, remains a unique “monument” of cultural heritage hidden on the seabed. Its discovery contributed to the beginning of underwater archaeology in Greece.
This final period of underwater excavation, detailed in an announcement by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, yielded crucial insights through the recovery of wooden ship parts, statue fragments, and diverse ceramic finds.
Recovery of the hull reveals construction secrets of the Antikythera Shipwreck
A major breakthrough came with the recovery of fragile, articulated wooden remains of the ship’s hull, first discovered in 2024. These included three plank sections and an attached crossbeam (nomeas), representing the first complete hull section ever recovered from the wreck.
This find is exceptionally significant, as it offers unprecedented details on the vessel’s construction technique. Preliminary analyses suggest the ship was built using the “shell first” method, prevalent in the Mediterranean from the 4th to the 1st century BC, whereby the outer hull is constructed prior to internal framing.
Initial estimates, based on the use of elm and oak, date the wood to approximately 235 BC. The recovered section measures about 0.40 meters (1.3 ft) wide and 0.70 meters (2.3 ft) long, with planks thinner (not exceeding 0.05 meters, or less than an inch) than those found by Jacques-Yves Cousteau. This difference raises intriguing questions about whether this section belongs to a higher part of the ship, represents repairs, or even hints at the presence of a second, smaller accompanying vessel.
Further detailed study of these fragments is expected to provide answers. Additional wooden remains, along with inorganic (lead, copper) and organic (tar) materials, were found in situ near the area explored by Cousteau in 1976.
New insights into cargo and onboard life
Fragments of a naked male statue in a contrapposto pose were uncovered and documented in situ after the removal of an overlying rock. While a marble plinth preserving part of a life-size statue’s left foot was recovered, most fragments remain trapped in hard marine concretions.
The research also revealed greater typological diversity within the amphora cargo than previously recorded, with the discovery of amphorae from Chios from two different areas of the wreck.
Furthermore, a clay mortar (basin with spout), a vessel used for mashing and mixing food, provides valuable information on the dietary practices and daily life of the ship’s crew.
In November 2024, more than 80 objects from the Antikythera Shipwreck were exhibited at the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation of Athens in the most complete temporary exhibition to date.
The exhibition presented the results of modern research from 2012 to the present time and provided information on the ship and its equipment, cargo, and occupants.
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