Greece new discoveries at submerged archaeological site of Asini

In the seabed near the archaeological site of Asini inArgolis, Greece, an international team conducted underwater research Oct. 7-11, 2024, uncovering new details about a submerged port structure. The excavations are part of a five-year project launched in 2022 and are a continuation of a pilot study conducted in 2021. The mission, a collaboration between the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, the Swedish Institute in Athens and Stockholm University, also involved the University of Gothenburg and the Nordic Maritime Group. The scientific direction was given to Ann-Louise Schallin (Scientific Director of Stockholm University) and Niklas Eriksson (Field Director of Stockholm University) for the Swedish side, while the Greek coordination was led by Dr. Panagiota Galiatsatou, archaeologist at the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. Other team members included underwater architect Ekaterini Tagonidou, underwater engineer Themistoklis Troupakis, Jens Lindström of the Nordic Maritime Group, and Staffan Von Arbin of the University of Gothenburg.

The submerged port of Donkeys

Early studies conducted in 2021 and 2022 had already revealed the presence of a large artificial harbor near the site of Kastraki, located a short distance from the present village of Tolo. The main structure consists of a vast artificial plateau, now submerged, which shows signs of buildings that can be traced back to rooms or dwellings. Their presence suggested the need for further investigation to determine the function and chronology of the port settlement.

Since Asini has been inhabited continuously from prehistoric to more recent times, tracing the exact date of construction of the port structure is complex. In any case, analysis of the recovered finds could provide key elements for understanding the period of use and eventual abandonment of the site.

The 2024 campaign: focus on the northwestern edge of the harbor

The latest excavation campaign focused on an area of 16 square meters near the northwestern edge of the artificial plateau. This area was chosen because of the excellent state of preservation of the structure, which appears to have retained much of its original conformation. Archaeologists documented the site through photogrammetry, a technique that allows for detailed three-dimensional models of the submerged structures.

The work has confirmed the presence of important remnants of the port structure, including stone blocks and building materials that have collapsed over time. Notable finds include fragments of amphorae and a broken vessel discovered in excavation sector 4A. The location of these artifacts suggests that they were deposited during the use phase of the port or during the period of its decline.

Next steps: new investigations to unveil Donkeys’ past

The research will not stop here. The team plans to perform additional excavations on the artificial plateau, with the goal of obtaining more precise data on the site’s chronology. Future operations will involve manual incisions at the top of the structure, with sediment removal through dredging. Each find will be documented in situ by photogrammetry, allowing scholars to more accurately reconstruct the structure’s original appearance.

The results of the study will be published in the scientific journal Opuscula, edited by the Swedish Institutes in Athens and Rome, as well as in other international academic publications.

Greece new discoveries at submerged archaeological site of Asini

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