For one more year, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation took part in the 2024 expedition at the Antikythera shipwreck. This year’s expedition took place between May 17 and June 20, as part of the 2021-2025 research program enabled by the Foundation and carried out by the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece under the supervision of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation received once more strong support by the Hellenic Coast Guard in the form of a team of eight coast guard technical divers that greatly enhanced the overall efficiency of the diving operations. Exceptionally good weather conditions allowed the team to make significant advance in the field work. The excavations produced numerous finds, and most importantly the discovery of a significant part of the ship’s hull.
For the first time since its discovery by sponge divers in 1900, the systematic scientific approach carried out by the international research group led by Dr. Angeliki G. Simosi (Honorary Director of Antiquities) and Professor of Archaeology Lorenz Baumer (University of Geneva), is aiming at a better understanding of the famous shipwreck site and shedding new light on one of the richest ship cargoes of Antiquity. The research is at the same time opening new questions: was there only one ship involved in this ancient naval tragedy? How did the wreckage exactly happen? Did the human remains belong to passengers or to crew members?
To answer these questions, multiple techniques were planned and deployed and much scientific work is programmed to be undertaken in the months to come.
The Foundation in coordination with the Ministry of Culture will be organizing a large exhibition to present the findings of the whole project “Return to Antikythera” in the fall of 2024, at the Historical Library of the Foundation. More information on this will be released in the months to come.
At the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation we believe that there is much more to learn from the most famous shipwreck of ancient times and to this end we will continue with unfailing effort.