The archaeological site called Pavlopetri (Greek: Παυλοπέτρι) is located in Vatika Bay, near the southern part of Laconia in the Peloponnese region of Greece. It is approximately 5,000 years old, which makes it the oldest known submerged city in the world. Pavlopetri is special because it has a nearly complete town plan, including streets, buildings, and tombs.

Name

Pavlopetri (or Paulopetri) means "Paul's stone" and is connected to St. Paul.

Discovery and location

In 1904, a geologist named Fokion Negris first discovered submerged walls at the site, but little was known about their size or condition. The site was found again in 1967 by Nicholas Flemming and mapped in 1968 by archaeologists from Cambridge University. It is located between the small island of Pavlopetri and the Pounta coast of Laconia on the Peloponnese peninsula, northeast of a village on the island of Elafonisos. The archaeological site, along with Pavlopetri and the surrounding sea area, is part of the Elafonisos Municipality. In ancient times, Elafonisos was a peninsula called Ὄνου Γνάθος (Onou Gnathos, meaning "donkey's jawbone") according to the writer Pausanias. Pavlopetri was inhabited, and Elafonisos was connected to the Peloponnese through Pavlopetri. Over time, rising sea levels and earthquakes caused the city to sink, increasing the distance between Elafonisos and the Peloponnese. The historian Thucydides mentioned in his "History of the Peloponnesian War" that Elafonisos was once connected to the Peloponnese. Additionally, there are cuts or marks on the north side of Elafonisos in the rock, which were used for moving goods with carts.

Origins

The ruins were first thought to be from the Mycenaean period, 1600–1100 BCE. Later research showed the area was occupied much earlier, around 3500 BCE. This means the site includes items from the Final Neolithic Age, Chalcolithic Age, Bronze Age, and Middle Minoan and transitional periods. It is now believed the town was submerged around 1000 BCE by the first of three earthquakes in the region. The area never rose again, so it was not built upon or disturbed by farming. Even though the town has eroded over many years, its layout remains as it was thousands of years ago. The site is threatened by damage from boats dragging anchors, as well as by tourists and people searching for souvenirs.

Exploration

In 2009, the main goal of the fieldwork was to map the site. This was the first underwater town to be digitally surveyed in three dimensions. Sonar technology, developed by military and oil exploration groups, helped with the work. The city has at least 15 buildings covered by 3 to 4 meters (9.8–13.1 feet) of water. Discoveries made in 2009 alone covered an area of 9,000 square meters (2.2 acres).

Four more fieldwork sessions were planned in October 2009 as part of a joint project with the Greek government to conduct excavations. Archaeologists from the University of Nottingham worked with a team from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics to improve underwater archaeology. These scientists created special robots to study the site in different ways. One finding from the survey showed that the town was the center of a busy textile industry, as many loom weights were found there. Many large pithoi (pottery jars) from Crete were also discovered, suggesting the town was an important trading port.

In 2010, a team from the Hellenic Centre for Maritime Research used data from the survey to recreate what the shoreline around the site looked like. This included the shape of the land between the island of Elafonisos and the beaches of Pounta in Vigklafia. Researchers wanted to learn how the site became submerged and when this happened. They believed the site was slowly lowered by three or four earthquakes over time. The rising sea level over the past 5,000 years also contributed to the submergence.

When Pavlopetri was built in the 4th millennium BC, it was about 2 to 3 meters above sea level, which was normal for that time and area. By 1200 BC, the sea level had risen about 2 meters since the town was first built, leaving it only 1 meter above sea level. This made the town more likely to flood, explaining the complex water system. Between 480 and 650 AD, tectonic activity caused an earthquake that pushed the site down about 3 meters. Combined with a sea level rise of about 1.5 meters since 1200 BC, the town was submerged.

Noteworthy discoveries

In 2011, a team from The University of Nottingham uncovered ancient layers of soil that provided information about the site. These layers showed that the people of Pavlopetri had trading connections with the nearby island of Crete, which was home to the Minoans. In 1968, a team from the University of Cambridge also made an important discovery. They found two types of graves, which suggested differences in social status. The team identified two chamber tombs and nearly forty cist graves. They also located 15 buildings, each containing up to 12 rooms. Evidence indicates that Pavlopetri functioned as a trading hub.

Dangers to the ruins

The site has had many challenges since it was discovered in 1967. One challenge is moving sediment that harms the ruins. Small boats passing over the site move sediment from the seabed, which slowly damages the ruins. Large ships in Vatika Bay also cause problems. These ships release waste that harms the ruins and the environment. Ballast water, which is water used to keep large ships stable, can also be harmful. Ships take in or release ballast water from their tanks depending on the weight of their cargo. Ballast water can carry sediment and tiny living things, such as bacteria, microbes, and larvae of different species. Some of these organisms may be harmful to the environment. Large ships are also cleaned using chemicals, which damage the ruins and the environment. In the past, looting has been a problem because the site is not protected. Another danger comes from a nearby power station and a gas pipeline being built from the island of Crete to Peloponnese.

Preservation efforts

After Pavlopetri became more well-known due to research from 2009 to 2013 and it was announced that the site is in danger, many people worked together to stop the pollution and damage happening there. One issue they are trying to prevent is the approval of a port rule that would allow large ships to anchor in Vatika Bay. To protect the site, they plan to create a safety net made of buoys that would surround the area and keep ships away. They also want to place signs near the site to explain what it is, its importance, and why it needs protection. In 2016, Pavlopetri held its first World Monument Watch Day, an event that raises awareness about the damage to the site and reaches out to people around the world for help. Since then, the Watch Day has taken place every summer. After the 2016 event, guided underwater tours led by archaeologists have been offered. These tours are organized by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities and the Greek Ministry of Culture.

UNESCO site

The city of Pavlopetri is part of the underwater cultural heritage as protected by the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Underwater sites that are 100 years old or older are protected by this convention. The convention works to stop the destruction, loss, or theft of important historical and cultural items. It helps countries protect their underwater heritage using international laws.