New artifacts discovered at the Antikythera Shipwreck

Archaeologists just recovered more than 50 items, from an excavation at the famous ancient Greek shipwreck that unveiled the Antikythera mechanism.

The shipwreck dates 65 B.C, discovered by Greek sponge fishermen in 1900, revealed the Antikythera Mechanism, the oldest astronomical calculator, famous for having intricate gear systems centuries ahead of their time.

Image credit: Brett Seymour, EUA/ARGO

At the shipwreck site on southwestern Aegean island of Antikythera, they found ceramics, a bronze armrest, fine glassware and several parts of the ship.

Project co-Director Dr. Brendan Foley, a marine archaeologist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), said:

“This shipwreck is far from exhausted. Every single dive on it delivers fabulous finds, and reveals how the ‘1 percent’ lived in the time of Caesar.”

Image credit: Greek Ministry of Culture

Diving archaeologist Dr. Theodoulou, explains:

“We were very lucky this year, as we excavated many finds within their context, which gave us the opportunity to take full advantage of all the archaeological information they could provide.” (Photo by Brett Seymour, EUA/ARGO)