Alonnisos shipwreck
Marker: recorded wreck position (Date not recorded).
Key facts
| Name | Alonnisos shipwreck | Wikidata label |
|---|---|---|
| Ship type | shipwreck | Wikidata P31 instance of |
| Sea / ocean | Aegean Sea | Natural Earth marine areas (public domain), point-in-polygon |
| Nearest coast | Greece | Natural Earth (public domain); approx. 7 km from land |
| Position | 39.2050, 23.9717 | Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0) |
About the wreck
The Peristera shipwreck (Greek: Ναυάγιο Περιστέρας) is an underwater shipwreck of a 5th-century BC merchant vessel at a depth of 20 metres (66 ft), just off the islet of Peristera near Alonissos. Its cargo of 3000-4000 amphoras made it the largest transport ship yet known of its period when excavation began in 1992, and it carried wine from Mende and Skopelos. In addition to amphoras, the ship transported many valuable items including black-glazed cups, plates and bronze tableware. The site was opened to the public for scuba diving visits as the Alonissos Underwater Museum (Υποθαλάσσιο Μουσείο Αλοννήσου) in 2020, the first such underwater museum in Greece.
Diving & visiting
In 1982, Greek diver and fisherman Dimitrios Mavrikis with his son Kostas discovered a large Classical-era shipwreck near the islet of Peristera at Alonnisos in the Northern Sporades. and declared it to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. Department personnel conducted a survey in 1991 under the director of the department, Elpida Hadjidaki. The wreck was marked by thousands of amphorae forming a mound 25 by 23 metres (82 ft × 75 ft) and clearly indicating the shape of the ship. The upper layer was jumbled, but the lower layer appeared relatively undisturbed.
The marine area surrounding the Alonnisos shipwreck is protected as part of the Alonnisos Marine Park. The area immediately surrounding the shipwreck was opened to the public for scuba diving visits as the Alonissos Underwater Museum (Υποθαλάσσιο Μουσείο Αλοννήσου) in 2020.
The Information Center of the Alonissos Underwater Museum also offers a simulated 'diving' experience of the site using virtual reality in partnership with the European Commission. Positioning of the many vessels, pots, and amphoras are mapped in 3D for visitors to 'navigate' the seabed.
Location
- Recorded position: 39.2050, 23.9717 (Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0); may be approximate)
- Sea / ocean: Aegean Sea
- Nearest coast: Greece
Wreck positions on this site are for interest only and are not for navigation. Many wrecks are war graves or legally protected: never disturb human remains or remove artefacts, and check local law before diving.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Peristera shipwreck (revision 1318061902), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section and section(s) “Discovery”, “Underwater Museum”; condensed by selecting paragraphs; citations and formatting removed. No text added. This excerpt is available under the same licence.
Wreck facts from Wikidata (CC0).
Nearby wrecks
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Browse more: Europe wrecks · wrecks off Greece · Aegean Sea