Situated beneath the sea off the Peloponnesus region of southern Greece the small village of Pavlopetri dates back to some 5,000 years ago. Now an underwater archaeological site, the city is believed to be the oldest known submerged city in the world.
The city is incredibly well designed with roads, two-story houses with gardens, temples, a cemetery, and a complex water management system including channels and water pipes has been inhabited since before 2,800 BC. The sunken city is being meticulously excavated by scientists from the University of Nottingham alongside the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the Hellenic Centre for Maritime Research.
First observed back in 1904 by geologist Fokionas Negris, the sunken city was officially discovered in 1967 by Nicholas Flemming and mapped in 1968 by a team of archaeologists from Cambridge, the city rests in between the Pavlopetri islet across the Elafonisos village and the Pounta coast. Pavlopetri is unique in that is has an almost complete town plan, including streets, buildings, and tombs.
The scientists estimate that the city was sunk in around 1000 BC when a massive earthquake shifted the land the city sits on downward. Despite this devastating event, the city’s arrangement is still clearly visible some 5,000 years hence. John Henderson of the University of Nottingham and his team have been able to create what they believe is an extremely accurate 3D reconstruction of the city, which can be viewed in the videos below.
While the real name of Pavlopetri is still unknown, it’s clear that ent city had been a commercial hub since Minoan times. Large amphora, statues, and everyday tools clue the archaeologists as to the real nature of the sunken city. In addition, artefacts finds dating from the Neopalatial period (c.1700-1425 BC) demonstrate that the people of Pavlopetri had close trading contacts with the palaces of Minoan Crete.
Oceanographic work carried out at the site have brought to light three distinct bedrock bands relating to old shorelines. Samples from each band have been also been submitted for radiocarbon dating so that dates can be determined for the sequence of submergence of Pavlopetri.