AEOLIAN ISLANDS
WRECKS
The Aeolian Archipelago: A Volcanic UNESCO Heritage Site
The Aeolian Archipelago is composed of seven islands of volcanic origin and includes two active volcanoes — a true natural wonder, not surprisingly designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Aeolian Islands have been inhabited since the earliest times and for many centuries served as a key reference point along Mediterranean maritime routes, supporting thriving commercial and cultural exchanges. Their seabeds preserve numerous traces of the past and have long been the subject of archaeological discoveries and research.
The 2014 Scientific Expedition and the Panarea Discoveries
The Aeolian Islands were one of the stops of the major scientific expedition carried out in 2014 by Global Underwater Explorers and Global SubDive, in which SDSS participated, contributing both to the organization and with several of its volunteers. During this operation, several spectacular ancient wrecks recently discovered in the waters off Panarea were documented. Important artefacts were also recovered, including a terracotta altar dating to the 4th century BCE, vessels, plates, and an assortment of amphorae of different Greek, Magna Graecian, and Punic types.
Advanced Technology and Direct Seabed Supervision
Thanks to the resources made available by Global SubDive, the expedition missions were able to deploy teams of technical divers and two submersibles carrying archaeologists from the Sicilian Superintendency of the Sea, giving them the opportunity to direct operations directly on the seabed.
The Discovery of Ancient Anchors in Capistello Bay
During a series of explorations conducted as part of the mission in Capistello Bay, on the island of Lipari, what would later prove to be an extraordinary concentration of ancient Greco-Roman anchors began to emerge, along with other artefacts such as amphorae of different types and the column of a louterion, which was likely being transported aboard an ancient merchant vessel.
Continued Research and Ongoing Archaeological Campaigns
Following this expedition, SDSS conducted several annual campaigns to document and investigate the deep waters of the archipelago, repeating photogrammetric surveys of two of the ancient Panarea wrecks and initiating the archaeological mapping of Capistello Bay.
This complex operation involved SDSS in campaigns carried out in 2015, 2016, and 2018, and is still ongoing today.
Video GUE GSD 2014
Camera Richard Lundgren
Editing Video 900 Ronny Roselli