An Expansive and Complex Subsea Archaeological Mission
The new findings were made by researchers working on the second underwater research mission by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities , a special peripheral service of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports , in collaboration with the Institute of Historical Research of the National Research Foundation . The Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities was founded in 1976 and its primary objective is the protection of the underwater antiquities discovered on ancient shipwrecks, settlements and harbors in the seas, lakes and rivers of Greece. In this project, twenty-three specialized scientists and technicians spent more than 200 hours beneath the waves, in more than 100 group dives.