The Department of Antiquities, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces the completion of this year's excavations of the University of New York's archaeological mission in Geronissos and the Maniki site of the natural ancient harbor in Peyia.
During the five-week period of work, surveys, excavations and studies were conducted under the direction of Dr. Joan Breton Connelly, Professor of History of Art and Classics at the University of New York.
As the PIO announces, the international multidisciplinary research program at Maniki harbor was attended by an international team of scholars. The small, ancient harbor of Mani was used as the main harbor for Geronisos and the ancient settlement of Agios Georgios of Peyia from the Hellenistic to the Early Christian period.
Dr. Theotokis Theodoulou, head of the Ephorate of Antiquities in Crete, Dr. Alexandros Tourtas of the University of the Aegean and Konstantinos Kostakis of Plano SLA, conducted the coastal and underwater research of the ancient natural harbor Maniki. This included area mapping, 3D video capture, submarine and diving reviews. A specialized platform that carried a digital camera was used to photograph the western bottom of the bay.
At the western end of the cape as well as in the middle of the harbor, carved rounded bindings have been identified for ship moorings. Cracked canals that are visible and rescued in the limestone layer at the edge of the harbor may have been used to load and unload goods or launch boats and boats.
Georgy Andreas of Cornell and Brown University conducted coastal analyzes using computer systems, ArcGIS, Agisoft PhotoScan and Digital Shoreline Analysis Software. Dr. Andreou created georeferenced three-dimensional port models, dystometric maps and contouring curve maps, as well as digital altimeter (DEM) models to analyze the area in terms of the visibility range of each point.
Miltiadis Polydorou of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens conducted geomorphological surveys of Geronisos and the coastline from Agios Georgios to the ancient natural harbor of Maniki, including drone aerial mapping as well as three-dimensional modeling and orthosomal design.
The excavation focused on the edge of the natural harbor, at three points in the stratigraphy in which a significant number of transport amphorae had been excavated and discarded in the area.
Professor Thomas Tartaron, President of the Postgraduate Program in Mediterranean Archeology, University of Pennsylvania, carried out superficial research as well as the excavation of a section where amphorae had been found.
Professor Jolanta Młynarczyk of the University of Warsaw recognized the most prevalent type of amphora which was identified as Cypriot southwest origin and dates from the 5th to the 7th century AD. Also widespread are the bag-shaped amphoras dating back to the 5th-6th century as well as the Gaza jars that date back to the 4th to the 6th century AD.
The Palestinian amphoras bear witness to the pilgrimage streets and the connection of the basilicas of St. George of Peyia and the famous monastic centers of southern Palestine, especially during the reign of Justinian.
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