In 2015, ARCH International nominated Pavlopetri, the world’s oldest submerged city, to the World Monuments Fund’s Watch List, which brings international attention to threatened cultural heritage sites. Starting in 2016, based on the successful inclusion on the Watch List, the Greek Chapter of ARCH International organized a weekend-long series of events, called Watch Day, putting a spotlight on Pavlopetri. 

This year, the Pavlopetri Watch Day took place for the third time and it’s practically a tradition. According to Barbara Euser, president of Greek Chapter of ARCH International, Watch Day is becoming one of the popular summer activities that local people look forward to each July.

 

On Friday, in Neapolis, the Greek Chapter presented the documentary “Dolphin Man,” featuring the story of Jacques Mayol, an ocean diver who formed a close affinity with marine life in open waters . Introducing the film, Dr. Aimilia Drougas – a biologist, geologist and oceanographer – stressed the importance of protecting the local dolphins and whales in Vatika Bay and the surrounding Myrtoon Sea, the first Mission Blue Hope Spot in Greece. The film was shown again on Sunday evening on Elafonisos island and proved equally popular with both children and adults.

 

Then, bright and early on Saturday, youngsters and adults arrived with masks, snorkels and fins, eager to explore the hidden ancient world of Pavlopetri. Archeologist Despoina Koutsoumpa led the tour, showing her group the foundations of houses, community buildings, streets, courtyards, cist graves and chamber tombs, submerged in just two to three meters of water. Barbara Euser explained that this was among the top activities of Watch Day, as it appealed to people of all ages and backgrounds with no snorkeling experience required. It’s not every day that your tour guide wears fins and a swimsuit and takes you underwater!

 

On Saturday evening, it was time to celebrate a groundbreaking achievement for the Greek Chapter of ARCH. Dr. Paraskevi Kalamara, Director of the Ministry of Culture’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, unveiled the proposed Management Plan for Pavlopetri and announced that the  geographical coordinates surrounding the underwater site have been published in the official Greek gazette. This marks an enormous step forward for the friends and defenders of Pavlopetri, who have struggled long and hard against the practice of letting ships anchor in the Bay in close proximity to the ruins. Commander Panagiotis Triponitikas of the Greek Navy shared with the audience that Pavlopetri will be the first underwater archaeological site in Greece to be included in international maritime charts – which means that the captains of ships large and small will now be obliged to keep at a safe distance to the antiquities.

 

 Finally, on Sunday,  Watch Day concluded with a fun community walk, run and, bicycle ride which brought out some of the local athletes as well. All participants were given free reusable shopping bags and hats with logos supporting Pavlopetri’s cause. Some people ran, others walked, but all under the same banner: to protect Pavlopetri for future generations.

Photo credits:  Costas Giavrimis & Dimitris Delakovias