|
Diolkos, ancient
Greece's Panama Canal, in peril
by Sofia Loverdou
 Print
this Article • About
the Author • Bibliography/Sources
A monument calling out
for help
The diolkos, the ancient paved way that enabled ships to be
moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth from sea to sea,
is progressively crumbling into the water at its western end.
This monument of first-class importance for the history of
technology and for the Greek achievement in general, has had
a "modern history" that verges on the unbelievable.
After the excavations (~1960), the initial part of the monument
has been left at the mercy of its position near the Corinth
Canal. Today, the front of the erosion has overpassed great
part of the monument completely, leaving this registered archaeological
site in serious distress - up to downright demolition. The
deterioration is all the more dramatic since the monument
has never been properly published, hence information is being
literally "erased". Actions to save and restore
the monument are imperative.
You can sign the
Diolkos petition at: www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/870477005
Background on the history of Diolkos
The Diolkos was first built probably around 600 B.C. by Periander.
It is mentioned by Thucydides in connection with transport
of fleets during the Peloponnesian War as something granted,
thus already ancient. Its use is mentioned in various sources,
almost exclusively for warships. After Actium in 31 B.C. Octavian
shipped his warships across the diolkos to pursue Antony and
Cleopatra to Asia and then Egypt. Later, the Diolkos fell
into disuse and now has been superseded by the modern Corinth
Canal.
The important strategic position
of the Corinthian canal in the history of the many local competing
empires -- the Romans, Athenians, Alexander, Spartans, Byzantines,
Ottomans, etc. -- makes Diolkos a monument in dire need of
preservation on par with more well-known monuments undergoing
restoration today.
A world-class historical
monument is left defenseless
The decay of Diolkos has
not only been allowed by the Ministry of Culture; it has also
been favored in various ways.
1960 - c.1985: relevant documents
are missing from the ephorate's files!
1985 - a rather vague term
(imposed by the Ministry to the Canal Company on the occasion
of the latter building a bridge in the vicinity of Diolkos)
presumably calls for a restoration study; after an "understanding"
of the Canal Company and the Ministry of Culture, the term
is "forgotten"
The course of Diolkos after its western terminus around 1960
and now…
1989 - a ludicrous "study"
to embellish Diolkos is produced. It leaves completely out
a large part of the monument which has been cut out from the
rest by the erosion. (After more than a decade it is in actually
suspended by the Central Archaeological Council but it continues
for some years to be mentioned by “responsible” officers of
the Ministry as waiting to be approved!)
Many stones bear marks which
belong to the signs of the old Corinthian Alphabet. The marks
are present all the more often near the end (or the beginning)
of the course of Diolkos.
1992 - an antiquities guard
notifies the ephorate that the erosion approaches the smaller
part of Diolkos on the Peloponnese side. No action is taken,
although the morphology of the ground at that point was favorable
to practically ANY rescue approach.
Between 1999 and 2007, seven
formal questions regarding directly or indirectly the Diolkos
have been addressed by members of the Parliament of various
parties to the Greek Ministry of Culture. All have been answered
with various misleading or false assertions of care for the
monument.
2006. Reports about Diolkos
bring about the beginning of a Justice Investigation. In a
meeting held at the Ministry in February, the Direction for
the Restoration of Ancient Monuments (DAAM) isn't even invited
to participate! The local ephorate undertakes gathering "restoration
standards" within 20 days... but NO such standards are
produced. When some presumed standards are presented, at the
beginning of December 2006, they are actually useless and
lead to no study at all...
... 2007: DAAM, supports
a few stones of the long erosion front, while the erosion
keeps eating away the substrate underneath them. Two more
stones fall from the eastern part of the monument on Peloponnese
(section G according to Werner).
A first “study” decided in
one more meeting in the Ministry of Culture (May 31st) actually
fails to materialize. Only a first "master plan"
is produced (based on information given by privates); its
approval by the Central Archaeological Council on september
4th 2007 can be falsely reassuring: although it presumably
calls for immediate rescue actions, no such action has yet
been taken. Coordination for permanent protection, also presumably
decided, has not yet taken place!
As can be easily deduced,
the Services of the Ministry have completely overlooked their
obligations towards our heritage for long decades.
As the terrible condition
of Diolkos brings out, there has been no control mechanism
for either the monument's condition or the responsibilities
involved. Only covering-up mechanisms are always alert.
In October 2006, notified
about my intention to open up the petition, the Prime Minister's
Office asked the Ministry of Culture about the monument. The
(then) General Secretary of the Ministry, Mr, Zachopoulos
(copying information given by the ex Head of the Ephorate,
Mr Alexandros Mantis), "informed" Mr. Caramanlis'
Office that the waves "have by now begun to erode the
monument's substrate", actually, that is, hiding even
the condition of Diolkos.
Hellas, helas!
Excavations conducted between 1956 and 1962 by the Greek archaeologist
and Ephor of Argolid and Corinthia, Nikos Verdelis, enable
us to trace the course of Diolkos for about one kilometer
on both sides of the Corinth Canal; its course seems to develop
in majestic turns, bringing the estimation of its length to
about 8-km. The eastern end of Diolkos, reported by Strabo
to be at Schoenus (modern Kalamaki), has not been found. The
surface of Diolkos, varying in width from about 3.5 to 5.5
meters, bears the grooves made by the wheels of the trolleys
onto which the ships were loaded, mainly at a gauge of 1.52m.
The Diolkos is a forerunner of the modern railway.
(Click to enlarge)
A pavement of large, squared blocks, mentioned already in
1932 by H. N. Fowler (Corinth and the Corinthia) extends before
- and to the side of - the course-proper of Diolkos. This
sloping platform, reported by Fowler to extend for a distance
of about forty meters, lies today in shreds.
(Click to enlarge)
The diolkos literally demolished! Under the sand, in various
states of distress, the blocks of Diolkos await their restoration.
(Click to enlarge)
In October 2006 the Ministry of Culture “iunforms” the Greek
Prime Minister that the waves "have by now begun to erode
the monument's substrate" !!!
(Click to enlarge)
The part of Diolkos to the right of the road leading to the
moving bridge between Corinth and Loutraki, was also once
majestic. A report of a guard in 1992, about the erosion approaching
this part of the monument has been simply disregarded (as
any similar alert...). Verdelis reports that, after a distance
of 15 metres without traces of the monument, the course of
Diolkos was once again found around the (then) edge of the
canal.
(Click to enlarge)
Neglect has had its cost also on the part of Diolkos excavated
on the Attica side of the Canal, on the grounds of the Military
Engineers' School. Here, a double row of stones resting upon
the main course of Diolkos and bearing marks of ropes - a
very interesting feature - has also suffered extensive mechanical
damage.
(Click to enlarge)
Two more images of the part of Diolkos upon the Sholi Mihanikou
grounds. Majestic, as well as scientifically intriguing, Diolkos
is a monument that has suffered enough offense in our modern
world. Φθάνει πια!
________________________________________
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
Freelance science journalist, 53,
has collaborated in various magazines and newspapers mostly
on astronomy, physics, renewable sources of energy, archaeology
and nautical past.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
-The Petition Site, the Diolkos
petition (www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/870477005)
-personal information and
documentation of the author
|
