Two Ancient Greek Ship Wrecks Discovered In The Aegean

ATHENS, Aug 23 (AFP) - Archeologists have discovered the remains of two ancient Greek ships in the eastern part of the Aegean Sea near the islands of Chios and Samos, the Greek ministry of culture said Monday.
The wreck near Chios, 65 meters (215 feet) underwater, dates from the Classic period (5th and 4th centuries BC), while the other, 30 meters (100 feet) under, is from the Hellenistic period that came immediately after.
Amphoras -- large, two-handled earthen jars used to store wine or oil -- were found on both wrecks. Samples were removed for analysis.
The discoveries, made in April, are part of a systematic archeological sweep of the east Aegean that has already identified more than 20 underwater wrecks since 2000, the ministry said.
Greek authorities have undertaken the mapping of Greek waters for several years, sometimes in cooperation with foreign institutes.