sofia.greek Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 (edited) The diolkos was the paved trackway across the Isthmus of Corinth, over which ships could be hauled overland between the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf. First built probably by Periander around 600 B.C., it is mentioned by Thucydides as something granted, thus already ancient. After Actium in 31 B.C. Octavian shipped warships across the Diolkos to pursue Antony and Cleopatra to Asia and then Egypt. Although unique in its kind and rich in history, the Diolkos has never been protected since the time of excavation (~1960), progressively crumbling into the water at its western end. In an effort to save and restore the defenceless structure, we have created an international petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/870477005 We invite you to sign and help preserve this historical monument. Sofia Loverdou – freelance science journalist Yiannis Balafoutas – Retired teacher, writer More information and images in ENGLISH, at http://www.greece.org:8080/opencms/opencms...ojects/DIOLKOS/ Images and comments in GREEK, at http://www.greekarchitects.gr/index.php?ma...8&newid=890 (2 pages) Edited December 7, 2007 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 A noble effort of course, but might I ask how the ministry is expected to pay for or accomplish this? Not knowing the circumstances of the Greek economy it's difficult for me to sign a petition in good conscious (though it's unlikely that a signature from a non citizen would have much impact anyway). Is there a plan in place to enact the preservation of this artifact or is it simply a petition to pleading with the Prime Minister to do something? I'm afraid that the actual petition text... "We declare ourselves against the mentalities and practices that lead to the destruction of the world's heritage and we ask the Greek Prime Minister to exercise his authority so that, without any further delays and hypocrisy, the Diolkos is finally saved and restored." ...doesn't tell me much. I don't mean to oppose such an effort. Clearly the existence of unrv.com is an indication of how I feel about historic preservation, but I do hope there is "more to the story". I'm willing to bet that the ministry would be far more likely to heed a petition if they were presented with a cohesive restorative plan, rather than a desperate plea, no matter how necessary that plea may be. If such a thing exists, please do provide more information on your petition page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Dear friend, as a matter of fact, this petition is part of a much larger effort. It is not a plea, you can be sure of that. Furthermore, the Prime Minsiter's Office is being notified about it all along - I don't wait till signaturea accumulate. As regards funding, I understand your comment. However, it shouldn't entail spending much money since it should have been a project which could have been funded with the EU's contribution or any other similar program - and this long ago!! But the relevant services were totally unprepared. The petition site doesn't give long explanations for two reasons, basically. 1- in order not to tire the reader 2 - if I should write details about how this monument has been abbandoned and how its decay has even been favored by the services supposedly in charge of its well-being, it would be shocking... In other words, the petition is a "light" effort. As you have seen, there already are two judges (Eisaggeleis) and the Public Administration Control Body in this issue. I have even prepared a report for ICOMOS, although I don't know if they will present it. If they won't, I will direct it towards other entities. As for the help which you so rightly mention. Actually I was appalled to find that the relevant services didn't even have the basic info about anything. I have personally given them all the information that I had (images, old articles) and I can assure you that the Master Plan recently approved was mostly based on information which I had given the Ministry or directed them toward it. If you'll be so kind as send me an e-mail at sofia-l@tellas.gr, I could send you more information. Needless to say, I have at your disposal all the documentation that I have. Thanks for your interest, Sofia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 (edited) Salve, Amici! A nice article on en.wikipedia about the Diolkos, including a satellite pic. Edited October 3, 2007 by ASCLEPIADES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted October 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) The most popular portal in Greece, in.gr, presented some hours ago the Diolkos case. It is a good thing to see the veil of silence about Diolkos begin to fall and a kind of "greek tradegy", complete with an innocent victim, slowly come to light... For those interested, the link is http://www.in.gr/Reviews/imagegallery.asp?...lngItemID=57977 Edited December 7, 2007 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 s.g, you might find it easier to get support if you supply links. ---------------------------------- Big A, the ship shows that the ancients knew that the Earth was round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted October 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Gaius Octavius, I am not sure I understand your suggestion. Supply links to whom, exactly or of what kind? Please let me understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Gaius Octavius, I am not sure I understand your suggestion. Supply links to whom, exactly or of what kind? Please let me understand... Something like this: http://www.archaeology.org/ Just click on it and you are there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted October 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2007 (edited) More damage for Diolkos as one more block has recently fallen... Although the Archeological Service knew that this particular block - a big one, too - was standing half on air, the stone was not secured. This part of the monument, which one can see at their right before crossing the moving bridge on the Corinth-Loutraki road, is the smaller part of Diolkos found on the Peloponnese side of the Canal. At the time of the excavation (around 1960) a span of about 15 meters with no vestiges of Diolkos was between this part and the Canal (actually Verdelis, the arcaheologist who directed the excavation, reported that the ancient vestiges once more could be seen AFTER 15 meters by the (then) side of the Canal... The erosion reached this part of the monument around 1992 and there is a report by an antiquities guard about this - BUT no action was undertaken. This part (section G according Walter Werner) was left at the mercy of the erosion although rescue operations - at least temporary ones - would have been rather childish... As the long sufferings of the excavated Diolkos come to light, various internet portals have presented the problem. In one of these, there is also an image of the 2006 report by the General Secretary of the Ministry "informing" the Prime Minister (!!!) that the waves "have by now begun to erode the monument's substrate"... I give the link hoping this time it works. If, not, please copy first... http://www.hotstation.gr/article-1480--0-0.html Edited October 27, 2007 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted November 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 (edited) Although the Greek Ministry of Culture has been forced to some movimentation for Diolkos, no real rescue operations have taken place as yet, other than supporting a few stones of the long erosion front.. Recently, the italian archaeology magazine SALTERNUM presented an article (written by me) in which there is mention of the distorted information about the state of the monunent, given to the Prime Minister's Office by the General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Mr. Zahopoulos in october 2006. Between other untrue statements, Mr. Zahopoulos mentioned that the waves "have by now begun to erode the monument's substrate", hiding the tragic state of the monunent. The information was clearly coming from the Corinth Ephorate, headed at the time by Mr. Alexandros Mantis, today head of the first ephorate (Acropolis) (!) Although Mr Mantis was responsible for Diolkos from the summer of 2001 to November 2006, the Diolkos remained totally unprotected during all this time; Mr. Mantis was also vehemently denying rescue actions. Articles about the dramatic decay of Diolkos have been also presented by the british edition of the TIMES. You can see the first article (scanned by me) at: http://www.greece.org:8080/ope.....-_July_10x_2006.html. ... and the second at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_...icle1409377.ece Although the TIMES archaeology correspondent, Norman Hammond, (Prof. of archaeology at the Boston University) mentions that rescue operations would be forthcoming (an information included in MY reports, too), the only thing done was to support some stones, letting the erosion go on beneath them! The situation at the monument is worse now, of course. As you know, two more ancient blocks have fallen since the last article hit the press; the deterioration of the already fallen parts of Diolkos is also constant... I am giving again the site for those who would like to sign the Diolkos petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/870477005 Edited December 7, 2007 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) I finally found a way into Sofia's petition site and can now see the issues with erosion she has described - Diokos Gallery: For Sofia: If you wish to post a link in a message then while you are composing your message you need to click on the first icon from the left with a small green plus sign (+) marked on it and then you will be given the option of putting in the link url followed by the name you wish to use to describe it. I have used this method above and it seems to work. Edited December 7, 2007 by Melvadius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted December 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 (edited) I finally found a way into Sofia's petition site and can now see the issues with erosion she has described - Diokos Gallery: For Sofia: If you wish to post a link in a message then while you are composing your message you need to click on the first icon from the left with a small green plus sign (+) marked on it and then you will be given the option of putting in the link url followed by the name you wish to use to describe it. I have used this method above and it seems to work. Dear Melvadius, I found out what was wrong with my links and went back and corrected it, so now all the links are there... Although relevant services advertise their "interest" in Diolkos, the erosion continues to expand under the supposedly "sane" part of the monument. As it does, both ancient blocks AND their immediate substrate are hanging over a void! I still don't know what was decided in a meeting that took place 2-3 weeks ago at the Ministry. I have the impression that MAYBE a permanent wall to protect Diolkos was discussed. However, ANY such decision would be of VERY doubtful value if it meant that more deterioration will be allowed untill actual protection work is undertaken. Respect and attention for Diolkos are still lacking... In November, the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments (DAAM) sent a team to retrieve two ancient blocks fallen in 2007 from the part designated with the letter G in Werner's plan (you can see this in the link I am giving below). Nevertheless, the second stone they brought up was NOT the one fallen last February (as instead they wrote in their official report!), although I had personally shown images of the stones (in two occasions) to the present Head of the Ephorate. Apparently, DAAM and the local ephorate did not coordinate... During the same visit, in order to place some supports under the stones of the sector E which are now eaten by erosion, the DAAM team entered the sane part of Diolkos WITH THEIR VAN although there is a very convenient and easy to find access from another point. Since the operation was done in collaboration with the local ephorate, one can be sure that neither the local ephorate people nor DAAM knew or cared to look for the other access that wouldn't have a vehicle go over the ancient monument! ==-=== One more thing that shows how deplorable the role of the local ephorate has been under the former Head, Mr. Mantis (today at the Acropolis!!!), is this: I had written to ask about a damage I had noticed on the part of Diolkos that is on the Attica side of the Canal (and is free from erosion). As I quite recently found out, Mr. Mantis wrote to his superiors stating that they had performed an autopsy and nothing was wrong!!! You can see the damage below. The double row of stones is a very interesting feature of Diolkos. Their western end has been removed (by a bulldozer I think - sometime between 1978 and 1984) and then replaced haphazardly. I DO hope Mr. Mantis does better as Head of the ACROPOLIS ephorate! Edited December 16, 2007 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted January 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 I finally found a way into Sofia's petition site and can now see the issues with erosion she has described - Diokos Gallery: For Sofia: If you wish to post a link in a message then while you are composing your message you need to click on the first icon from the left with a small green plus sign (+) marked on it and then you will be given the option of putting in the link url followed by the name you wish to use to describe it. I have used this method above and it seems to work. Dear Melvadius, I found out what was wrong with my links and went back and corrected it, so now all the links are there... Although relevant services advertise their "interest" in Diolkos, the erosion continues to expand under the supposedly "sane" part of the monument. As it does, both ancient blocks AND their immediate substrate are hanging over a void! I still don't know what was decided in a meeting that took place 2-3 weeks ago at the Ministry. I have the impression that MAYBE a permanent wall to protect Diolkos was discussed. However, ANY such decision would be of VERY doubtful value if it meant that more deterioration will be allowed untill actual protection work is undertaken. Respect and attention for Diolkos are still lacking... In November, the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments (DAAM) sent a team to retrieve two ancient blocks fallen in 2007 from the part designated with the letter G in Werner's plan (you can see this in the link I am giving below). Nevertheless, the second stone they brought up was NOT the one fallen last February (as instead they wrote in their official report!), although I had personally shown images of the stones (in two occasions) to the present Head of the Ephorate. Apparently, DAAM and the local ephorate did not coordinate... During the same visit, in order to place some supports under the stones of the sector E which are now eaten by erosion, the DAAM team entered the sane part of Diolkos WITH THEIR VAN although there is a very convenient and easy to find access from another point. Since the operation was done in collaboration with the local ephorate, one can be sure that neither the local ephorate people nor DAAM knew or cared to look for the other access that wouldn't have a vehicle go over the ancient monument! ==-=== One more thing that shows how deplorable the role of the local ephorate has been under the former Head, Mr. Mantis (today at the Acropolis!!!), is this: I had written to ask about a damage I had noticed on the part of Diolkos that is on the Attica side of the Canal (and is free from erosion). As I quite recently found out, Mr. Mantis wrote to his superiors stating that they had performed an autopsy and nothing was wrong!!! You can see the damage below. The double row of stones is a very interesting feature of Diolkos. Their western end has been removed (by a bulldozer I think - sometime between 1978 and 1984) and then replaced haphazardly. I DO hope Mr. Mantis does better as Head of the ACROPOLIS ephorate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted January 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 (edited) The following photo, taken BY the Ministry, shows how utterly ignorant of the monument they are; after 50 years of "assisted demolition", overlooked by every relevant service, a team trying to support some stones of the long erosion front totally ignores the access from the side and travels all the way to the erosion front going over the monument IN THEIR VAN (notice the wheels, at right). The operation was done jointly by the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments (DAAM) and the local ephorate, so it seems neither of the two services had sufficient knowledge of even how to ARRIVE there ! Needelss to say, the international petition, with signatures from 95 countries up to now, is still on, at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/870477005 While officials are always ready to present presumed proofs of presumed interest for Diolkos, the mental, moral and operational incompetence of the Greek Ministry of Culture is shocking. Relevant services are SO unable to coordinate that a sum assigned some months ago (by the Ministry) to a “study” for Diolkos is lying unused. This is the second sum of 40.000 euros that the Ministry has been UNABLE to put into use (another similar sum coming from the Loutraki municipality). This utter lack of coordination creates serious doubts as to how the Ministry is going to organize things with the Canal Company, as it is SUPPOSED to be doing. The Diolkos continues to be essentially abandoned. Both a definite solution AND rescue actions should however have been undertaken long ago, springing naturally from the mechanisms of the Greek Ministry of Culture. Since, as indeed seems to be the case, these mechanisms are unable to perform even the most childish task, then I think their workings should be questioned, reformed and provided with INTERNATIONAL SURVEILLANCE in order to fulfill the protection of Cultural Heritage. Edited January 27, 2008 by sofia.greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sofia.greek Posted June 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 As international ridicule rises, the Authorities continue to practically disregard the Ancient Diolkos, whose 50-year long deterioration THEY have permitted and even favored! Although having received repeated reports about the monument, the Office of the Greek Prime Minister has (apparently) NOT been able to produce enough interest in the Central Services of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The international petition for saving and restoring Diolkos has already received more than 6,100 signatures originating from 97 different countries. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/870477005 More information (in english) about the "modern history" of Diolkos, at: http://www.euroheritage.net/diolkos.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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