Archaeologists discover 'underwater Pompeii' at the bottom of the Aegean sea

Underwater archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an ancient pottery workshop, complete with 16 terracotta pots and a kiln, off the island of Delos.

The remains were found at the bottom of the Aegean sea, and the Greek media has declared the settlement's remains to be "a small underwater Pompeii." The Delos site earned the nickname since similar pottery workshops were found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, according to the Greek culture ministry.

Previous investigations had identified the Delos ruins as port facilities with a dock. According to Greek mythology, Delos is the birthplace of the god Apollo, so the site, which was abandoned in the fifth century C.E., is an important one.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Discovery News reports that additional research on the underwater findings will help historians understand Delos' commercial importance during the Roman period.