# The ANCIENT DIOLKOS is calling out for help



## sofia.greek (Oct 22, 2007)

An ancient monument in Greece is seriously endangered and needs our help. The  *Diolkos*, the famous paved  road constructed around 600 BC and used to transport ships by land over the  Isthmus of Corinth, is unique in its kind but it has never been protected since  the time of excavation (~1960). 

In  an effort to save and restore the structure, we have created an international  petition which you can find by searching for

SAVE AND RESTORE ANCIENT DIOLKOS PETITION 

(sorry for not providing a link but we are new to the forum and we are not permitted to post links...)

We invite  you to sign and help preserve this historical monument. 

  Sofia Loverdou  -  Freelance science journalist
    Yiannis Balafoutas - Retired teacher,  writer


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## sofia.greek (Oct 31, 2007)

*The damage continues....*

 The damage of Diolkos is going on, as  *one more ancient block fell* from the monument *during  the last few days*. 

Although at Master Plan for Diolkos approved at the beginning of  September by the Central Archaeological Council calls for immediate temporary protection  measures, relevant services remain largely inactive; even the exchange of  letters seems to be going at a snail’ s speed, _creating doubts even  about the intentions of the services involved and drawing a picture of mindboggling inability and abandonment...._ 

The Master Plan is not the only "paper" attesting a non-existant care for the monument. It actually comprises  the basic information about Diolkos (which the  services “in charge” lacked before) and considers steps to be taken for the monument’s salvation (an  obligation that never ceased to exist and in which the Ministry has up to now  tragically failed).

The long festival of hypocrisy and  illegality that has determined the monument’s deterioration is – at last -  becoming known to the large public. 

The petition for Saving and Restoring Diolkos has  already received 5,350 signatures originating from 81  countries. 

Please look for SAVE AND RESTORE ANCIENT DIOLKOS PETITION and join your voice!!!


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## sofia.greek (Nov 29, 2007)

*The TIMES for Diolkos*

Although the Greek Ministry of Culture has been forced to some movimentation for Diolkos, no substantial 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 monument.

Articles about the dramatic decay of Diolkos have been also presented in the british edition of the TIMES in July 2006 and February 2007.

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. 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...


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## sofia.greek (Dec 22, 2007)

*Ancient Diolkos*

Although  the Authorities advertise their "interest" in Diolkos, the erosion continues to  expand under the supposedly "sane" part of the monument. 

Respect and attention for the monument 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. 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 NOR had sufficient knowledge about the  monument...

During the same visit, in  order to place some supports under the stones of the erosion front,  the DAAM  team entered the sane part of Diolkos WITH THEIR VAN although there is very  convenient access from another point. Since the operation was done in  collaboration with the local ephorate, it would seem that neither service 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!!!

However, the damage is quite obvious!!! I DO hope Mr. Mantis does better as Head of the ACROPOLIS  ephorate!


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