The Zea Harbour Project was launched in 2002 and concluded fieldwork in 2012. The project was operating under the auspices of the Danish Institute at Athens and is directed by Dr Bjørn Lovén. The project was supervised by the Department of Underwater Antiquities (2002–2012) and the 26th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (2002–2009) of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The project was a combined land and underwater archaeological investigation in the ancient harbours of Zea and Mounichia in Piraeus.
The mission was to excavate and conduct research in the ancient naval bases of the city of Athens, located in the landlocked, protected harbours of Piraeus. Over the years, the ZHP has excavated and surveyed hundreds of thousands square meters of structures dating from the beginning of the 5th century BC. The harbours of Zea and Mounichia preserve the remains of the shipsheds and slipways that housed the large Athenian fleet of triremes as well as remains of breakwaters, fortification moles, and towers, all encircled by strong fortification walls. The shipsheds area solely, covered an area of 110.000 square meters being among the largest roofed structures of antiquity. The Piraeus harbours building project is associated to the peak of the Athenian city state and the foundation of democracy in the ancient Greek world.
From 2013, the project is focusing on publishing the results of the excavations, mostly in the form of monographs, and on disseminating its important work to the public through documentaries, museum exhibitions, media articles, open lectures, on site tours, and school visits. The project was financed by the Carlsberg Foundation since 2004.
References
- Lovén, B., 2011. The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume I.1. The Zea Shipsheds and Slipways: Architecture and Topography. Monographs of the Danish Institute Athens, Vol. 15.1.
- Lovén, B. and Schaldemose, M., 2011. The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume I.2. The Zea Shipsheds and Slipways: Finds, Area 1 Shipshed Roof Reconstructions and Feature Catalogue. Monographs of the Danish Institute Athens, Vol. 15.2.
- Lovén, B. and Sapountzis, I., 2019. The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume II. Zea Harbour: The Group 1 and 2 Shipsheds and Slipways – Architecture, Topography and Finds. Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens, Vol. 15.3.
- Lovén, B., 2021. The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume III.1. The Harbour Fortifications of the Mounichia and Kantharos Harbours - Architecture and Topography. Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens, Volume 15.4.
- Lovén, B., 2021. The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume III.2. The Themistoclean Shipsheds in Group 1 at Mounichia Harbour - Architecture, Topography and Finds. Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens, Volume 15.5.
