This
Gythion shore trip visits the Diros Cave, which was used as a dwelling place by prehistoric man. You visit the cave in small boats, because it is partially flooded, as you learn about the tragic event that took place here.
After meeting your guide you depart Gythion for the Diros Cave, which was discovered in 1958. The cave is located near the ancient Greek town of Gythion, which is about an hour away from modern Gythion. The area was inhabited during prehistoric times and later, the Spartans
used it as a port. They enlarged the natural harbor so that they could
use it as a naval base.
The mouth of the cave is close to the shore but high enough to avoid flooding. Side chambers, with stalagmites and stalactites, open off the central cave and are reached through a maze of corridors. Among the finds were weapons, stone and bone tools, Neolithic pottery, rock paintings and complete human skeletons.
The skeletons are those of unburied dead, a fact which has led the Head of Antiquities, who conducted systematic excavations, to suggest that at the close of the Neolithic period or at the beginning of the Bronze Age, a severe earthquake shook the area. Large boulders were dislodged, blocking the mouth of the cave, so that its inhabitants were walled up and died of starvation. The entrance remained sealed for some 4.500 years.
Other finds, including Neolithic shards and a stone ax reveal the existence of a sizable prehistoric settlement whose center contained a plentiful supply of water.
Today the cave is partially filled with water so you will board small fishing boats and visit the cave which is full of stalactites and stalagmites. Each chamber was given a name according to its shape when it was first explored.
After visiting the cave you will have a short amount of free time for shopping or photos.
Mobility: No wheelchairs
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