A recent cleanup of Lake Pamvotida in Ioannina has brought to light an array of fascinating finds, including wartime relics such as bomb shells, an Ottoman grenade, and World War II German helmets.
Among the discoveries were also everyday items like motorbikes, batteries, mobile phones, bicycles, and even an old cash register. This marks the first-ever cleanup of the lakebed.
According to ekathimerini.com, the initiative, funded by the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, uncovered not only historical artifacts but also cultural and practical items, including a cauldron used for making tsipouro, a canoe, and several vases. The vases have been handed over to the local antiquities authority for further examination.
Recovered objects are currently displayed outdoors near the lake, giving residents a glimpse into the treasures unearthed during the project.
“Truth be told, the volume and great variety of finds from the underwater clean-up is beyond our expectations,” the head of Epirus Protected Areas Management Unit, Katerina Hiotelli, said.
Scheduled to run until December 20, the cleanup involves professional divers with expertise in high-altitude diving, as Lake Pamvotida is located about 470 meters above sea level.
On Thursday, a jeep—possibly of military origin—was found embedded in the lakebed and retrieved with the help of a crane.
Hiotelli also noted that claims of an Italian fighter plane resting at the bottom of the lake are currently under investigation.
Source: ekathimerini.com
