Ithaca Found? A Diversion for Fans of Homer

The link didn't convince me of anything. The author describes Paliki as being separated by fill from earthquakes. Having not read the classics, I'm still in the dark about why he connects the island to Ithica. Understandably, he's not going to fully detail what's in his book, but there's no compelling 'hook'. Bookstores are full of stuff about the supposed existence of Atlantis and where it's remains are - maybe this one is just jumping on a cash cow ?

The subject isn't out of place on CR4 - it revolves around evidence and earth science. I share your fascination with these type of theories, Roger. Unfortunately a lot of them boil down to no more than speculation.

In my opinion, this is less "Atlantis" and more Troy or Sparta. There is definitely some archeological evidence mentioned in the article (The Bronze Age fortification at the top of the hill). It certainly makes sense in terms of the geography described in the Odyssey. Still, as you say, often times these finds disappoint, we'll have to wait and see.

Why not the island of Ithaki? The name is nearly identical (one letter change) and it is an island. It makes more sense and one would guess that they would find bronze age stuff there as well if they went and looked - especially if they have already established that the island chain was inhabited during the bronze age.

A few years ago National Geographic printed an article that was absolutely fascinating (and more convincing) that indicated that 1) Homer wrote down what may have been a collection of folklore stories handed down generation to generation 2) The Etruscans, ancestors of the Greeks, from whom these stories came, migrated to the warmer climate of the Mediteranean from Scandinavia 3) that virtually all of the locations mentioned in the Iliad and the Odyssey have matching locations (including the names) in Scandinavia. Some confusion exists, they believe, due to the fact that Homer thought it happened in the Mediterranean and put in a few things that made sense to him. However, the famed Troy ruins in the Mediterranean, for example, just happen to be the closest ruins they've found to where Homer placed Troy - they are not very close. Its Scandinavian counterpart interestingly makes much more sense. Their conclusion was that the stories have basis in reality but that reality happened in Scandinavia and not in the Mediterranean.

The modern day island of Ithaca (Ithaki is just the greek translation) doesn't have any of the features of the Ithaca of the Illiad and the Odyssey, most important of which is that it is described as the farthest of 5 islands to the west. The current ithaca is located:

It's not unusual for inhabitants of a place to move to another place and rename it. For instance the Angles came from German and colonized Britain, which eventually became Angle-land and later England. The important point in the original article here is that all the features are right on this penninsula.

As too your second point, that theory is really interesting, but I'd be shocked if Homer got it that wrong. The ancient writers were much smarter than we give them credit for. Sometimes they even discounted the truth because it seemed absurd. My favorite example of this is Herodotus who lived in 5th century greece (actually a greek island near turkey) who described the people who lived far to the north called Hyperboreans, immortals who lived in a land where the sun never set. Herodotus himself dismisses this as legend yet we know today that in the summer the sun doesn't set in the arctic circle. I would be very surprised if Homer got it that wrong, especially after Mycenae and Troy have been discovered and have collaborating evidence of a war around the time Homer spoke of.

Sounds like the guy might be on to something here. It is pretty plain that some core samples would prove where the rock and fill came from I would think. Man, I would like to take the ole metal detector and sifting screen up on that bronze age hill site and "help" him out searching for artifacts. I get exited when I find an old coin or 150 year old civil war bullet around here, can't imagine finding something that old.

pipewelder

I with you 100%. It must be fun to be an archaeologist (tI know it's not all treasure and escaping the Nazi's, but still)

Could be, I'm more interested in the whereabouts of the island where Circé hung out.

Maybe these maps could help:

It took me a few seconds to twig why that interested you, Oink Oink !

Oracles seem to be explained as old women in caves getting stoned on escaping gas. Sounds plausible to me.

At Delphi at the very least, right?

You read my mind !