Keywords

1 Introduction and Background of Research

The Underwater Cultural Heritage constitutes witness to our common memory and allows effortless retelling of numerous historical events. For this reason, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture established the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities (EUA) in 1976 to preserve, protect and to acknowledge to the public the antiquities found in the territory of the Hellenic State [1].

Underwater cultural heritage sites differ significantly from the ones found on land, in terms of the environment and its accessibility and, thus, restrict the general public’s access to them. Differences also exist among the UCH sites, e.g. there is a different approach to a shipwreck at a certain depth and another approach to a submerged site accessible via swimming.

In the case of sites in deeper waters, diving is the only option for a visit thus making them accessible to a specific group of people. Advanced technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) can offer a glimpse to the site to people who are not able to dive [2]. This issue does not always apply to submerged sites, like in Epidaurus. Visitors can easily swim over the submerged remains due to the short distance covered from the shore and its shallow waters.

Several submerged ancient sites along the Greek coastline have been detected (e.g., in Dardiza, Ermioni and in Phourkari, Troizenia etc.), but only a few can be visited with a glass bottom boat. Beside the sunken city at Epidaurus, other potential sites suitable for visits with a glass bottom boat are Pavlopetri, a submerged prehistoric settlement where underwater archaeological trails are in place, the submerged roman remains at Cenchreae, Corinth and the shipwreck at Sapientza, Methoni.

In this paper, we present Periplous, an autonomous guided and narrated tour over the underwater remains of the ancient city of Epidaurus in a glass bottom boat. It entails a journey through past and present times with the use of storytelling to provide visitors with a unique multidimensional cultural experience.

Digital storytelling has long been recognized as an effective method for the communication of cultural heritage [3,4,5] and considered a high priority for cultural institutions [6]. Storytelling has shown to function as “an incentive to delve deeper into history” [5], while narrative elements such as “humor, links to everyday contemporary life, an informal tone, perhaps the surprising use of unconventional characters” which have been deemed as important in supporting the learning objectives of cultural institutions [7]. Different approaches balance fiction and facts in different proportions [4]. Coerver [6] discusses the importance of shifting from facts to stories that cultural heritage consumers may relate to, by promoting emotions and curiosity and claim that, “what most visitors really need is a story–a memorable, emotionally resonant way to connect with a fundamentally foreign object.”

The multimedia narrative combines fiction, in the form of “Snapshots” of everyday life of the people of ancient Epidaurus, with archeological information in the form of questions and answers.

2 The Onboard Tourist Experience

2.1 Designing a Tour Over Underwater Antiquities

As already mentioned, the aim of Periplous guided tour is to offer visitors of the submerged city of Epidaurus an unforgettable, multidimensional educational experience, onboard a sea vessel specifically designed for its needs. This project is materialized under a cooperative scheme, by (1) the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, (2) Athena Research Center and (3) Polatidis MARINE.

The aim of the consortium was to design a tour that combines nature and sea alike, and the impressive ancient remains of the area, using advanced technologies as well as rich and engaging multimedia content. In this section, we briefly discuss basic characteristics that we have taken into consideration in the design of the tour.

Innovative Tools Used to Provide an Appealing Touristic Activity. The Periplous tour goes beyond offering a relaxing boat tour of the scenic Epidaurus coast. Its advanced technology can by itself be appealing due to its high novelty factor: The navigation of the boat is supported by a navigational system that functions without human intervention. The tour also features each visitor’s access to their individual tablet device where they can experience a multimedia-rich digital storytelling.

Direct Contact with Nature and the Antiquities. The transparent bottom of the boat offers visitors onboard visual contact with the underwater remains, as well as the rich underwater scenery and life.

Modular Digital Content. The design of the digital storytelling experience provides independent narrative content at each stop, offering the visitor choices as to its type (fictional “Snapshots” of the past people’s life or factual information and 3D reconstructions of the antiquities). As the content spans across time and space, this modular approach allows visitors to experience a taste of the past at a pace they control. More on the content design will be presented in Sects. 2.2 and 2.3.

Accessible to a Wider Audience. The narration is provided in three languages (Greek, English and Chinese). It is also accessible to people with hearing impairment through videos in Greek Sign Language (Fig. 5—Right). The multidimensional and modular digital content can be both accessible and appealing to a wider audience including Greeks and foreigners, both younger and senior audience.

2.2 The Tour: Combining Digital and Physical Experience

The sea journey starts off at the modern harbour which lies at the same place as the one of Ancient Epidaurus. The ancient city of Epidaurus was built next to the only natural harbour of the east coast of Argolida towards the Saronic Gulf [8]. Inside and outside the port, on the sea bed, there are architectural remains possibly related to the operation of the port.

The boat makes its first stop at the two submerged moles (north and south). It then begins the circumnavigation of the peninsula that today we call “Nissi” (Island). Τhe second stop is dedicated to the ancient city-state of Epidaurus, which was built on the peninsula, where the ancient walls are still visible in places.

The next stop is inside St. Vlassis Bay. Here, visitors can observe a plethora of architectural remains, dating from the classical to the early Christian years. What stands out is a large square construction, with stoas that extend on each of the four sides. The latter are further divided into smaller rooms. An ancient inscription bearing two ancient names: Ι Σ V Λ Λ Ο Σ and Δ Α Μ Ο Κ Ρ Ι Τ Ο Σ [9] (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is visible in this area.

Fig. 1
A photo of an ancient inscription.

(Copyright I.S.C.R. Rome-Italy)

Ancient inscription

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Fig. 2
A photo of an ancient inscription under the sea.

(Copyright I.S.C.R. Rome-Italy)

Ancient inscription

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Fig. 3
A photo of an ancient inscription under the sea visible above the water.

(Copyright I.S.C.R. Rome-Italy)

Ancient inscription

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It is generally thought that the name Ι Σ V Λ Λ Ο Σ refers to an Epidaurian poet living around 300 BC, while Δ Α Μ Ο Κ Ρ Ι Τ Ο Σ was probably a 4th c. BC priest of the god Asclepius or a proxenos and thearodokos (a citizen hosting foreign ambassadors), from neighboring Argos, who lived at the end of the 3rd-beginning of the 2nd c. BC.

The final destination of the boat is the “Sunken City”. Here, there are submerged architectural remains of an extensive Roman villa (the Villa of the Dolia = jars) that are visible today at a depth of about − 1.00/− 4.00 m. and extend over an area of about 1600 square meters.

Once they arrive at the Roman villa, visitors focus on the storage area of the Dolia through the glass bottom boat. Here they can see the masonry of the walls in the large, elongated hall, consisting of clay tiles, rubble and lime mortar. Inside the hall, there are many jars (Dolia or pithoi) that are still preserved in situ and were probably used to store food (liquid or solid). It is obvious that in antiquity many pithoi were repaired, using lead joints. Next to the south wall of the area, a floor made of ceramic tiles in second use is preserved in good condition (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4
A photo of 2 divers diving underwater with ceramic tiles below them.

(Copyright I.S.C.R. Rome-Italy)

Floor made of ceramic tiles

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Fig. 5
A comic strip has 2 boxes. The left box displays a room with wooden door, a jar, and a water well. The right box displays a hand holding a woman figurine. Texts are in foreign language.

A “Snapshot” of the ancient past: Mother and daughter talking about offerings to gods

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The next point of interest lies west of the storage area: a row of small rooms with an apsidal south end (next stop). This apsidal structure belongs to a different construction phase. One of the rooms in this wing could be associated with a dining room most likely equipped with beds along the three walls used at symposiums.

The last stop is in the northeastern part of the complex. Here, there are several indications pointing to the existence of baths, such as disc-shaped tiles from a hypocaust. Two rooms with floor made of ceramic tiles are still visible in this area.

During this trip, and the return trip too, visitors have access to multimedia storytelling content that “ties” in with what they see with information, delivered in an original and creative way.

2.3 The Storytelling: Combining Fun and Facts

As already mentioned, during the tour, visitors have access to digital content, while admiring the natural environment and its ancient remains. Digital storytelling is employed as a means to engage and entertain, while conveying information about the ancient Epidaurus and its monuments, but also about the way of life in the past.

The storytelling concept that we have developed for this “phygital” (physical and digital) experience is called “Snapshots”. As the word itself reveals, “Snapshots” capture moments of the past, fictional, though based on archaeological findings and on reasonable assumptions. So, for example, at the harbour, visitors have the chance to “witness” a scene inspired by the naval life, while at the submerged villa, they have access to different everyday life stories in Roman Empire. By being exposed to fictional everyday stories of everyday people, users will hopefully not only learn but also sympathize with them and adopt different perspectives contemplating on the past. The “Snapshots” are not confined to the remote past, Greek or Roman, of the area. Three of them bring to the stage modern archaeologists and conservators, skilled divers who undertook the demanding and important task of excavating and restoring the ancient Roman villa lying at the bottom of St. Vlassis Bay.

The fictional stories that we have created are in fact brief dialogues between two or more characters, most of them fictional. To be more specific, the first “Snapshot” is a quarrel between the captains of two ships, who both want to unload their precious cargo, but one of them has occupied the full length of the pier. At the second stop, visitors have the chance to “witness” the visit of the Roman emperor Hadrian (2nd c. AD), through the eyes of two women, inhabitants of Epidaurus, a provincial city of the mighty Roman Empire at the time. The third stop is focused on the ancient inscription, mentioned before. Here visitors have access to two different «Snapshots»: the first one is a conversation between the poet Ι Σ V Λ Λ Ο Σ, who is trying to finish writing his hymns to god, and his wife who wants him to go to the market place and do some shopping for their dinner; the second one recreates the reception of an Epidaurian called Menippos (a fictional character), by the Argive proxenos and thearodokos Δ Α Μ Ο Κ Ρ Ι Τ Ο Σ. While looking at the storage area of the Dolia, visitors are presented with three “Snapshots”. Two of them revive fictional scenes, taking place during the roman era: a craftsman talks with his grandson about the construction of the storage room and the production of wine, and two slaves, a man and a woman, talking about the damage of one of the pithoi. The protagonists of the third “Snapshot” are real archaeologist-divers who talk about the damage on the submerged villa. The next point of interest is the room possibly associated with symposiums. Here, there are also three storytelling choices: a discussion between three Romanized Greeks, during a symposium, about gastronomic pleasure and politics, and another one between a “master-chef”, hired by the owner of the villa, to prepare a special dinner, and the women slaves that are tasked to help him. The third “Snapshot” refers to the conservation and restoration work carried out on the site, on the ceramic floor and the walls of the complex [10].

The last “Snapshot” is inspired by the roman baths: three young men enjoy their bath, when the young brother of one of the characters appears and asks questions about the heating of the water, irritating his older brother.

The “Snapshots” are presented to the users in both visual and audio form. The themes and the tone of voice of the “Snapshots” are selected to appeal to a broader audience, adults but also children and young adults alike.

The visual form is exploiting the advantages of the comic technique, a powerful tool for humor and storytelling (Figs. 5 and 6). It is a dynamic and expressive form of art that has captivated audiences for centuries. Rooted in humor, wit, and satire, it utilizes a combination of images and text to convey interesting and engaging narratives. Visual elements make it easier for readers to grasp the story's flow, engage with characters and immerse themselves into the fictional world. Comics often utilize symbols, icons and caricatures to represent ideas and emotions concisely. This simplicity makes them accessible to diverse audiences, transcending language barriers and cultural differences. Comics can also be a valuable educational resource. They have been used to explain complex concepts in subjects like history [11], science and social issues, making learning engaging and enjoyable.

Fig. 6
A comic strip has 2 boxes. The left box displays food on the table. The right box displays a man underwater carrying a bag. Texts are in foreign language.

A more recent “Snapshot”: Divers-conservators talking about their job

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The short stories are basically expressing the fun aspect of the experience, although they also contain “disguised” information. Their aim is to intrigue visitors’ interest and curiosity. In order to present them with more facts, “Snapshots” are interlinked with purely informational content. Each story leads to a series of questions, concerning historical figures, historical facts, terminology etc., mentioned by the characters in the dialogue, and the relevant answers. Users can read and listen to the “Snapshots” and the relevant Q&A sections or skip the “Snapshots” and access only the informational content, i.e. the Q&A sections. Wishing to further enrich the informational content, we have also used 3D video reconstructions (Figs. 7 and 8) and photographs of artifacts, architectural remains and divers in action. By combining fun and facts, images and sound, physical and digital, we have created a rich experience that, through choices, addresses different types of audience, with respect to age and preferences.

Fig. 7
A 3 dimensional illustration displays a view above of houses with tile roof.

Conjectural 3D representation of the sunken villa

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Fig. 8
Left, A photo of a woman with mouth wide open with her hand in front of her mouth. Right, An illustration of a hand holding a woman figurine. Caption is in foreign language.

Video in GSL

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3 Discussion and Conclusion

Greece is a country with many seas and a long and glorious past with extensive underwater cultural heritage that constitutes an invaluable resource, from an ecological, educational, and economic point of view and needs acknowledgement and proper treatment to continue offering great benefits to humankind. It is the duty of the international community to preserve, protect and educate the general public about the history of underwater archeological sites.

In the framework of this paper, we have presented how the Sunken City of Epidaurus can be transformed into a new tourist destination, accessible and appealing to a wider audience, including Greeks and foreigners, younger and senior audience. The outcomes of the project are expected to be used as best practices and have a noticeable impact on a scientific level, but also on the growth of tourism and entrepreneurship in general, combining marine entertainment and cultural marketing but also the creation of synergies between different stakeholders involved (the state, the private sector etc.). Regarding the scientific results, the technologies concerning the automated guided tour could be launched to the market and be incorporated in other sites of underwater antiquities in Greece as well as abroad.