Lost cities

Pavlopetri: the real Atlantis?
Inside the world’s oldest submerged city

5,000 years ago the ancient Greek city of Pavlopetri was once a thriving, bustling metropolis until it was swallowed up by the sea. All that remains is now underwater off the coast of Peloponnese, Greece’s southern peninsula. Lurking underneath the waves are 50,000 square metres of streets and buildings, lost in time. Pavlopetri even had its own water management system and open plazas before an earthquake plunged it into the sea. The city was part of the Mycenaean society, which populated Greece before its classical era. The site is a fascinating insight into early seafaring trade and a true lost city.

University of Nottingham

University of Nottingham

University of Nottingham

Pavlopetri is the first underater city to be digitially mapped in its entirety. University of Nottingham

In 3,500 BCE Pavlopetri was once a busy harbour that served as a Bronze Age trading outpost between the Mycenaeans and Minoans. University of Nottingham

The site has been brought back to life in a series of images that make use of state-of-the-art digital marine technology. University of Nottingham

Lost cities are an incredible part of the history of the world and more and more are being discovered. In issue 94 of How It Works we went in search of these forgotten civilizations. Get your copy from 29/12 to see what we found. Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect below