Posted on 09/29/2005 1:52:09 PM PDT by blam
Search 'locates' Homer's Ithaca
An amateur British archaeologist says he has located Ithaca, the homeland of Homer's legendary hero Odysseus.
Robert Bittlestone - backed by two experts - claims the rocky island depicted in The Odyssey is part of Greek tourist destination Cephalonia.
He used satellite imagery to match the area's landscape with descriptions in the poem about the return of the man behind the wooden horse of Troy.
Many experts had stated Homer was referring to the island of Ithaki.
They had explained geographical inconsistencies in The Odyssey by suggesting that Homer lived much later than the events portrayed and in a different part of the country.
Previous studies have also named other Ionian islands including Cephalonia.
Earthquakes
Surrey-based management consultant Mr Bittlestone first came up with his theory in 1998.
During field trips to western Greece he also analysed literary, geological and archaeological data, and utilised 3D global visualisation techniques developed by Nasa.
"There is something both very new and very old to be found at this new location and that we should now treat the existence of ancient Ithaca very seriously " Robert Bittlestone
His new book Odysseus Unbound - The Search for Homer's Ithaca is co-written by Cambridge University professor James Diggle, and geographic expert John Underhill from Edinburgh University.
It suggests earthquakes have helped fill a narrow channel which had separated Cephalonia from Ithaca - said to have been located in the peninsular now known as Paliki.
Future research
It is not clear whether Odysseus or Ithaca really existed.
But Mr Bittlestone said: "Our purpose has been to demonstrate that there is something both very new and very old to be found at this new location and that we should now treat the existence of ancient Ithaca very seriously."
He has described his find as one of the most important classical discoveries since the unearthing of Troy in Turkey in the 1870s.
The book says Ithaca was the peninsular now known as Paliki
The book details 26 locations in The Odyssey that can be identified today in northern Paliki and its vicinity.
The research was conducted in cooperation with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and with the Athens-based Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration.
"The book opens exciting prospects for future research regarding the location of Homeric Ithaca," said Petros Tatoulis, Greece's Deputy Minister of Culture.
"The Ministry eagerly follows Mr Bittlestone's hypothesis and looks forward to staying informed about any future developments."
Cephalonia is the same island where Louis de Bernieres' best-selling novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin was set.
The novel, which was made into a film starring Penelope Cruz and Nicholas Cage in 2001, is set against the real-life massacre of thousands of Italian soldiers by German troops during World War II.
GGG Ping.
Was it a single shot or a pump.
I thought it was in upstate New York.
Did they throw blood on his armour?
I thought Homer lived in Springfield.
+
Another "amateur British archaeologist". So many original insights come from these "amateurs". Michael Ventris comes to mind - and the cracking of Linear B.
I have read that Homer's description fits the Island of Leukas better than Ithaca, but would have to go with the traditional name.
Well, that is good news. Everyone needs to know where their Ithaca is! Now we know where Homer's was.
My Ithaca (the first non-Damascas barrel hammerless 16 gauge side-by-side Ithaca manufactured), is in my gun safe. I inherited it FRom my dad, who won it FRom a FRaternity Brother in a poker game in 1935 when he was attending what is now the GW law school in WDC.
Homer's Ithaca is too far away to do me much good. Mine is cleaned, oiled and ready and waiting for Dove season! Finest bird gun I have ever shot, and the only one I own.
My Mossberg 590 "Critter Gitter" has an entirely mission!
Is that where homersexuals come from? You know like the lesbians who come from the Greek island of Lesbos!
I know that Schliemann used the Iliad to locate Troy by using a phrase which showed certain alignment between geographical features. It proved to be accurate.
Also Homer describes the small city state of Thisbe as being a place of pigeons. I recall an expedition which located it's ruins and surprise, it was still full of pigeons.
Thanks blam, will ping when home. Meanwhile, a related topic from last week.
Hmm... weird... can't find it... I distinctly remember posting a bunch of stuff in it.
Took the image out of my head.
Ah, ha.
Archeologists make historic discovery (Tomb of Odysseus)
The Madera Tribune | 8/27/05 | Thomas Elias
Posted on 09/23/2005 7:37:53 PM PDT by wagglebee
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"Search Locates Homer's Ithaca"
MMMMMMMmmmmmm Ithica
Odysseus Unbound:
The Search for Homer's Ithaca
by Robert Bittlestone
with James Diggle
and John Underhill
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