The "Lake of Olympia": geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

A previously unknown large lake environment, dubbed the 'Lake of Olympia,' existed near the ancient site of Olympia from the 8th/7th millennium BC until at least the 1st century AD. This discovery, supported by geoarchaeological evidence including Direct Push sensing, sedimentary and micropalaeontological analyses, reveals significant ecological changes over time and has substantial historical, archaeological, and geographical implications. The lake may have served as a waterway or supplier for the cult site of Olympia.

Slabon, L., Obrocki, L., Fischer, P., Willershäuser, T., Lang, F., Gehrke, H.-J., Eder, B., Kolia, E.-I., Pilz, O., Wilken, D., & Vött, A. (2023). The “Lake of Olympia”: geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece). Advances in on- and Offshore Archaeological Prospection, 31–36. https://doi.org/10.38072/978-3-928794-83-1/p5