Coastline

Odyssey Book 8 line 1-6 Barry B Powell

Pyrgi, Swamp or Lake and Coastline

When early-born Dawn appeared with her fingers of rose, the powerful Alkinoös arose from his bed and so did Zeus-nourished Odysseus, the sacker of cities. The poweful Alkinoös led the way to the place of assembly of the Phaeacians, built beside the ships. They came and sat down beside the polished stones set close to one another.

On Scheria the location of the assembly is not at or near the kings palace too. It is close to the harbor on a strategic location. Like Pyrgi is, or better was. The common thoughts of de local people here is that the coast must have been more inland in earlier times than it is nowadays.

Pyrgi is also situated in the assembly segment. Did Homer write something about the location of the assembly? Yes he did, not only about the assembly of Ithaca, but also about the one on Scheria. Although the Phaeacians took no part in the war against Troy, they seem to be organized in the same way.

The rivers in Vasiliki plain do bring a lot of material from the plain adding deposits around the mouths of the rivers. The sea however spreads the deposits over the entire coastline changing the coastline again during the southern gale winds which occur in winter also.

Using the slightly elevated road as an old barrier the blue area must be the addition of land. South of the road there is hardly any soil covering the pebbles. North of the road however fertile fields are flourishing. So, Pyrgi might have been somewhat closer to the coast in earlier times, matching the assembly of Alkinoös' Scheria with that of Odysseus's Ithaca even more.

In the years I have spent here the coastline did change a little bit quite often. Lefkada is a very green island, the rivers are never dry and do flow the whole year round. The reason is the high amount of precipitation on the island of Lefkada during winter.

Pyrgi

Swamp or Lake

Old Coastline

The lack of roads in the West, North of the road, suggest a swamp or (salt) lake. It is however unknown how far the coastline really was from Pyrgi in Odysseus' time. It would be a perfect place for the harbor of Ithaca.

There is no scientific research known about the development of the coastline of the bay of Vasiliki. De locals however emphasize the shifting of the coastline in southern direction quite persistently, so this must be taken in account.