DOWNLOAD FIELD TRIPS PDF
Contact:
Nikolaos Roussos
Field Trips Chairman
Phone: +302 1087 67 801
Email : nroussos@hellenic-petroleum.gr
Mary Ford
Field Trips Co-Chairman
Phone: +33 3 8359 4878
Email : mary.ford@ensg.inpl-nancy.fr

Field Trip 2 - Corinth Canal

Corinth Canal. Photo: Fabrice Malatre

Field Trip Roster : Map

Pre-Conference

Field Trip 2:

Geology and Ancient Culture Along the Corinth Canal

Date:
Sunday, 18 November, 08:00 – 18:00 (trip departs from and returns to MAICC)
Leaders:
Dr. Evangelos Kamperis and Dr. Spilios Sotiropoulos (Hellenic Petroleum SA)
Fee:
US $160 with conference registration
US $190 without conference registration
Includes:
Transportation, lunch, guidebook, entrance fees and guide for the archeological sites
Limit:
40 persons (less than 5 remaining)
Notes:
Some walking to visit Akrocorinthos will be necessary. Walking shoes are recommended. The weather can be variable from sunshine to rain.

This one-day field trip is organized in the area of Corinth (70 km from Athens) in order to visit the Corinth Canal, the fortress of Akrocorinthos and the Epidavros ancient theatre. The Corinth Canal was opened in the 19th century (1882-1893) after many unsuccessful efforts dating from antiquity. It is 6,346 m. long and 24.6 m. wide connecting the Ionian Sea (Gulf of Corinth) with the Aegean Sea (Saronikos Bay). The field itinerary includes a cross of the canal by boat for some geology, since after its opening, it became the longest geological section in a geologically recent and tectonically active environment on a global scale. The excavation revealed faulted Pliocene and Quaternary marine and terrestrial sediments that testify to several cycles of marine regression and transgression. The stratigraphy of the canal includes a number of beach/shallow marine sequences separated by unconformities. The area (Isthmus) cut by the canal is a typical horst formed by latest extensional faulting that has been active since Pleistocene.

Akrocorinthos is a hill located at the WSW part of the canal of Corinth and is composed of Middle Mesozoic massive carbonate and various-colored shales with cherts. Deformation includes thrust faulting that took place during Eocene-Latest Cretaceous time. A latest extensional phase resulted in the superimposition of high angle normal faults that affected the preexisting tectonic structures. As a result, a series of neotectonic structures such as horsts and grabens have been formed. An example of this type of structure is the Akrocorinthos horst. The Fortress of Akrocorinthos is the largest and oldest fortress in the Peloponnese. The history of the fortification is closely connected with that of Corinth. Sections of the wall are discernible from ancient pre-Christian times, the Byzantine period, the Frankish domination, the Venetian domination and finally the Ottoman occupation.

The field trip ends with a visit to the Epidavros ancient theatre.

Go to: Field Trip Roster : Map : Next Field Trip Option