The small but most important museum that was created in the town of Nea Koutali on the island of Lemnos is another project that we decided we wanted to deal with. It was founded by the refugees of 1922 who dealt almost exclusively with sponge harvesting and the elaboration of the sponges. The exhibits of the Museum of Maritime Tradition and Sponge Fishing of New Koutali, show the naval tradition of the refugees from the island of Koutali in the Sea of Marmara before their uprooting, the sponge harvesting and the elaboration of the sponges. It displays the archaeological collection of Nea Koutali, which consists of items, that the sponge divers collected from the depths of the sea.

Among the finds is the amphora which was a type of vessel with an oval body. It was usually made with a handle on one or each side of the vessel. In the Bronze Age, amphorae spread around the ancient Mediterranean world. The ancient Greeks used them to transport and store grapes, olive oil, wine, grain, fish, and other commodities. The vessels were usually tall and produced with a pointed base to allow upright storage by embedding in soft ground, such as sand. The shape of the vessels differed from region to region, which helps us to identify the amphora's origin. 

One can also see all the equipment used for sponge fishing, the suit, the helmet, the stones, anchors and many other utensils. In the shop of the museum one can also find miniatures of the ships used which were also offered as votives to the Virgin Mary to protect the sailors. You can visit the museum here and learn more about the history and the island.  There is also a specific catergory in our e-shop where you can find exclusive gifts to offer to your love ones, the "Museums" category.