Minoan Sea Culture

..the smallest wave is full of grace and beauty. The wild north wind says one thing; the stormy, treacherous south wind says another; the short lived easterly yet another. The shallows on the shores of the Aegean make up one kind of dreamy scene, the seas another, and the fathomless depths of the marine trenches yet another. The labyrinthine crevices in underwater rocks form one backdrop, the imposing, inky sea caves another and the golden sand on the seabed yet another.

In passing, mankind has left other backdrops such as ancient wrecks and sunken cities. The Cretan Parrotfish, the multicolored Ornate Wrasse, the mighty shark, the silent mollusks and the ever-swaying marine plants all differ in their behavior. The life of the motionless coral is entirely different from that of the ever-moving tuna fish, the pulsating anemone, the supple sea fan, the flying skate or the drifting jellyfish.

Lessepsian migrants was the name given to the fish that populated the Mediterranean once mankind dug the Suez Canal. New to the Mediterranean, they were old inhabitants of the warm tropical seas and coral reefs. They flourished in their new home, as the Mediterranean was filled with exotic new tropical colors and shapes. And just as with migrants, the life of times past was enriched and invigorated.

The product of scientific research, Cretaquarium is here to open a window on knowledge and experience of the Mediterranean sea world. As part of Thalassocosmos, a marine park dedicated to research ...More

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