Greek archaeologists believe they have found the remains of a royal residence of pre-Classical Ithaca , with links to legendary Odysseus (Ulysses) inevitably coming to mind. Excavations by a University of Ioannina team of archaeologists are centred on the Aghios Athanassios site of Ithaca , a small isle in the Ionian Sea - west of mainland Greece - that has long been associated with Homeric hero Odysseus and the epic Odyssey. "According to evidence so far, which is extremely significant, and taking under consideration scientific reservations, we believe we are before the palace of Odysseus and Penelope; the only one of the Homeric-era palaces that has not yet been discovered," professor Thanassis Papadopoulos told reporters during a briefing last week.
To date, the dig has uncovered remains of a three-storey building with an interior staircase cut into the side of sheer rock. Remnants of Mycenaean-era pottery were also found, along with a fountain dated to the 13 century BC. Similar fountains have been unearthed at the related sites of the acropolis of Mycenae and Tiryns , in southeast mainland Greece , and specifically in the Argolida plain in the NE Peloponnese.
