Diving in Azerbaijan - looking for sunken treasures

Diving in the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is among the most enigmatic lakes in the world. Here the mysteries of history are intertwined with secrets of nature that scientists and enthusiasts of underwater archeology have been trying to puzzle out for decades. The water level in the Caspian has changed many times over the centuries, which is reflected not only in the shape of the coastline but also in the lake’s content. There are as many legends as historical accounts about flooded cities, villages and fortresses consumed by the sea water.

Atlantis

This legendary island was first mentioned in Plato’s Dialogues (Timaeus and Critias). According to the Greek philosopher, Atlantis was a naval power laying “in front of the Pillars of Hercules“, which unprovoked made an expedition against the whole of Europe and Asia, approximately 9600 BC. After a failed attempt to invade Athens, Atlantis sank into the ocean “in a single day and night of misfortune”. Plato suggested that the island might have been flooded by the waters of the Caspian Sea.


Sabayil Castle

For centuries people were spreading stories about the castle but many had doubts that it really existed. Only after the water level in the Caspian Sea dropped significantly in the 19th Century, the ruins became visible under water. When the sea was calm it was possible to see stone tablets decorated with frieze inscriptions in Arabic and Persian and ornamentation and images of people, animals and birds. Sabail was no longer a legend but a real castle situated on an island some 300 meters from the Baku shore. According to local historians, the castle was built on the beginning of the 13th century and it was most likely used as a defence tower. It’s not clear why it was destroyed – one theory speaks about an earthquake that damaged it sometime in the 14th Century. Other scholars, however, believe that it was destroyed during the Mongolian invasion. Many of the stone tablets were moved to the Palace of Shirvanshahs in the Old Town but some can still be found submerged under water.


As a part of the ancient Northern Route of the Great Silk Road, the Caspian Sea hides as well a myriad of sunken ships and other potential treasures including old ceramic pottery, weapons and ancient coins. Among them is the  ‘’mysterious ship’’ lying to the south of the island of Zhiloy at a depth of approximately 30-35m. To get there it takes about 45mins of travel by boat along the eastern tip of Absheron. For a comprehensive examination of the artifact, which by the way hasn’t seen sunlight for centuries, it is best to stay for a couple of days at the diving center on the island. In the same place you can collect all necessary equipment, fill oxygen tanks and rent a special diving boat.

Pirates

The Koltish Isles are situated between the Absheron Peninsula and the island of Zhiloy. One of them, Malaya Plita, in the Middle Ages was occupied by pirates who would light the fire on the nearby island of Artem luring merchant ships to the false lighthouse. Soon after crashing onto the underwater rocks, the ships were robbed of all the goods. Fairly recently the island of Malaya Plita became a research site for underwater archeologists hoping to find some unique treasures.

Altitude lake diving

Those hungry for even more adventure can try altitude lake diving. There is a chain of highland lakes near the city of Ganja. While their surface area might not be very  impressive, the largest one is only 0.5kmsq wide, the depth goes down to 60m. Deep water diving at an altitude of 2500m is a baptism even for experience divers.

Otherwise you can have a dip in one out of many lakes all over the country.