The geology of the Taygetos mountains
INTRODUCTION
Greece records the highest level of seismic activity in Europe and is an area where the geology is young and dynamic. Earthquakes are frequent and have shaped the course of Greek civilization and culture. Titanic and subterranean forces have shaped some fascinating and unique geological features, carving rugged mountain ranges and craggy, rolling valleys.
THE FORMATION OF GREECE AND PELOPONNESUS
200 million years ago, the area that would become Greece lay under the Tethys Ocean, trapped between the ancient supercontinents of Pangea and Laurasia. During the Triassic and Cretaceous periods, calciferous marine organisms died and sank to the sea floor, gradually forming thick sedimentary deposits of dolomite and limestone.
As these two supercontinents rotated towards each other, the entire Tethys ocean was subjected to a slow and irresistible pressure. The enormous stresses caused by this gradual compression deformed the earth’s crust and led to constant uplifting and buckling of the sedimentary rocks. The intense heat and pressure transformed the original limestone and sandstone into marble and quartzite, respectively.
This huge area of elevation extends from the Alps to the mountains of Iran, all of which are, geologically speaking, very young ranges. The boundary regions of these tectonic plates are complex and changing; Greece occupies the Hellenic plate, which is slowly stretching in a northeast/southwest direction. This microplate straddles the descending African plate to the southeast and the Turkish plate to the east.
The underlying geology is extremely complex, and the expanding Hellenic plate has created a series of horsts and grabens. These form the backbone of the area, giving rise to jagged mountains and steep valleys. The constant kneading and squeezing of the bedrock has caused high levels of tectonic and volcanic activity in the area, influencing the underlying fabric of Greek culture and history.
For example, the volcanic explosion of c1644 BC at Thera (Santorini) destroyed the cultured Minoan civilization on Crete. Ancient Sparta was razed to the ground in 464, and the consequences of this destruction led to the first Peloponnesian War against Athens. More recently, Kalamata was badly damaged in 1986, requiring a complete reconstruction of the city.
THE FORMATION AND GEOLOGY OF THE TAYGETOS MOUNTAINS
The complex uplift of the entire eastern Mediterranean formed the inspiring mountains of the Peloponnese, and the area is traversed by a complex network of interconnected faults. The gradual deformation of the Hellenic plate has created many faults located within the peninsula, which are constantly slipping and cutting. The Taygetos and Parnonas mountains are large horsts, with deep trenches on either side. Therefore, the powerful Taygetos mountain range is sandwiched by two fault lines, which causes the large tremors that frequent the area.
ROCK FORMATIONS IN TAYGETOS
Due to its turbulent geological history, the Taygetos Mountains have some interesting rock formations, consisting mainly of limestone and dolomite, formed when the area was under the Tethys Ocean. Quartz veins are embedded within this matrix, and many quartz-based crystals are found in the area, including citrine and amethyst.
The Parnonas Mountains, across the Evrotas Valley, contain Lapis Lacedaemonium, a rare type of serpentine porphyry found only around the village of Krokees. This semi-precious stone was one of the main exports of ancient Sparta, and the Romans mined it extensively, using it to adorn their villas and public buildings.
THE CAVERNS OF DIROS
The Diros Caverns, near Areopolis, are one of the longest cave systems in Greece and are popular with both casual tourists and speleologists. This hidden gem is ranked as the third most important cave system in the world. The cave system itself was known in ancient times and was known as an entrance to the underworld.
The sheer extent and scale of the caves were first discovered by I. Petrocheilos and his wife, Anna, in 1949. 1971 saw the beginning of a systematic process of cave mapping and diving, and this research is still ongoing. The explored length of the network is 6.2 km, but a large amount remains to be discovered. Scientists believe that the entire Peloponnese peninsula is filled with a huge network of interconnected caves.
The Diros caves are extremely beautiful and contain many interesting rock formations and a series of impressive caverns. The Glyfada River runs through the calcium carbonate rocks, carving a multitude of channels and sculpting cathedral-like caverns. The constant infiltration of rainwater, when the river level was lower, created many beautiful and interesting formations of stalagmites and stalactites.
MOUNT TAYGETOS
It is impossible to visit the Taygetos region without looking at the Taygetos pyramid mount. The mountain actually consists of five peaks, known locally as Pentedaktylos (Five Fingers), with the highest, Prophet Ilias, rising to 2,410 meters. The mountain is a commanding sight and looms ominously over the city of Sparta.
Taygetos was the site where ancient Sparta executed criminals, cruelly throwing transgressors to their deaths. Sometimes the peak shines in the sun, other times a blanket of clouds caresses the summit. Throughout the winter, it is covered in a layer of pure white snow, and the pyramid stands out clearly against the clear blue sky.