Was the myth of the quest for the golden fleece based on reality?

The Golden necklace from a tomb in Volos

A golden necklace found in an ancient tomb in the greek city of Volos is assumed to be originated from Colchis.That explains the myth of the argonauts and the golden fleece.

Recently in the museum of Louvre four golden samples found in Georgia(ancient Colchis) were examined along with a golden necklace found in Volos(ancient Iolkos) and the result was that they had common origin. All the objects according to the scientists were made from alluvian gold from a river of Georgia.


For the confirmation of the results examinations of the objects will be repeated with the inclusion of more objects this time.If the new examinations show the same result then we can say that Greeks in the supposed time of the mythical quest of Jason knew about the existence of Gold in Colchis. Therefore the theories of the archaeologists who alleged that the quest of jason was a metaphor for the explorations of greek navigators in the black sea and the golden fleece was the gold of the rivers of Colchis and its stealing by the argonauts implied the way the Greeks took the technology of collecting gold from rivers by the Colchians.


In ancient times the gold was collected from rivers with the method of the goat's fleece .This method was known since prehistorical times.


However there are some doubts on this research cause the river's identity was not yet recognised by laboratory examination. In both the two locations(Colchis and Iolkos) there are rivers that produce gold.
Therefore the gold from the necklace could be also Greek .








The research should have been completed long ago but the war between Russia and Georgia made the Georgian archaeologists delay the dispatching of the extra golden objects requested for the comparative analysis. The Greek findings(among them the golden necklace) are dated from15th century BC to the late 14th century BC . Archaeologists allege that at the area where the golden objects were found there were large structures built which make us assume how much advanced were the people of Iolkos in the 15th century.

14 ancient shipwrecks make the myth of the Argonauts reality

The sea archaeology has brought essential information to archaeologists and historians over the last years.The research of the coast where the historic city of Iolkos was located has unveiled  14 ancient shipwrecks and two land facilities

Among the most significant settlements that were found undersea was one that dates back to 1700 BC and contains remains of pottery,  graves and remains of buildings.

The most fascinating findings lie in the Greek islands of Skopelos and Allonesos(near Iolkos) which used to be a passage for ships heading towards the Black sea.The findings(sealed pots with products) prove the existence of early trade connection of ancient Greece with the coastal people of the Black sea and Colchis.

source: enet.gr (translations of both articles are made by me)