THE RIVER ERIDANOS VOYAGE
And the Modern Argonauts

The River Eridanos ...; a mythical river clouded by mysteries of ancient Greek legends; this mysterious river of the North with an unknown location confused old scholars and leaves modern historians struggling as well…  Some consider the ancient river Po in northern Italy as a potential candidate; others dare to look even more to the north, where the river Istris flows, today’s Danube! Mentioning old records, the shores of that river were full of amber, perhaps a relation to well know Amber Road, which partly led through the region of Slovakia?... Who knows?
Many scientists around the world consider this river for centuries for another reason too; Jason and the Argonauts, a story and heroes par excellence. They had to use this river during the famous escape with The Golden Fleece. There are more hypothetical routes of this trip throughout the Europe continent, some lead again along the rivers of Slovakia; therefore Argonauts possibly met our grand - grand ancestors of The Bronze Age.
This idea attracts us so much that we have decided to choose the river and the voyage for the symbol of the entire project.

The project, which has no analogy not only in Slovak republic, but in the whole region of Europe;

to build a replica of the ancient Greek naval vessel, with full crew and start a complex event, extending the tradition of heroic Argonauts, seafarers and explorers, alongside with the tradition of traders and old trade routes leading through Europe for millennia!

The project “River Eridanos Voyage” aims to educate about the life of our ancestors in the archaic prehistoric era in an informal and interactive way, focusing on a wide spectrum of expert and enthusiastic public – children and young tourists. It is important to show them that these territories were full of life and that trading and mutual culture interaction was common not only between the North and the Mediterranean regions of Europe, but also with the east and the west, the interactions of the prehistoric Amber Road and the ancient Silk Road.

The ancient-Greek naval vessel replica, rowing boat, one mast sail supported
The anchorage from the Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age
reconstructed era – 500 – 480 BC, approx.

The Era of the Classical period of ancient Greece (776 – 323 BC) was chosen for sufficient amount of history sources and widely recorded trading and cultural interactions of this period in the entire Europe. The ship construction will be designed as a fully operational sailing boat with other oar-powered support and auxiliary emergency engine, passenger boat of the C category – river and offshore sailing, capable of all significant EU Rivers cruising and offshore sailing. The protection of crew and the ship will be secured by all valid safety regulations of the stated category of ship. The vessel will be equipped with all personal rescue devices.

More about this project at : Hyperborea

Dimensions :

Maximal length : 17,0 m
Maximal breadth : 3,60 m
Drought with full load : 0,51 m with balast(1500kg)
Light ship displacement : 5870 kg
Full load ship displacement : 7500 kg
Outboard engine : ~20kW
Height of mast : 8,5 m
Main sail : 36,4 m²
Material : wood, (spruce, pine)
Constructor : Radim Zapletal, Kolombus 92, v.o.s., Přerov, Czech Republic

prow of ship, Radim Zapletal (left)

ribs are showing future shape

Transporting the ship from the Czech Republic

painting eye line on the mythological animal

first trial

GO! GO! GO!...

bronz nose was for breaking waves and enemy ships

transporting from Orava - Trenčín

arrival at Trenčín - Zamarovce

sacrifice to Gods

giving name " HYPERBOREA "
(land on the north, land of the north wind)
Martina Kohlová was a god-mother.

anchorage in mythological river ERIDANOS