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Sponge diving is underwater diving to collect soft natural sponges for human use.
When sponge diving, the crew went out into the Mediterranean Sea in a small boat, and used a cylindrical object with a glass bottom to search the sea floor for sponges. When one was found, a diver went overboard to get it. Freediving, he was usually naked and carried a skandalopetra, a rounded stone tied on a rope to the boat, to take him down to the bottom quickly. The diver then cut the sponge loose from the bottom and put a special net around it. Depth and bottom time depended on the diver's lung capacity. They often went down about for up to 5 minutes.
Sponge diving is underwater diving to collect soft natural sponges for human use.
Background
Most sponges are too rough for general use due to their structural spicules composed of calcium carbonate or silica. But twogenera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
, '' Hippospongia'' and ''Spongia
''Spongia'' is a genus of marine sponges in the family Spongiidae, originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1759, containing more than 60 species. Some species, including '' Spongia officinalis'', are used as cleaning tools, but have mostly been ...
'', have soft, entirely fibrous skeletons. These two genera are most commonly used by humans.
It is unknown when exactly the sponge became an article of use. In Ancient Greek writings, Homer and Plato mentioned the sponge as an object used for bathing. Through trading, Europeans used soft sponges for many purposes including padding for helmets, portable drinking utensils and municipal water filters. Until the invention of synthetic sponges
Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through ...
, they were used as cleaning tools, applicators for paints and ceramic glaze
Ceramic glaze is an impervious layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fused to a pottery body through firing. Glaze can serve to color, decorate or waterproof an item. Glazing renders earthenware vessels suitable for holding ...
s, and discreet contraceptive
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
s. However, by the mid-20th century, over-fishing had brought both the animals and the industry close to extinction.
Many objects with sponge-like textures are now made of substances not derived from porifera
Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through th ...
ns. Synthetic "sponges" include: personal and household cleaning tools, breast implant
A breast implant is a prosthesis used to change the size, shape, and contour of a person's breast. In reconstructive plastic surgery, breast implants can be placed to restore a natural looking breast following a mastectomy, to correct congenital ...
s, and contraceptive sponges.
History
In Kalymnos, only 18% of the steep volcanic land could be cultivated, so the main occupations were trading, boat building and sponge fishing, which perhaps was the oldest occupation on the island. Diving for sponges brought social and economic development to the island: the freediving method was used. Kalymnos was the main centre of production in the Aegean, and is still a traditional albeit less common occupation of the Greeks on the Island with related exhibitions, along with other local folklore, and three museums about the occupation.
When sponge diving, the crew went out into the Mediterranean Sea in a small boat, and used a cylindrical object with a glass bottom to search the sea floor for sponges. When one was found, a diver went overboard to get it. Freediving, he was usually naked and carried a skandalopetra, a rounded stone tied on a rope to the boat, to take him down to the bottom quickly. The diver then cut the sponge loose from the bottom and put a special net around it. Depth and bottom time depended on the diver's lung capacity. They often went down about for up to 5 minutes.
References
External links
* – Blog, but has interesting images and some useful information {{Underwater diving, prodiv Underwater work Commercial diving Kalymnos