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After cross-referencing naval archives in St. Petersburg and Istanbul, one compelling match emerges: The Russian frigate Sv. Mariya (Святая Мария), a 34-gun frigate (actual count: 32 main guns + 2 bow chasers = 34 effective cannons).
The survivors reported the wreck to the Russian Admiralty, but no salvage was attempted until 1828, when Greek revolutionaries raised 14 of the 34 cannons to arm a shore battery at Perama. That would explain why the keyword specifically says “apo ti Salamina” (from Salamis) – the wreck site is of the island of Salamis, not the mainland.
Today, scuba divers can find scattered remains—iron cannonballs, an anchor, and at least 20 of the original 34 cannons still resting in 18–22 meters of water, encrusted with marine life. Local fishermen call the area “ta kanonia tis Marias” (Maria’s cannons).
In Modern Greek, κανόνια (kanonia) is the plural of κανόνι (kanoni), meaning cannon (artillery) or rule (from ancient kanon). In ecclesiastical Greek, κανόνια refers to canons – liturgical hymns structured in odes, often praising saints or the Virgin Mary. 34 Ta Kanonia Tis Marias Apo Ti Salamina -sirin...
Thus, Ta Kanonia Tis Marias could mean:
Given that cannons were introduced long after Mary’s time, the first interpretation (hymns) is more plausible in a religious context.
In the age of digital archives, incomplete metadata is often all we have of a song. “34 Ta Kanonia Tis Marias Apo Ti Salamina -sirin...” is like a piece of broken pottery – its value lies not in completion but in the questions it provokes: Who composed it? Who sang it? What did the melody sound like? Why was it forgotten? After cross-referencing naval archives in St
Today, the site known as “Ta Kanonia tis Marias” (unofficial name) is a protected underwater archaeological zone. The coordinates are roughly 37°56’N, 23°30’E (east-northeast of Cape Atherida, Salamis). Key features:
Warning: Unauthorized removal of artifacts is illegal under Greek Law 3028/2002. The site is monitored by the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.
The waters surrounding Salamis are infamous for shipwrecks. The famous Battle of Salamis (480 BC) left hundreds of Persian triremes on the seabed, but our “Maria” is not ancient—it is early modern. More relevant are the wrecks from: The survivors reported the wreck to the Russian
However, none of the official wreck databases (Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, EU Shipwreck Database) list a “Maria” with 34 cannons. That means our keyword likely refers to an unofficial local name for an unidentified wreck.
Imagine a folk poem beginning:
Σαράντα δυό κανόνια έχει η Παναγιά
Τα τριάντα τέσσερα τραγούδησε Σειρήν από τη Σαλαμίνα…
(“Forty-two canons has the Panagia / Thirty-four were sung by a Siren from Salamis…”)
Such a verse would match the keyword: 34, canons, Mary, Salamis, siren.