Archaeologists discover 'underwater Pompeii' off coast of Greek island Delos

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient settlement lying beneath the Aegean Sea, just off the coast of the Greek island of Delos.

According to the researchers at the National Hellenic Research Foundation and the Ephorate of Undersea Archaeology, the ruins, which are being referred to as "small underwater Pompeii" by the local media, exist 6ft below the surface, the Independent reported.

There was also a pottery workshop discovered on the sea bed, similar to those unearthed in Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the Greek Ministry of Culture announced that the remains of a kiln and 16 terracotta pots, disprove the former beliefs that the ruins were part of a harbour.

Meanwhile, leftovers of several other buildings were also found, which possibily collapsed before becoming buried under water.

Delos, which is the birthplace of Greek gods Apollo and Artemis, is under on-going excavation and several artifacts that were discovered have been put on display at the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.