Legend or Reality?

The peoples living on both shores of the Aegean have sung similar folk songs for centuries, kneaded the same bread, and often thought they share the same water.

But could it really be so?

The claim that sweet waters emerging from the heart of Kaz Mountains can reach the island of Lesbos by moving under the sea has taken deep roots in folk memory and has also become the focus of scientific interest.

Kaz Mountains: The Water Source of Anatolia

The Kaz Mountains are among the richest natural resources in Western Anatolia.

These mountains, nourished year-round by snow, rain, and underground accumulation:

• Have mineral-rich, clear, and cold water sources.
• Form the water backbone of both Balıkesir and Çanakkale regions.

The story of the water originating from these mountains finds reflection on the other side of the Aegean as well.

Can Fresh Water Reach Lesbos?

Under the Aegean Sea, there are not only marine life but also fault lines, cracks, and natural water pathways.

Freshwater can mix with the sea through these cracks, and in some cases, it can even emerge as freshwater from the seabed.

In science, this is referred to as Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD).

There are many examples of this along the Turkish shores:

• Freshwater springs emerging from the sea in Erdek
• Freshwater leaks along the shores of Foça and Ayvalık
• Detected underground water discharges in Gökova Bay

This situation shows that freshwater can seep and travel underwater over long distances.

Scientific Perspective

Isotope analyses conducted on some drinking water sources in Lesbos have yielded similar results to those of water sources in Anatolia. Especially the waters around Plomari, Mantamados, and Agiasos:

• Are soft to drink
• Characterized as mountain water
• Are relatively similar in mineral structure

However, science remains cautious:

“There is no definitive evidence proving that the water from Kaz Mountains reaches Lesbos directly.”

(Greek Geological Research Center – 2019)

The similarity may be due to the shared geological structure of the Aegean.

What Does the Public Say?

When you ask the elderly in many villages of Lesbos where the water comes from, you usually hear this answer:

“It comes from Kaz Mountains. Our water is like Anatolian water.”

This belief is not only related to the taste of the water.

For the community that migrated from Anatolia to Lesbos during the exchange period, even a glass of water carries a memory:

• Menemen
• Edremit
• Ayvalık
• Burhaniye

This legend has merged with the memories of people from such places.

Lesbos’s Water Culture

In the highlands of Lesbos, water is not just a drink, it is at the center of culture.

• Water sources in the monastery of Mantamados
• Mountain springs in Agiasos
• Soft mountain water used in the production of uzo in Plomari

Water has both economic and cultural value.

Reality or Legend? — Brief Summary

QuestionAnswerDoes water go from Kaz Mountains to Lesbos?Geologically possible, but no evidence.Is there fresh underwater sources in Lesbos?Possible, more research needed.Does the public find this water special?Yes, it is even considered sacred.What does the similarity in taste indicate?Shared geological and mineral origin.

A Sip of Water, A Sip of Brotherhood

Science cannot speak definitively yet, but the answer has long been given in the public memory:

“This water comes from Kaz Mountains.”

Perhaps what is important is not where the water actually comes from, but the symbolism of the shared culture and brotherhood between the two shores.

Recommended Sources

• “Kaz Mountains and Aegean Geology” – Prof. Dr. A. Okay
• “Underground Waters and Mineral Sources of Lesbos” – Greek Geological Society
• “Exchange and Narratives” – Ayvalık Culture Association