On The Sponge Islands

When Julia Martin visits the Greek islands of the Dodecanese, beauty and suffering seem inextricable.

On the Sponge Islands follows her journey through Rhodes, Symi, Halki, Kalymnos and Patmos to trace the cultural and ecological legacy of sponge diving. Because of their wonderful porosity, sea sponges have always been perfect for a myriad of human uses, and men from the islands had been diving for them and trading them since antiquity.

It was a rich harvest that came at the cost of many lives. And it couldn’t last. Everything, one might say, flowed through sponges. Until it didn’t.

Martin’s lyrical, searching prose is rich in dialogue, extraordinary characters, and curious tales. This is a story of extinction and resilience, of loss and restoration. It reminds us that it may not be too late – not yet.