Open Seminar: Excavating at the site of ancient Eleon in central Greece

Location: Greek Centre, Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Date: Thursday, 12th of May, 2016, 7:00pm
Presenter: Dr Stavroula (Stephie) Nikoloudis
Entry: FREE

Synopsis

The excavation of the site of ancient Eleon, Boeotia, central Greece, is a collaborative venture between the Canadian Institute in Greece and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia.

The synergasia began as an intensive surface survey of the area east of Thebes, in the vicinity of Tanagra (2007-2009). Excavation of the site identified as ancient Eleon, near the modern village of Arma, commenced in 2011.

Already, the site has yielded impressive remains of the late Bronze Age (LH IIIB – LH IIIC) and late Archaic and Classical periods. The substantial Mycenaean architecture, high quality pottery, figurines, and artifacts made of metal, bone, and stone, including textile tools, jewellery and weapons, support the Linear B textual evidence that the site was incorporated in the economic and political network of the nearby Mycenaean Palace of Thebes.

The remains also demonstrate links with the island of Euboia to the East and beyond. The massive polygonal wall and monumental ramped entrance at the site reflect its continuing importance in later years.

The two objectives of this talk are (1) to discuss this relatively new and on-going excavation of ancient Eleon by examining the finds to date, and (2) to illustrate how an archaeological project operates on a daily basis, from excavating in the field to processing, conserving and analysing the excavated material as the team members attempt to gain insight into the society which produced and used the artifacts under investigation.

Sponsors

We thank the following donors: George Galanopoulos

During the course of the year considerable expenses are incurred in staging the seminars. In order to mitigate these costs individuals or organisations are invited to donate against a lecture of their choice.  You too can donate for one or more seminars and (optionally) let your name or brand be known as a patron of culture to our members, visitors and followers, as well as the broader artistic and cultural community of Melbourne. Please email: info@greekcommunity.com.au or call 03 9662 2722.

We also thank the following corporate sponsors: