Enlightening and Transformative Experience at the Summer School and Documentary Course in Athens

By Christina Rosi, BA-student Athens School of Fine Arts

Participating in the Summer School by The Netherlands Institute at Athens and the Documentary and Multimodal Ethnographic Approaches course in 2023 was an extraordinary journey that left an indelible mark on my personal and artistic development. The experience was both enlightening and interesting, offering a unique blend of practical and theoretical knowledge that broadened my horizons and enriched my artistic background. The course was intense, but the invaluable lessons and experiences I gained made it truly life-changing.

From the outset, I was captivated by the expertise of the instructors. They were not only amazing but also incredibly helpful throughout the entire experience. Their guidance and support encouraged us to explore beyond our comfort zones and push our creative boundaries. The opportunity to collaborate with two talented individuals with diverse academic backgrounds was a defining moment. Combining our strengths and differences, we successfully created something unique and meaningful.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the experience was the opportunity to meet incredible people from all around the world. The diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives of my fellow participants enriched our discussions and projects. The multicultural environment fostered a sense of global camaraderie and inspired us to see the world through a more open and inclusive lens.

The pinnacle of our collaboration was the project I undertook with Alice Abrams and Carmin. Together, we created an interactive map using Klynt that showcased the stories of artisans and their craft in the Koukaki neighborhood. The map, centered around artisanal works, featured captivating photographs, audio, video, and text, offering users a multi-sensory and immersive experience.

The decision to use an interactive map was strategic and well thought out. We wanted to preserve a sense of space, emphasizing the locality and context of the artisans’ workshops in Koukaki. Additionally, the interactive format allowed us to cater to different audiences, from curious tourists to those genuinely interested in learning about the artisans’ lives and work.

Looking back, the Summer School and Documentary Course in Athens exceeded all my expectations. The knowledge, skills, and connections I gained during this transformative experience have been instrumental in shaping my artistic growth and worldview. The collaboration with diverse and talented individuals challenged and expanded my creative boundaries, leaving me with a profound appreciation for the power of art and storytelling.

If given the opportunity, I would undoubtedly participate in such an enriching experience again. The Summer School in Athens has not only added value to my artistic background but has also been a pivotal moment in my journey as an artist and global citizen.

Our innovative twist on the market exchange concept was a success. By guiding the viewers through the entire process before returning to the home screen, we encouraged a deeper engagement with the artisans’ stories. This approach fostered a more meaningful understanding of their production process, experiences, and the impact of gentrification on their lives.

The inclusion of various multimedia elements provided a holistic view of the artisans’ lives and work. The combination of photographs, audio, video, and text allowed us to present a comprehensive and authentic portrayal of their experiences.

July 2023

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Prof. Dimitrios Dalakoglou (anthropologist, University of Leiden)

Associate Prof. Mark Westmoreland (anthropologist, University of Leiden)

Dr. Tryfon Bampilis (anthropologist, NIA)

Dr. Nicholas Karachalis (urban studies, NIA/University of Aegean)

Dr. Dana Papachristou (media theory, University of Thessaly / toaesthate.org)

Dr. Elpida Rikou (artist/ anthropologist, TWIXTlab)

Drs. Metje Postma (anthropologist/ film director, University of Leiden)

Maro Anastopoulou (film director)

Constantinos Diamantis (visual & media anthropologist, University of Thessaly/fiji.gr)

Fotini Gouseti (artist/ anthropologist, University of Thessaly)

Giorgos Samantas (anthropologist, TWIXTlab /toaesthate.org)

Shell-ightful Times in Euboea: Studying the Seashells from Orionos Street (Chalkis, Euboea)

By Anne Wagemakers, RMSc student specialising in archaeozoology at Leiden University

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with Greece: I devoured books on its history, jumped on the first opportunity to learn ancient Greek and collected so many museum replicas that family and friends have started referring to me as an “archaeologist-magpie”. However, upon seeing my enthusiasm, it was always a huge surprise when I proceeded to confess that I had never actually been to Greece due to a severe fear of flying. That all changed this summer when I travelled to Greece to study shellfish remains from an archaeological rescue operation at Orionos Street (Chalkis, Euboea).

After graduating high school, I enrolled in archaeology at Leiden University because archaeology seemed to combine all my interests (ranging from ancient languages to geology). Through my first-year mentor Prof. Dr. T. van Kolfschoten, I came into contact with the field of archaeozoology: the study of archaeological faunal remains, sometimes supplemented with historical sources, ethnographical data and experimental archaeology. Using all this information, we can answer a wealth of questions about past animal-human relationships or past environments. Upon seeing the enthusiasm of other archaeozoologists and learning the basics, I too quickly fell in love with the field. Consequently, I chose to specialise in archaeozoology during my bachelor’s and now my research master’s track under the supervision of Dr. L. Llorente-Rodríguez. In addition to writing my thesis, I am also trying to gain as much experience as possible, and, therefore, I am very grateful to have received the opportunity from Prof. Dr. J.A.C. Vroom, the Ephorate of Antiquities of Euboea and the Netherlands Institute at Athens to study the material from Orionos Street in Chalkis (Euboea).

The material from Orionos Street was recovered during a rescue excavation and is incredibly varied. In addition to the large number of ceramic fragments that were recovered, the number of faunal remains and particularly the diversity of species present is astounding. Since I wanted to gain more experience studying a particular group, shellfish, I decided to focus exclusively on these remains. At first sight, the study of shells might sound a little boring. However, shellfish have been used for an incredibly wide variety of purposes in the past, including diet, bait in fisheries, dye, currency and even medicinal purposes. Studying shellfish assemblages can, therefore, provide much interesting information about the activities humans carried out at archaeological sites. This material dates to the Middle-Late Byzantine period and is because of this reason particularly valuable since there is limited archaeozoological information available for this period.

An overview of some shells from Orionos Street. Photo by the author.

During my stay, I was kindly allowed to work at the Ephorate of Antiquities of Euboea depot at the Arethousa Museum in Chalkis. My days in the depot consisted of identifying the shells to species level (whenever possible), quantifying the shells, measuring anatomical landmarks and recording any so-called taphonomical traces. These taphonomical traces can, for instance, inform us whether humans or nonhuman agents collected the shells. One of my favourite taphonomical traces are the marks left by so-called bioeroders and encrusters. These traces are visible as little pits in a shell or as calcareous tubes running across the shell surface (at times with beautiful patterns). The presence of these species gives a lot of valuable information about the environment in which the shell and bioeroders/encrusters were living. Sometimes, multiple organisms are found on one shell, so the shell tells the story of not one but numerous species simultaneously.

A valve of a spiny oyster with multiple bioerosion and encrustration traces. Photo by the author.

In the end, I managed to study about 1300 shells. I was surprised by the incredibly high preservation of the material, which greatly facilitated the identification. One of the shells that featured very prominently in the material was the spiny-dye murex shell, perhaps most well-known for its historical use in the production of purple dye. Whether this was also the case at Orionos Street is still up for debate since the fragmentation patterns of the shells do not correspond to the high fragmentation that one normally expects in the case of purple dye extraction. It is possible that the meat inside of the shells was consumed instead since this is easily extracted after boiling the shell.

While separating the shells from the other faunal remains in the bags, I could also get a quick look at the other animals present at Orionos. I found species I am already quite familiar with, like horses, cows, sheep, and chickens. Additionally, there were also remains of fish and wild birds. Most surprising, however, was the presence of a turtle/tortoise bone! I have never found this species before, and it is also the first turtle/tortoise of Orionos Street. Future analysis of the site will hopefully shed more light on the exact species and the species of fish and wild birds, and I hope to contribute more to this study in the future.

A spiny-dye murex shell. Photo by the author.

As I also wanted to explore Athens before the project started, I arrived in Greece a couple of days before the start of the project. It was amazing to finally visit the sites and museums I read and learnt so much about during my childhood and during my studies. I honestly cannot describe how moved I felt at times when I finally stood in front of monuments and artefacts I have admired for so long. It is true when they say that a picture does not compare to reality.

During the project itself, I stayed in the town of Psachna. Getting to know so many new, amazing people throughout Euboea was wonderful. I am particularly very grateful for the philoxenia I experienced during my stay. After each day in the museum, I usually took some time to visit a terrace in Psachna to process my data and talk to local inhabitants. It was amazing to learn that many shell species I found in my archaeological assemblage are still considered delicacies today. Learning about their preparation, their incorporation in recipes and the specific qualities attributed to these molluscs will be very helpful for interpreting the archaeological shells. Some of my favourite memories are the performances of traditional dances and songs in Psachna. From my accommodation, I looked out over a small square where a party was held almost every night. I would usually sit down on the small terrace with a meal or my laptop and listen to fantastic musicians and singers whilst working on my master’s thesis. The joyful spirit radiating from the performances still makes me smile when recalling the memory.

All in all, my experience of travelling to Greece was amazing. In an academic sense, the trip allowed me to gain more experience with a faunal group that I was still relatively unfamiliar with. As the days passed, I gained more knowledge and confidence in my abilities. Additionally, it was incredible to finally travel through a country I have wanted to go to for years. I am grateful for the opportunity and support I have received before, during and after this trip, and I hope to return in the future.

Unearthing the Past: Researching Skeletons and the Stories They Hold

By Nina Schreuder, ReMA Student in Archaeology at the University of Groningen

During the spring of 2023, while writing my thesis on beads from an early medieval grave field in the Netherlands, the first talks about analysis on skeletal assemblages from sites in Western Greece started. The prospect of finishing my thesis and getting to do research in Athens afterwards was an extraordinary opportunity that I had to take on. I am grateful that I was supported during this period by funding from the Netherlands Institute at Athens (NIA). This would grow out to become my first time in Athens, researching a time period and context that was very unfamiliar to me. In the end, it provided me with new experiences and adventures that I will cherish for a long time.

In both my bachelor and research master studies in archaeology at the University of Groningen, a fascination for mortuary studies has been a reoccurring theme. As northwestern prehistoric contexts intrigue me most, I chose to focus on this region and time period. As part of my research master specialisation, I started to take courses on osteoarchaeology to better understand the health, diet and characteristics of past populations through human skeletal material. Through looking at Neolithic and Medieval skeletal assemblages from Dutch contexts, I further developed my osteoarchaeological skills. All of this means that my knowledge of Greek archaeology is somewhat limited, so this opportunity to research Greek material meant that I could broaden my knowledge base to include a completely new region.

One day after handing in my thesis draft, the time came to fly to Athens. While I had visited Greece before, the prospect of overlooking Athens from the Acropolis for the first time was an exciting thought. Together with my classmate and long-time friend, I was staying at the Canadian Institute for the two weeks of my research. Every day we walked for 10 minutes to the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science at the American School of Classical Studies. While it rained at home in the Netherlands, we were greeted by the Greek sun in the early morning hours. As we spent most time in the basement cleaning the material and consequently studying them in the osteoarchaeological laboratory, we did not spend that much time outside during the week. Luckily, the Wiener laboratory is filled with great people with a passion for science which made every single day very enjoyable.

Overlooking the city of Athens from The Acropolis, Photo by the author

My days in the lab involved the analysis of skeletal assemblages from 4^th to 1^st century BC tombs at the sites of Limnaia and Pras in Akarnania, Western Greece. Overall, multiple individuals were buried in the graves that have not been analysed until now. Because not all bones were found, recovered or included in the assemblages that we are studying, the estimate of individuals per tomb consists of a so-called Minimum Number of Individuals. In this way, the most abundant element in a tomb determines how many individuals may have been buried there. Although adults make up the majority of the buried population, there is also evidence of juveniles being buried at Limnaia and Pras. While determining the age and sex of individuals is a core element of any osteoarchaeological analysis, a multitude of other topics can be studied for past populations through additional analyses. Examples include: diseases, injuries, nutritional deficiencies, as well as living conditions, patterns of mobility, and interactions with their environment. To narrow down the scope of my research, I chose to focus on the dentition of both populations. Understanding the diet and disease factors within a population, and relating this to social differentiation will benefit our understanding of the inhabitants of Classical-Hellenistic Akarnania. Caries and calculus can serve as markers of diet, and enamel hypoplasia lines in the teeth can be a marker of stress. At the same time, the lack of teeth and consequent remodelling of the bone during the life of an individual can also give insight into their living conditions. This loss of teeth as well as bone remodelling is recognized in the assemblages of both sites, which is quite interesting.

Another compelling moment for me during my time studying the osteoarchaeological assemblage was when I learned that people in ancient Greece buried people with coins in their mouths. This coin is known as Charon’s Obol. It served as a payment for Charon, the boatman of the underworld, who helped souls cross the river Styx from the world of the living to the world of the dead. At the sites of both Limnaia and Pras, there are multiple lower jaws with green coloured stains on them. These stains are sometimes located on the inside, and sometimes on the outside of the jaw and are caused by post-depositional processes involving the coins. This shows us that the people from the sites that we are studying were buried with such a Charon’s Obol too. It is always fascinating to see how these practices translate into the burial record and are still observable even though a lot of time has passed. This is what makes archaeology so special in my opinion. It allows us to observe the actions and the choices that people in the past made, which brings us to the core of what it means to be human.

Osteoarchaeological analyses at the Wiener laboratory I, Photo by the author

Osteoarchaeological analyses at the Wiener laboratory II, Photo by the author

Walking around Athens after spending a day in the Wiener laboratory or during the weekend reinstates this essence of the human experience, as so many people have walked these ancient streets before us and will continue to do so for the coming centuries. The lovely and welcoming people of Athens, the amazing Greek food, the music on every street corner and the wonderful views in this city that feels endless have provided me with new experiences and memories that I will cherish very much. My time in Athens has been wonderful, and I would like to thank the people of the Wiener laboratory for the welcoming atmosphere, as well as my supervisor dr. Anna Moles and my fellow Athens explorer Esmée Corporaal for a very pleasant time together! While this was my first time experiencing Athens, I am sure that I will come back to explore more of the archaeological heritage, culture and communal character that this city continuously radiates