One week in Athens: a short time well spent

Sabine Herder MA student in European Studies at the University of Amsterdam

In March of 2024, we, a group of thirteen master’s students from the European Studies programme, taught in Amsterdam, spent a week in Athens to do fieldwork. Thirteen students may seem like an odd number, but that is how many beds there are at the NIA. Although we were all from different backgrounds, we were united in Athens through the course European Policy Lab, which is designed to provide students with some hands-on experience doing field research. The goal was to conduct research on a topic of our choice that could be connected to European policies and, in the process, to familiarise ourselves with noticing the influence that policymaking in Brussels has on a very local level or, in our case, on Athens. This resulted in some very interesting and diverse research topics, ranging from my own research on sustainable tourism to migration, LGBTQI+ rights, gender-based violence, plastic waste, and gentrification. Maybe not the type of topics that one immediately associates with Athens or the NIA, but all very relevant!

Due to our short visit, we did not have time to venture out into the rest of Greece. Instead, we took the time to get to know the diverse neighbourhoods of Athens, for which the NIA proved to be the perfect place to start. It is located within walking distance from the Acropolis and many other archaeological sites, museums and various tourist hotspots, close to awesome neighbourhoods such as Plaka, Psyri and Monasteraki, and, with the metro station pretty much next to the NIA, it is no problem to travel across the city.

The Parthenon on the Acropolis

Obviously, this was perfect to satisfy our inner tourist, but also made our research a lot easier. Allow me to say something about my own research project on sustainable tourism, that I conducted with three of my fellow students. In recent years, Athens has increasingly become a destination for tourists looking for a city to spend a few days in. While this obviously brings economic benefits with it, mass tourism can also negatively impact the quality of life for the residents of Athens. Therefore, we decided to look into the extent to which the city of Athens has attempted to implement measures to make tourism more sustainable, focusing on the areas of infrastructure and waste management. We did our research in two ways. First, we conducted interviews with experts, either in the field of sustainability or tourism. This varied from people working for the municipality of Athens, professors, as well as journalists and people working for NGOs.

The walk up to Lycabettus Hill

The other method was to go out into the city to have a look at some of the initiatives that were introduced as part of the city’s tourism strategy and sustainable development more broadly. This included having a look at the Great Athens Walk, or Megalos Peripatos in Greek, which was supposed to connect Athens’ major archaeological sites through a walking and cycling route. Unfortunately, this project has, thus far, not been realised. A more successful project included the greening of Lycabettus Hill, which is the highest point of the city. Don’t let this intimidate you! The hike up there is quite nice, you are surrounded by trees, and the view at the top is very much worth it! While March proved to be relatively quiet compared to the summer months when the city is filled with tourists, it was still very interesting to be able to have a look at some tourist hotspots and whether there have been attempts to make it more sustainable. Definitely a very different experience than doing research behind a computer the entire day!

Working in the library at the NIA

A question that remains is then, were we able to work out our research findings somewhere? Well, yes! Grab a coffee at one of the many cafés near the NIA and go to the NIA’s comfortable garden, where we could work when the weather allowed it, or one of the two great libraries. I highly recommend you check out the upper library to avoid any distractions from people lounging in the garden. After days full of research, the location of the NIA proves, once again, to be great as it is close to many restaurants, but also provides room to hold a pizza night in the living room. The people at the NIA were always available for questions, even at 11 PM when we still needed to print our interview protocol.

Both the NIA, as well as Athens, are not just places to research ancient history and archaeology, but also to investigate current issues and topics. Overall, I think I can speak for all my fellow students who joined me in Athens that it was an amazing experience to do research in such a vibrant city.

A manuscript’s conflicted journey from Greece to the Netherlands.

By Sofia Mathioudaki, MA Museum Studies (Heritage Studies), University of Amsterdam (Holder of a NIA-study grant for MA students or recently graduated)

I first became acquainted with the Amst. I.D. 75 manuscript through an internship at the Allard Pierson around mid-March 2023, as part of the study programme of the MA Museum Studies of the University of Amsterdam. Little did I know that this object would end up becoming the case study of my thesis and by extension the reason I would be granted a scholarship at the Netherlands Institute at Athens (NIA), which would allow me to conduct additional research on the manuscript’s provenance and work on my thesis subject.

Around the same period, thanks to Dr. Astrid Balsem and Professor Emeritus Arnold van Gemert, information on the provenance of this 11th-century manuscript was already starting to resurface indicating an increasingly clear connection to Northern Greece. It didn’t take long for me to understand that the information around it was denser than I initially thought, spanning from 1886 to the present day. However, the research that had been previously conducted was either outdated or not particularly focused on the Amst. I.D. 75, rather emphasizing the wider collection that was looted from the monastery of Eikosifoinissa, between the cities of Drama and Serres. As a result, drawing on the new research findings that both A. Balsem and A. van Gemert were kind enough to share with me, I decided to incorporate the story of this manuscript in a wider context, that of looted heritage in the Balkans and, secondarily, in the Netherlands. This, eventually, became the subject of not only my internship from April 2023 and on but also the subject of my master’s thesis, trying to investigate the historical-cultural factors that drove this object’s original displacement and later illicit transfer to the West.

The two libraries of NIA

Many months later, in February 2024, and after receiving a positive evaluation of my application to NIA, I ended up returning to Athens, where I had originally acquired my BA diploma in Archaeology and History of Art from the NKUA (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens). This has allowed me to benefit from the proximity to many libraries, accessing several bibliographical sources that would otherwise be difficult to study, while, also, focusing on the material that I had already collected both in Amsterdam and in Sofia, Bulgaria, during November and December 2023 while visiting the “Prof. Ivan Dujčev” Centre for Slavo-Byzantine Studies.

Most importantly, though, it gave me the opportunity to travel to Thessaloniki, where the majority of relevant researchers reside and several significant research centres are located. There, I visited the Centre for Byzantine Research and benefited from their rich collection of books, publications and others. From there, I continued my research at the Library of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which complemented the material that I had already examined. For instance, during that visit of mine, I was able to study the first recorded mention of the manuscripts collection of the monastery of Eikosiphoinissa in an 1886 catalogue by A. Papadopoulos-Kerameus.

The interior and exterior of the Centre for Byzantine Research in Thessaloniki.

Moreover, I had the chance to further expand my knowledge on the 2nd Bulgarian Occupation period (1916-1918), during which the looting incident took place, at the Institute for Balkan Studies, which truly preserves a bibliographical and archival treasure for anyone interested in this field, or, more specifically, in my case the Greek-Bulgarian relations preceding and following the looting of 1917. I, also, had the chance to meet and discuss with Mr. Efthimis Litsas, director of the Greek Palaeographic Society, who was also kind enough to forward some complementary material to me after our meeting.

Additionally, I visited the monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa, located on the outskirts of Drama and Serres. The journey was an adventure by itself, including 2 different bus routes and a 15-minute taxi drive through the Paggaio Mountain. My initial goal was to visit the monastery in order to have a first-hand inspection of the space and understand how the looting operation was implemented. My visit exceeded my expectations, and thanks to the generous assistance of the residing nuns, I was also able to study an up-to-date (and surprisingly unavailable in all previous libraries) detailed work by G.K. Papazoglou, published in 2017, marking the 100th anniversary of events of 1917. At the same time, the value of this visit extends to exploring the monastery’s current stance and activity regarding the looted manuscripts, taking into consideration both international affairs and other factors.

On the right, the Institute for Balkan Studies in Thessaloniki and, on the left, the Monastery of Eikosifoinissa near Drama.

Last but not least, my 3-month stay at NIA provided me with an excellent opportunity to become re-acquainted with the Athenian entourage in the centre of the city, allowing me to get to know Athens in a more profound way, while also reflecting on the city’s rapidly-shifting urban identity. The ever-increasing gentrification of the surrounding neighbourhoods, the commodification of the historic centre as well as the way tourists tend to interact with the city’s archaeological sites have problematized me, while also providing valuable stimuli that have enhanced my understanding of the wider socio-cultural context and have inspired me to perhaps further explore this research field in the future.

My stay at NIA has been a meaningful part of this final stage of my studies at the University of Amsterdam, assisting me in expanding and, furthermore, solidifying the existing knowledge of this manuscript’s provenance, contributing to the ongoing dialogue on conflicted heritage by drawing attention to the -often academically neglected- Balkan region. Beginning this process found me overwhelmed with a plethora of information that was hard to put in order and connect with one another, but by the end of my stay at NIA, I am confident about the accuracy of the sources that I have incorporated in my study and the conclusions that I have drawn. Finally, the material that has been gathered has not only been used within the context of the thesis but will also be shared with the Allard Pierson, the institution that currently has the ownership of the Amst. I.D. 75 manuscript. For these reasons, I would like to thank the NIA for providing me with this amazing opportunity and, of course, every member of staff for taking care of all different aspects of my 3-month stay in Athens on an everyday basis.

Audio Visual Methods in Collaborative Archaeology: Exploring the Politics of Heritage

An impression by Devon L. Graves, PhD Candidate, Leiden University

Reflecting on my time at the Netherlands Institute in Athens for the collaborative film course, the first words that come to my mind are “fruitful” and “explorative”. Initially, my expectations were to learn new film techniques and understand the basics of filming, video editing, and collaborative principles. However, the experience exceeded my expectations, offering an immersive experience exploring Athens and delving into the course’s themes while making new friends and connections. Throughout the program, I was able to learn not only practical skills, but also dive deeper into critical theories regarding cultural heritage and nation-state building. I also appreciated the opportunity to meet so many students and heritage professionals, who were able to enrich these discussions with their diverse experiences with Athens, heritage work, and archaeology.

In the initial days of the course, we focused on lecture style learning- but swiftly transitioned to more technical and practical film courses sessions, and soon began filming and collaborating within groups. We seized the chance to explore as much of Athens as we could manage on the Greek Independence Day, and to watch some of the National celebrations and see how different archaeological sites and more recent historic sites were represented in the landscape. These experiences provided firsthand insight into the effects of mass tourism, and the stark contrasts between contemporary Athens and the nationally promoted narratives which often centered solely on Ancient Greece. The mission to bridge these gaps between mainstream and marginalized heritage became central to our project. Through our short film, we aimed to spotlight the overlooked narratives of Athens’ history, contrasting them with the commonly marketed ancient heritage. It became apparent that while Ancient Greece received ample attention, other periods and narratives of Athenian heritage were neglected in mainstream discourse. We aimed to contrast these discrepancies in our film through showing the restoration and careful curation of Athen’s “Ancient” heritage, while buildings and structures relating to other time periods and peoples reflected a different story.

Despite the course’s relatively short duration, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the NIA and learned many vital skills for the future. I hope to one day return to the NIA and to Athens, and thank you again to the course organizers, the NIA, and Archon for the workshop and the opportunity to participate!

The filming process in Athens. Photo by Niela Katsi, with author (bottom) and Barbara Schädler (top)

The perfect spot for doing a master’s thesis: the vibrant city of Athens

By Esmée Corporaal, RMA Student in Archaeology at the University of Groningen

During the fall of 2021 when I started my research master’s, I was already encouraged to think about a potential topic for my thesis. I remember thinking about going to Greece to study Greek archaeology as this has been an interest of mine since high school. Later that year, I would take an introductory course in human osteoarchaeology. In my bachelor and RMA studies in archaeology at the University of Groningen, the themes of ancient Greek life experiences and culture as well as mortuary archaeology have been a reoccurring theme. That is why I decided to dedicated the 30 credits of my RMA thesis to researching the human remains of an ancient Greek cemetery.

For my thesis I am studying fourteen burials from the Archaic burials of the cemetery of Thebes, Boeotia. I am looking into the living conditions and variation in burial practices in Thebes and in the Archaic period of Greece in a broader sense. I am conducting the study of human remains in the Fitch Laboratory of the British School at Athens. In the first week of my stay I travelled back and forth to Thebes to gather the remains from the storage facilities of the archaeological museum. Then I moved my material to the Fitch laboratory on Friday. On Monday I started washing bones and after they dried I started examining the first burial.

_{The library of the British School is a nice place to work on writing the remaining chapters of my thesis. The library cat Henry welcomes you at the door if you enter from the main entrance and is the highlight of my days at the library! You can find many books here and it always nice and quiet. During lunch breaks I can eat some salad and drink some take-away coffee from Marasli on the terrace in the sun.}

Kaisariani

Besides studying bones and working on my thesis during the week, in the weekends I can make time for some nice trips because the NIA is located in the perfect spot for this! For my first excursion, I went together with someone else who stayed at the NIA to explore the forests around Athens! We first took the bus and then had to walk for another half an hour to the beautiful monastery of Kaisariani. It is an archaeological maintained monastery built in the 11th century AD. Now there is also a beautiful botanical garden, which unfortunately was closed, but we enjoyed the company of a very sweet cat! This monastery resident kept following us around and demanding pets. The monastery still has a church with beautiful paintings from the 18th century. Then we climbed Mount Ymmitos to the viewpoint. From the little tower, we could see all of Athens lying beneath us. Besides the beautiful views, it was so nice to get some fresh air outside the city. There are still a few more of these beautiful mountains, and I would also like to explore those!

Mycenae

For my second trip, I visited Mycenae. Mycenae is a beautiful archaeological site of a city from the Greek Bronze Age with remarkable royal tombs containing stunning finds. According to legend, the infamous King Agamemnon and his wife Clytemnestra, as well as her lover Aegisthus, are buried here. The story goes that Agamemnon supported his brother Menelaus in his war with the Trojans. This was because the Trojan prince Paris had taken Menelaus’ wife to Troy (on the coast of Turkey). Unfortunately, Agamemnon had angered the goddess Artemis by killing her deer during the hunt, causing a calm before the wind when they wanted to depart for Troy. To appease the goddess, Agamemnon therefore sacrificed his firstborn daughter, Iphigenia, to her, much to the fury of his wife Clytemnestra. Agamemnon departed, and after 10 years of warfare, he would return home to Mycenae, where his wife and her lover Aegisthus had plotted revenge. They murdered him with an axe in the bath. Orestes, the only son, at the urging of his sister Electra, killed his mother and her lover as revenge for their father. The site of the city of Mycenae has always been known because the Lion Gate was always visible. Strangely enough, the tombs were never plundered by grave robbers, a phenomenon that archaeologists are unfortunately very familiar with. In addition to the beautiful archaeological site, the surroundings are also very impressive. It is amazing to see the archaeological sites that I learnt so much about in real life for the first time!

Aegina

I also took a trip to Aegina with my partner. It is a beautiful island off the coast of Athens just a half-hour boat ride from Piraeus. We arrived at the stunning harbour with azure blue sea. Upon arrival, we enjoyed a delicious meal along the promenade. Then we decided to take a leisurely walk along the coast towards the archaeological site of Kolonna (named after the only column still standing), where remains of houses, temples, and cisterns dating from prehistory to the Byzantine period lie. There is so much history here on this beautiful island! We didn’t even have time to visit the temple of Aphaia. Afterward, we decided to relax under the cliff at Kolonna and enjoyed the beautiful view and the cool seawater. Once we cooled off, we explored the village with its nice shops. Around 6 o’clock, we took the boat back to Piraeus. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any dolphins, but it was a wonderful trip!

Thank you!

My gratitude goes out to Dr. Anna Moles, Dr. Efthymia Nikita, Anna Karligkioti and Prof. Sofia Voutsaki for their help with developing my plan for this research and putting me in contact with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia as well as the Archaeological Museum of Thebes. I also want to thank Dr. Vassilis Aravantinos and Prof. Margherita Bonanno Aravantinos who are the excavators of the site and granted me permission to study the human remains from Thebes for my RMA thesis. Moreover, I want to thank Dr. Alexandra Charami, Evi Tsota and Sofia Perlepe for their help at the ephorate and granting me the permission to study the material in Athens. I also want to thank the Fitch laboratory and the British School at Athens for housing me so I can study the material. Lastly, I of course want to thank the Netherlands Institute at Athens for granting me the scholarship without which I could have never had this amazing opportunity to research a topic I am passionate about in Athens