John Papadopoulos

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens is pleased to announce the appointment of John K. Papadopoulos as the next Director of Excavations at the Athenian Agora. Papadopoulos, who began his tenure at the School on July 1, is a Distinguished Professor of Classics at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he chaired the Interdepartmental Degree Program in Archaeology and is a core faculty member of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.

A prolific scholar with vast experience in archaeological fieldwork, Papadopoulos received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Sydney. After four years as the Deputy Director of the Australian Archaeological Institute and then teaching in Australia, he was hired as a Curator of Antiquities at the Getty Museum in 1994. In 2002 he moved to his current position at UCLA. He is the author or editor of 13 books and more than 105 articles. He has directed or examined nearly fifty Ph.D. theses.

John Papadopoulos gained excavation experience in Australia before joining the Torone excavations in 1979. As director (1986-1995) he added geophysical and underwater survey components to the Torone excavations. From 1995 to 2001, he collaborated with a multinational team to repatriate and recontextualize artifacts looted from Francavilla Marittima in southern Italy, and from 2004 through 2008 he co-directed the excavation of a prehistoric tumulus at Lofkënd, Albania. Most recently, since 2012, he has served as a co-director of the Ancient Methone Archaeological Project.

Professor Papadopoulos has been an integral part of the team of scholars working on publication projects at the Athenian Agora since 1994 with responsibility for publishing finds of the Early Iron Age. In addition, his work on Piet de Jong’s paintings of artifacts and people associated with the Agora excavations, curating an exhibition at the Benaki museum and editing Greek and English editions of The Art of Antiquity, exemplifies his breadth of interests and intellectual curiosity.

Professor Bonna Daix Wescoat, Director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens stated, “John Papadopoulos’ leadership experience as well as his collaborative nature, dedication to scholarship and vast archaeological expertise makes him an excellent choice to lead the Athenian Agora.”

Professor Mark Lawall, Chair of the Managing Committee of the American School also remarked that: “John Papadopoulos has excelled in both leading archaeological fieldwork projects throughout the Balkan peninsula and carrying out research at the Athenian Agora. The American School is most fortunate to have his energy and ingenuity now focused on the leadership of the Agora Excavations.” 

John Papadopoulos also serves as an Academic Trustee of the Archaeological Institute of America and, since 2007, has served as an elected member of multiple committees of the American School’s Managing Committee. He is a much sought-after lecturer for all audiences and his presentations never fail to convey his passion for Greece and for Archaeology.