Trip to Northern Greece kicks off the Regular Program for 2009-10
Sarit Stern, Christina Trego, Carpenter Fellow Denver Graninger and Natalie Abell at Ephyra.
The academic year got off to a great start with Trip I.  We began in the west, first visiting Oiniadai and Stratos (where I gave the students their first “block challenges” at the Temple of Zeus), then on to Epiros.  At Nikopolis we were fortunate to visit the new museum even before it was officially open (courtesy of Ephor Kostas Zachos)—it is gorgeous!! On display are some of the fragments of the frieze celebrating Octavian’s triumph at Actium.  We explored sites such as Ephyra (debating whether it really was the Nekromanteion), Kassope, and Horraon, and heard excellent reports on site and even one on the bus en route to Arta, about Epirote music, complete with listening examples.  We were able to inspect closely the beautiful, monumental Archaic inscription on the Polyandrion at Arta, with Carpenter Fellow Denver Graninger’s expert guidance. The new Egnatia Odos is nearly complete, and that allowed us to cross the Pindos range in good time. At Neolithic Dispilio near Lake Kastoria we heard about fish and fishing from Weiner Lab Fellow Tatiana Theodoropoulou, and visited the site while the University of Ioannina’s excavations were underway. Wiener Lab Professor Vicki Elephanti introduced us to Paleolithic stone technology at the Ioaninna Museum.  Now into Macedonia, we visited Aiani, where Ephor Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi arranged for the splendid new museum and the site to stay open for us.  As we traveled to the major Macedonian sites, we were especially fortunate to have with us Whitehead Professor Stella Miller-Collett, who welcomed our constant questions about Macedonia realia of all sorts.  At Pella we were given a personal tour of the brand-new museum by Prof. Iannis Akamantis, and all admired the new setting for the famous mosaics and the wonderful, thoughtful display of other finds, many on exhibit for the first time. Katherine Lu reports on the Rotonda of Galerius, Thessaloniki We had perfect weather throughout our visit to Thessaloniki, the Chalkidike, and Thasos.  It was fascinating to see the (relatively) new excavations at Aphytis, south of Potidaia, where the foundations of a 4th c. BCE Temple of Zeus Ammon have been uncovered near the beach.  At Thasos, everyone enjoyed exploring the quarries at Aliki and a walk up and around the walls of the main town.  The akropolis at Philippi lured some while others explored the Macedonian tomb embedded in the Octagonal Church.  At Amphipolis, we saw the remains of the Wooden Bridge and the tomb identified as that of the Spartan general Brasidas.  Finally we headed for Litochoro on the slope of Mt. Olympos, where we had our first rain—but this did not deter us from visiting Dion and the Dion Museum (where we saw the hydraulis!).  Then it was on to Thermopylai, where the weather was beautiful once again for visiting the Phokian wall and thinking about topography, defense and commemoration.  Finally, all were glad to reach Loring Hall, and to have a chance to do laundry, spend time in the library, and get ready for the next trips.