Description:
Between 1931 and 1939, central Athens was transformed by the expropriation and demolition of the Vrysaki neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis. In these few years, more than 5,000 inhabitants were displaced and 348 properties were torn down so that the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) could excavate the ancient Agora; the scale of the project and the degree to which it was documented make this a unique episode in the history of Greek archaeology. Using materials from the ASCSA Archives and a large collection of photographs from the 1930s, this volume details the history of the negotiations, the expropriations, and, most importantly, the Vrysaki neighborhood itself. Illustrating its streets, shops, houses, names, and faces, the author provides a vivid recreation of the community that was once Vrysaki.

Also available in modern Greek.

About the Author: Sylvie Dumont is the former Secretary and Registrar of the Agora Excavations in Athens.

Reviews:
"Dumont must...be commended for making this archival material widely available and for producing a beautifully illustrated book that addresses a wide range of people who connect and interact with the city of Athens." Fotini Kondyli, Journal of Modern Greek Studies 39.1 (2021)

"Designed as a memento mori rather than a gesture of mourning proper, Dumont's book offers to the twenty-first century reader more than its author admits or even perhaps envisaged." Dimitris Plantzos, BMCR 2022.01.11

"This beautifully produced book is obviously of importance for anyone interested in the history of modern Athens. . . " Frits G. Naerebout, BABESCH 96 (2021)