Archaeology and Politics

Academic director: T. Kalpaxis, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Crete, Director of the IMS

Description and aims of the Project

The objective of the project, which aspires to create a study centre for the history of archaeology in Crete, is the investigation into the direct or indirect influence of political considerations in the development of the discipline of archaeology in Greece. In those studies which have been completed, analysis is made mainly of the political activities on the part of academic bodies responsible for excavations in Greece, and the exploitation of the related findings in order to promote political objectives and ideologies. At the same time, all kinds of intervention by government departments in the strategy-making of the academic bodies.

The method employed is the re-examination of specific archaeological activities at the base both of secondary bibliography as well as unpublished archival material, collected from state and private archives both within and without Greece, as well as material which has been published in the Greek and foreign press.

So far, analysis has been made of political and archaeological activities which represent the framework in which excavations at Ireo in Syros, at Delphi, Olympia and Corfu are registered, as well as the history of archaeology in Crete during the struggle for independence on the island. Other objectives are issues relating to the political and ideological use in general of the Ancient Greek past.

Publications

(Studies announced at conferences are marked with an asterisk)

• Kalpaxis. T. Αρχαιολογία και Πολιτική Ι. Σαμιακά αρχαιολογικά 1850-1914 (Archaeology and Politics I. Archaeology on Samos 1850-1914), University of Crete Press, Rethymnon, 1990.
• Kalpaxis. T. Αρχαιολογία και Πολιτική ΙΙ. Η ανασκαφή του ναού της Αρτέμιδος, Κέρκυρα 1911 Archaeology and Politics ΙΙ. (The excavation of the temple of Artemis, Corfu 1911), University of Crete Press, Rethymnon, 1993.
• Sakellarakis G. Αρχαιολογικές αγωνίες στην Κρήτη του 19ου αιώνα (Archaeological anxieties in 19th century Crete), University of Crete Press, Heraklio 1998.
• * Kalpaxis. T. «Αρχαία δημοκρατία και σύγχρονη Ελλάδα, στο Venticinque secoli dopo l' Invenzione della Democrazia (1998) ("Ancient democracy and Contemporary Greece, in Venticinque secoli dopo l' Invenzione della Democrazia) (1998) 287 cont. - * Kalpaxis. T. «Σαμιακών αρχαιολογικών παραλειπόμενα», στο Η Σάμος από τα βυζαντινά χρόνια μέχρι σήμερα, Τομ. Β' ("Archaeology on Samos paralipomena", in Samos from the Byzantine era until today, Vol 2,) (1998) 287 cont.
• * Kalpaxis. T. «Επιρροές της γαλλογερμανικής αντιπαράθεσης του 19ου αιώνα στην κατασκευή της εικόνας της αρχαίας Ελλάδας» στο Ένας κόσμος γεννιέται. Η εικόνα του ελληνικού πολιτισμού στη γερμανική επιστήμη κατά τον 19ο αι. ("Influences of the Franco-German dispute of the 19th century in the construction of the image of ancient Greece." in A world is born. The image of Greek civilization in German academia in the 19th century.) (1996) 41-58.
• * Kalpaxis. T. «Η τυραννία του αρχαιοελληνικού μεγαλείου» ("The tyranny of ancient Greek grandeur") in Eπιθεώρηση Τέχνης (Art Review). Μια κρίσιμη δωδεκαετία, (A critical twelve year period) Moraitis School Studies Society, 1996, pp. 201- 207.
• * Kalpaxis. T. «Η Ελλάδα και οι ξένες σχολές. Η πολιτική ενός νεαρού έθνους με «παλαιό» πολιτισμό ("Greece and foreign schools. The politics of a young nation with an "old" civilization. (150 years of the |French School of Athens, Les politiques de l' archaeologie, 2000, 9 cont.
• Kalpaxis. T. «Μαζί δεν κάνουμε και χώρια δεν μπορούμε» ("We can live neither together nor apart") (Σύγχρονα θέματα (Contemporary issues) 64, 1997, pp. 62-66)
• * Kalpaxis. T. Το παρελθόν ως εξουσία (The past as power) (announcement at conference S.Karagiorga 1999, Δομές και σχέσεις εξουσίας στη σημερινή Ελλάδα (Structures and power relations in Contemporary Greece) (2000) 31 cont.
• * Kalpaxis. T. Die Vorgeschichte und die Nachwirkungen des Olympia-Vertrags aus griechischer Sicht (Proceedings of Conference in Berlin, to be published)
• Kalpaxis. T. Οι λάτρεις της αρχαιότητας (The worshippers of antiquity) (Pol.Press 30) - Kalpaxis. T. Καταστροφές μνημείων, χάριν συμφερόντων των ζώντων (Destruction of monuments in the interests of the living) (Archeologia 2003), to be published.
• *Bochotis Th. Archaeology and Politics: The "Greek - German" excavations at Olympia 1869-1875. Announcement at the conference Ancient Monuments and Modern Identities. The history of Archaeology in 19th and 20th century Greece, Cambridge 25-27.5.02

Dissertations related to the objective of the project

• Sofronidou Marina, Η αρχαιολογική είδηση στις εφημερίδες, (Archaeological reports in newspapers) Salonica 2003
• Yalouri, E. The Akropolis. Global Fame, Local claim .... Oxford, 2001
• Sakka N. Αρχαιολογικές δραστηριότητες στη νεότερη Ελλάδα (1928-1940) Πολιτικές και ιδεολογικές διαστάσεις, (Archaeological activities in modern Greece (1928-1940) Political and ideological dimensions) Rehtymnon 2002