Tag: Samothrace
Samothrace – “The Crust of the Earth”
Samothrace has a variety of rocks that were used by the ancient Greeks in their construction, including in the “Sanctuary of the Great Gods”. The origin of these rocks reflects the sometime violent history of the island. The southern margin is truncated by the long-active Anatolian Fault. Major earthquakes and vertical upheaval of the sea…
To the Rescue! Excavating for Site Management
Excavation has a long and glorious history here on Samothrace. Antiquarians have visited the sanctuary since 1444, when Cyriacus of Ancona visited the Genoese nobility on the island and drew some of the sanctuary’s buildings. German, French, Greek, Austrian, and Czech teams have all completed excavations on the site; American excavations sponsored by New York…
The “Archaeology” of Samothracian Archaeology
A key element in this season’s project of studying the architectural frame in which the Nike of Samothrace stood is the reconstruction of previous archaeological excavations in the area. Kirsten and I have undertaken this project of “excavating” the excavations of the 20th century. To begin this work, we read through the old excavation diaries…
Some Geological Features of Samothrace
Since arriving on Samothrace, I’ve spent quite a bit of my free time wandering along the shore looking for special finds to add to my collection, so the pile of beach stones in my little room at the Xenia has been steadily growing. I hate to admit that I may need to abandon some clothing…
News from Hall E
Work on the Sanctuary of the Great Gods is always buzzing, even when excavations are not taking place. This season, the archaeologists at Samothrace are focusing on the publication of previous findings from the site, the reinstallation of the island’s archaeological museum and new research on previously excavated items. I’m a graduate student in art…