Is That Tan or Dirt?

 This is a question that I have come to ask myself everyday (I'm pretty sure I also used shampoo to wash some clothes in the sink the other day).  The other day the answer was “neither,” it was marble dust.  We started Tuesday heading up to Mt. Pentali and the Dionyso Marble Quarry.  We had the chance to go into the quarry and see where they were cutting marble.  Some of the marble they’re cutting will be used for the reconstruction of the buildings on the Acropolis.  We also went to the marble factory and saw how they then finished up the marble.  We also got some free marble samples.

Marble quarry

 After that we headed to the Marathon battle site and saw the Athenian tumulus where roughly 193 Athenian soldiers perished.  

Athenian tumulus on the plains of Marathon.

                     

The modern day Marathon was named in relationship to events of the battle.  Guess what the distance is from Marathon to Athens?  We also had a chance to drive our the damn (made of marble) on the Marathon Lake.

Marathon damn on the right

We had lunch somewhere in there… then headed to Rhamous and saw the remains of a temple to Nemesis, which is the only on in existence.  We then headed back to Athens.

On Wednesday we headed back to the Agora for our final look.  We went through the south side of the site and then went to see the current excavations on the north side on the other side of the railroad tracks.  Luckily the day before they had uncovered the east side of a stoa and we had the chance to see that.  Next we headed to the southwest corner of the Agora and looked at the foundations and uses of houses.  We had the afternoon free and since it was HOT HOT HOT I spent a good chunk of it in the library researching for my report.

Peiraeus

Thursday we woke up early and headed to the port of Peiraeus to look at ancient ship sheds and to go the archaeological museum to look at bronze statues.  The bronze statues had been found placed on top of each other in the port.  They were most likely on their way to being shipped to Rome when Sulla came in and pretty much-looted Greece.  Then we went on to see a remake of an Athenian ship or trireme that they would have used during the Persian Wars.  We then headed back to Athens to finish up our reports and run some errands before we headed up north the next day.  I did some last minute stuff in the library and then ran some errands.               

Friday morning we got on the bus around 7:30 so we could start our journey north.    We then headed toward Thebes (home of Oedipus and such).  The modern town was built on the ancient city so they have had to do some excavations within the town (which sometimes requires convincing owners to sell their buildings… The Archaeological Museum of Thebes was our next stop.  The museum is currently closed and will open in about two years, so we got a sneak peak!  

We then left Thebes and drove around the site of Gla. Yes, Gla… sounds like something out of the Princess Bride or Monty Python.  It is a HUGE site and there are no ancient sources providing information.  While on this long bus ride some of us decided it’d be great to only speak in song lyrics.   This conversation lasted for 2 minutes because it’s really hard to come up with song lyrics on the spot.

Next…we headed to Orchomenos and we saw another tholos (which is really just a round building, but many of the ones we have seen are tombs) and an ancient theater.  

Tholos entrance

Back on the bus after that to head to Chaironeia where a battle took place between the Macedonians (led by Phillip the II) and the Athenians. The Athenians lost… and then we got back on the bus.  Next stop… crossroads where Oedipus killed his dad.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about you should probably have done your research when I went to see Oedipus the King.

After that we headed to our hotel in Arahova (just next to Delphi). We’re staying in a family run hotel and their relatives run a tavern in the village.  The food they served us was AMAZING.  On the walk home some of us overheard music and dancing.  We started clapping for them and…. Were invited into the home where they were celebrating a 15^th name day celebration.  There was lots of traditional dancing and the family offered us homemade wine and homemade pastries.  After much dancing we decided it was time to head to bed because we had a long day at Delphi the next day.

Delphi from up above

Now we’re on Saturday July 21^st!  We hopped on the bus at 8 am so we could start the site at Delphi by 8:30am.  We finished the site around 1:30.  I’ve been to the site before and it is one of the most breathtaking spots on earth.  While at the site a handful of us gave reports, mine on the Siphnian Treasury.  The weather was pretty nice today.  A bit chilly in the morning and then while it was sunny and low nineties the rest of the day there was a great breeze and it was a great day.  After lunch we headed to the museum at Delphi and I finished up my report and then we had a chance to look at some of the artifacts found at the site.   

Back at where were staying we had a woman speak to us about weaving and showed us how to dye wool and cotton yarn using natural ingredients.  She currently volunteers for an organization that teaches women this trade (she’s been to Senegal) in order to help them earn money to feed their families.

For dinner I had a pork gyro and it was delicious!!

Tomorrow we’re going to a cave and then off for a hike!

I have a new follower!!!

Yes!  I'm up to three whole followers!!

Well, Thursday and Friday were spent in Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic games.  I’ve been here before, but it was definitely interesting to see it from an academic point of view versus a tourist point of view.  It was also MUCH cooler than the last time I was there so I actually jogged across the Olympic field when last time I did more of a slow walk.

Original Olympic field.

  After Olympia we went to the museum there to see what they had uncovered at the site.  

Helmets

For lunch the whole group ate together at this restaurant owned by a fabulous family who was very generous and cooked some great food.

Saturday morning we woke up for a loooooong bus ride back to Athens. We drove for about 1 ½ - 2 hours and stopped at Chlemoutsi Castle, which was a medieval castle. 

Then we got back on the bus for another 1 ½ -2 hours and headed to Patras where we went to the Basilica of Agios Andreas (St. Andrew).  The basilica was beautiful (despite all the pick pockets out and about) and in the church next door they were setting up for a Greek Orthodox baptism.

We then boarded the bus again and headed to lunch (fast food, nothing exciting).

Beautiful hand carved chandelier. 

We headed back toward Corinth and the Isthmus that separates the Peloponnese from Attica.  We crossed the canal and headed northwest to Perachora to see the Heraion (temple to Hera: http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Hera.html).  We also had the chance to go in the water below the temple and some people went cliff diving (don’t worry safety dad, every part of me wanted to do it, but I knew if I died you’d get up at my funeral and talk about how irresponsible I was).  

Then we got back on the bus and headed toward Athens… to the heat!  I don’t think I slept at all that night because it was so hot.

Sunday morning we didn’t have anything planned so I did some research (because the library is air-conditioned!!!  In the afternoon we headed to the Epigraphical Museum and had the chance to learn about reading inscriptions on stones (which are technically our only primary source writings from the time).  My ancient Greek is getting slightly better and I was able to read a couple things and actually understand what some words meant!! Sunday afternoon was hotter than Hades!!! (http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Haides.html)  As a result of this I spent more time in the library!!  I got a little bit of sleep Sunday night in preparation for Monday (103 degrees!!).

Monday morning we left at 8 to head to the Acropolis.  Lots and lots of tourist…  We had the chance to learn about early sanctuaries built on the site and then focused on the Erechtheion!!  I remember seeing my parents’ slides of the Porch of Maidens when I was little and was excited to be able to go into the sanctuary (even if it was only on the north porch).  

Halloween costume....?                                          View of Athens from Erectheion

After that we went to the south slope of the acropolis to look at some more shrines at the theaters down there. It was hot!!

This afternoon we went to the National Museum for a couple of hours to look at the vase exhibit.  There we had a great lecture by an expert in the field and I learned a lot more about ancient Greek pottery. 

Bottom half of vase: Gorgons http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html

I’m pretty sure I’ve lost half my weight in sweat over the past couple of days and tomorrow is going to be 100 + as well!  I guess I should try to get some sleep!!

Sometimes Roads are Attacked by Landslides… Just Drive Over Them Anyway

This morning we got on the bus for a long and winding journey toward Olympia.  We were on the bus for a little over an hour when we hit the ancient town of Messene.  We walked around the site and saw a temple and stadium.

Then we headed to the Messene gate, which provided fortification for the city.  The road goes right through the wall and so we drove the bus through and got some group photos (we have, at this point in time, 2.5 million group photos).

Back on the bus for 1 ½ hours to the town of Malagi (????) where we went to the supermarket to grab provisions for a picnic lunch. Back on the bus for another hour or so to the site of Mt.  Lykaon, (http://www.penn.museum/research-mediterranean-section/304-mt-lykaion-excavation-and-survey-project.html) which, along with Mt. Ida in Crete, is said to be the birthplace of Zeus.
Zeus: http://www.pantheon.org/articles/z/zeus.html  First we stopped for lunch.  I skipped lunch the second I heard “Yes, we just caught a poisonous snake and there are poisonous spiders here.”  I decided to wait until we were back on the bus to eat.  On the VERY TOP of the mountain they uncovered a huge ash altar, so we hiked on up.  It reminded me a bit of what the Von Trap family did in the Sound of Music, but with less singing.  The hike was steep, but well worth it in the end.

Hike (the tiny red circle on the right is or bus, where we started the hike)

The site also has a hippodrome and they uncovered the remains of the start gates.  There were games to honor Zeus here as well and in Olympia.

Then we hopped back on the bus for another 1-2 hours up some more winding roads along the mountains.  Below is a drawing of what the roads look like (the drawing is completely to scale and 100% accurate, the width of the road is quite narrow):

Mountain in Greece, road winding to the top.  Absolutely Amazing Drawing By Jennie Anglim
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Our next stop was the Temple of Apollo at Bassai.  The temple has been covered with what appears to be a large circus tent in order to protect it from the elements.  

The structure itself is built on a fault line (as are waaaaaay too many ancient sites) and so there had been some earthquake damage.  We had the chance to go inside the structure itself and it was pretty neat.  Unlike the other temples we’ve seen, this one had the interior columns attached to the walls.

After that we had an hour and a half drive through the mountains to Olympia where we will be staying for the next two evenings.  The drive was windy and at several points in time the road kind of disappeared because of rock slides… but the sunset over the mountain was gorgeous!!!

I’m Sometimes Unsure What Day it Is….

The days are beginning to blur together a bit and yesterday seems like months ago at times.

Yesterday… wait, yesterday happened yesterday?!? Well first we went to the Archaeological Museum in Sparta.  Then we headed up to the Byzantine town of Mystras.  We took a bus half way up and then hiked up to the top of the fortifications and the view was amazing.  

Top of Mystras

My hair is generally out of control.

Then we hiked down through the old town (I’ve been here before, so maybe you’ve read about this) and saw some great Byzantine churches with wall paintings and mosaics.  There is also a monastery there and we meet one of the adorable nuns there and bought some hand-sewn lace from her.

After Mystras we got on the bus and headed toward out next stop… the pit where the Spartans threw their babies into a well (ew.).  In the movie the 300 it looks like a round well.  In reality it’s a cave that goes way down.  It also has an air conditioning like breeze coming out of it.  They have discovered human remains there.  The Spartans were a militaristic society and so any child who was born physically disabled was not accepted into their society.

Next we went to a restaurant where I had some delicious lamb chops!  

Then we drove for a VERY long time to the southwestern tip of the Peloponnese.    We went to the Venetian fortress of Methoni.  The fortress walls were pretty great and the location is amazing.

 Then we headed to our hotel in Pylos, which is not on the water, but rather OVER the water.   I decided that dinner for the evening would consist of a Nutella crepe.  It was delicious.

Today we headed up the coast a bit to the site of what they refer to as Nestor’s Palace (reference link attached).
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nestor.html
We were lead around by the site director and got some great information about the site and the excavation of the site. 

Hearth in Throne Room

Then he took us to see a tholos tomb and then we headed to the museum to look at some of what they have discovered at the site. 

After that we went to lunch and the beach for a bit.  Then we got on the bus and went to another beach!!  Yippee!!

After that we got on a little boat and headed to Pylos Island and the view was phenomenal! 

Then we got back on the battle and headed to the island of Sphacteria where a battle took place between the Athenians and the Spartans during the Peloponnesian War.  The interesting thing about the battle was that the Spartans had the island so they we’re fighting on land which was their strength.  However, the Athenians had surrounded the island by boats, and sea battle was their strength.  In the end the Spartans on the island surrendered (which Spartans don’t do).

For dinner I was tired and had another crepe, but added a whole bunch of cherries to the meal and I watched the sun set over Sphacteria.

Tomorrow we have many many many hours on a bus through the mountains, driving on switchbacks…