Hollins Goes To Greece

Despite the fact that today was the first day we saw rain in Athens, nothing rained on our parade. To begin our day indoors, we got on the Metro and headed off to the National Archaeological Museum. There, we viewed and discussed artifacts from the Cycladic, Minoan and Helladic periods. We also saw pieces that were discovered at Mycenae, which included funerary masks, like the so-called “Mask of Agamemnon,” which was discovered by famed nineteenth century archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. Most of the group agreed with the opinion of many of today’s scholars that the mask was probably not a depiction of Agamemnon, however many of us admired the story behind it. The group flocked to the jewelry displayed that was found inside Ancient Greek tombs. The jewelry was very elaborate, made of gold, lapis, amethyst and other precious stones that are still native to Greece today.

Looking at the Greek sculpture, which we saw in the museum, we could see the evolution from rigid, blockish figures to human definition. Earlier kouros statues, which were carved from marble, transitioned to highly detailed bronze statues like one of Zeus, that made the forms able to come to life.

After we had toured about half of the museum, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was no longer raining outside. The group walked down a busy Athenian street to have lunch in a small restaurant near the meat market, where we were to go next. There was a lot of variety, with dishes ranging from lamb and greens to traditional greek pasticcio. The pasticcio is like a greek macaroni and cheese with meat and is seasoned with nutmeg, which really warmed us up on what began as a dreary day.

When lunch was finished, we stepped right in to the meat market, which stretched for several blocks. As we walked through the busy marketplace, shoppers haggled with vendors to get the best price for their meat off of the chopping block. Freshly slaughtered lamb, goat, pig, chicken, fish and even rabbit could be seen hanging up or set on tables on display for purchase. The group took a moment outside the market to divide into groups to get items for a picnic lunch we’ll be taking on our first day at Delphi. We all dove right back into the market, getting meats and cheeses for the picnic. We loved getting in the middle of the hustle and bustle, truly experiencing a part of regular life in Athens.

After our supplies for the picnic had been gathered, we made our way to the Acropolis. We put our muscles to the test to make our way up the difficult path to the Parthenon, which was the same pathway laid out and used by the Ancients. When we got to the top, we were surprised to see the Parthenon and its ability to appear heavily worn on the edges but sturdy at the same time. We learned that the Parthenon had experienced an explosion from the inside, causing it to lose its roof and scattering marble all over Athens. The view from the top of the Acropolis was unlike any other. We could see all of Athens, the Meditteranean, mountains and islands like Aegina. The rain and wind we experienced earlier in the day caused the usual Athenian smog to blow away, making the air crisp, and we got a rare view of Corinth in the distance.

Meritha Rucker

Samantha Cole

^{I wanted to take sometime to discuss an event that happened here in Athens. A communist group was trying to make a point against our government. They threw a small device through the window of the American Embassy. We had no idea that something happened other than there was a lot of traffic. Though there is nothing to worry about. The Greek people don’t have a problem with American tourist. Most of them are so glad we are here. So many people in Greece make their living on tourist.  So even though the news may have blown the situation out of proportion, it was just a small group of people trying to make a statement.}

^{The group listening at Brauron}

^{“I have spent three and a half years studying Greek culture, always thinking that I wouldn’t have the chance to see it. I thought the most important part was being able to touch these ancient places. And up until Brauron I haven’t been able to,” Jenny Stracke said. “It made the site so much more special. The culmination of everything I have done so far academically had built up to that moment.”}

^{Brauron is a small waterlogged plain that was erected in the 5th century B.C. Our group ventured here to connect women of the past and their rituals to modern women today. We wanted to unite ancient Greek women to ourselves. This monument was built in honor of the virgin huntress Artemis, who protected women. Her shrine here was specifically used in ancient times for women who died or lost children in childbirth. The sacred event Brauronia also occurred here. This was when prepubescent girls came here for several days to be prepared for motherhood. A common ritual was for the girls to dress in saffron robes (similar to wedding robes). and dance like they were bears. The reason for this imitative dance was because of the way the Greeks viewed bears. Aristotle once described bears as loving, lascivious, mothering creatures. When excavated, the shrine had the oldest bridge surviving from ancient Greece. The indentions of wagons could still be seen. A small creek from underneath the temple curled around the site. Columns from the sanctuary rise up from the valley. The stone foundations from the rest of the sanctuary are still intact. The floor plan tells the story of how the rooms were used to house the young girls who visited. This serene place was filled with lush, green grass and surrounded on all sides were lofty mountains. One of the best aspects of this temple is that it is sparsely visited, giving sightseers a quiet moment of introspection.}

 ^{The Deem of Thorikos Theater}

<sup>Next on the itinerary was a visit to the deem of Thorikos, where an ancient theater and mining field were found. It was discovered by the American School and then given to the Dutch School for preservation. The theater is the first of it kind to be found, the use denoted by it’s slightly square shape. We know now that it was for council meetings rather than theatrical productions. Another site to see here is an ancient silver lead mining wash bin running along side the theater. You can see the tiny, dismal hole from which the workers mined as well. Mining silver lead was a very dangerous and harsh lifestyle for the slaves in ancient times. These two ancient, juxtaposing sites provide an in depth look at the lives of the ancient working class.“I saw it from the road (when we drove up) and I didn’t know what I was looking at as it blended into the hill side. When I saw it was impressive because of the magnitude, and the fact that it was the first of it’s kind in Greece,” Becka Holden said. “Seeing how these people lived brought a whole new respect for the site.”

Mine at the Deem of Thorikos</sup>

^{We continued to drive up the mountain side to our next stop, the Holy Monastery of Saint Paul. We visited the nunnery and chapel built into the mountain side. The nunnery consisted of nuns from all over the world, which is unique to Greece. We were guided by a nun with a delicate face and strong, calloused hands named Theangeli (which means the messenger of God), who was eager to show us around her home. The nuns shared tea that they grew high on the mountains of Attica, the rough terrain there usually only treaded by goats. Theangeli explained her spiritual walk, and showed us the many beauties of the monastery.}

^{View from Monestary“Theangeli talked to us about finding inner peace, and I think anyone could find inner peace with the view, it was universal. Beyond that, the Byzantine art on the chapel walls were beautiful, the fact that it was made from stone, unique, and something I have never seen before.” Emily Morris said.}