Hollins Goes To Greece

We visited Ancient Olympia, the site of the first Olympic games in 779 B.C.E. There are many notable excavations on site like the Stadium, Temple of Zeus, and the Leonidaion. Walking into the Stadium some of us experienced chills imagining past athletes thousands of years ago walking through this very gate, or was this just a result of the frosty morning weather? As we sat like spectators, we envisioned scenes of bearded judges and throngs of sweaty people sitting elbow to elbow on the grassy inclines under the summer sun.  For the most intrepid of the group, a footrace of great intensity was re-enacted.  Luckily those who ran were not required to run nude, as in antiquity.  However, under the freezing January conditions, this may have made for a more invigorating experience than the ancient, traditionally summer games. In addition to our younger generation of athletes we also held a geriatric track and field competition of equal intensity.

Another impressive site was the Temple of Zeus, which is the largest temple in the Peloponnese region.  The temple’s colossal size makes it a suitable dedication to the sovereign god of Olympia. The temple had six columns at each end and 13 on each side. The enormity of the columns was remarkable. Several drums of columns had fell due to an earthquake in the 6^th century, which lay on the grass, as Dr. Salowey remarked, like rows of giant Oreo cookies. Standing on the columns of the Leonidaion, we knew that the lush green grounds, olive trees, shelly limestone and marble ruins of once grand structures of Ancient Olympia would remain in our minds for years to come.

Monday January 15, 2007

THE ORACLES OF HOLLINS:  Our Adventures of Delphi

 (Temple of Athena)      (a temple at Delphi)                            (the Theatre)         (the mosaics)                  

The day started out with everyone in good spirits.  We got to the ancient sanctuary of
Delphi at about 8:30 am.  A place believed by the ancient Greeks to be the belly button of the world, since Zeus sent out two eagles in each direction and they ended their long journey at this site.  It was so cool.  Dr. Salowey explained all of the important temples and rituals the Greeks did there.  Dr. Salowey even showed us a very small tunnel you would have crawled through to get to the Oracles.  The Oracles were messages from the Gods when a Greek needed advice.  These messages were sent to an interpreter (but it should be noted that there was also a heavy flow of natural gases such as methane and other hallucinogenic “aromas.”  Our group of Hollins women, being very adventuresome, decided to crawl through the tunnel where the ancient gases once flowed.  It was really dark and dusty inside, but well worth it.  The tunnel came out not far from the entrance to the tunnel.  It was really an exciting experience to be wiggling through something where people with much respect did the exact same thing in antiquity.

            After exploring through the tunnel to the Oracles, we kept exploring the ancient site of
Delphi where the Sanctuary of Apollo and some other buildings of significance stood in pride.  The last site on
Delphi was the stadium.  The walk up to the stadium was really steep, but the view was breathtaking and well worth the hike.  The stadium resembled many present day stadiums.  It consisted of a flat center with stone cut bleachers rising along the edges.  Along one side of the dirt field were the aged started blocks of track races.  About seven Hollins women decided to race along the archaic field in a running race, using the very old starting blocks.  It was quite a scene to see modern Hollins women running across an obsolete entertainment center.  Myself, Kristen, while walking down the hillside decided to take a sit on the end of a wall and gaze into the distance of extraordinary beauty.  Inspired by this beauty I decided to take out my journal and write, and with this said, I will share.  “I am now sitting on one of the walls of the walkway that leads up to the Stadium of Delphi.  I am embedded in between the mountains of this wonderful paradise.  From a distance I can see the ancient
Temple of Zeus (a marbleized masterpiece), an artificial aqueduct (a small river of blue amongst the green ocean), the river of olive trees, and the valley of mountains (deep green and rocky in landscape).  I can hear the birds’ sweet songs of welcome and delight, as well as the greetings of the local honey bees.  It is unbelievably placid here-a place I will surely long for when I get back to the states. 
Greece will become my home in the future for its beauty is surely indescribable in words or pictures.”

Kristen Gillespie, Jan. 15^th 2007. 

            After eating lunch in modern day
Delphi, we visited the Hosios Loukas monastery of St. Luke.  The monastery is still a working monastery today.  It is located high up in the mountains where you can taste the fresh air and smell the wild rosemary and lavender, it was pure pleasure for the sense of smell.  The mosaics in the antiquated Byzantine church were breathtaking with the gold blue colors capturing your attention. Emily Morris’ presentation on mosaics really helped to understand the significance of the mosaics in the church. On the other hand, the crypt in the basement in the church was very interesting, but a little bit creepy.  Fresco paintings surrounded the walls from the 11^th century.  After everyone admired the old graves in the crypt, we decided to do a little shopping in the gift store.  Kristen really liked the selection of post cards.  On the bus ride back to Arachova, we witnessed a gorgeous pink sunset over the mountains while traditional Greek music played throughout the bus.  Today was pleasure for our sense of smell and sight, a day that will never be forgotten. 

      Today we left Athens to head to Delphi along the ancient road. On the way we stopped at the ancient and modern town of Eleusis to look at a site for ancient cult rituals from 1400 BC on. In the time of the ancient Greeks this site contained a well fortified temple, a well for purification, two great gates, a cave, and several other buildings. The festival held there in spring held three ritual stages; purification, initiation, and higher initiation. The ritual took place over nine days and at the end the participants were revealed a mysterious object that is still unknown to this day.            

      This festival came about when Demeter’s daughter Persephanie was picking flowers in northern
Greece with a friend when she was taken to the underworld by Hades. Demeter was pained with grief at the loss of her daughter and for nine days she wandered the earth looking for Persephanie. This resulted in famine for all of Greece. The nine days of ritual signify and mimic what Demeter went through during her period of grieving. There is speculation that hallucinogens or alcohol of some sort was involved in this ritual. Today this site is basically in ruins and its hard to imagine that buildings ever existed here. The well and cave are still noticeable but only the foundations remain of the temple and other buildings.            

       For lunch we stopped in Lavadia to have a picnic lunch at the site of the old oracle. The site of the oracle and the springs surrounding it were the most beautiful we have seen so far on this trip, or so we thought… then we got to Delphi. The Greeks referred to Delphi as the naval, or center, of the ancient world. Thetemple of Apollo was closed but we still had plenty to do. We first stopped at the Castillion springs that were used by ancient travelers to purify themselves before entering the temples. We all took a moment to drink the water to renew ourselves for the rest of the day. After exploring the springs at the foothills of Mt. Parnassus we went on the gymnasium. In ancient times the gymnasium contained a track, places for wrestling and athletic practice, and public baths. In the spirit of the ancient games that once took place here, Samantha and Kristy felt compelled to give the gymnasium one last hoorah as they raced around the track. We are unsure of the outcome, but the Nike gods definitely would have been proud!       Below the gymnasium was the most recognizable site at Delphi, the Athena Pronia. This structure, built in fourth century BC, was never a temple but may have been set up for votive offerings before entering the temple of Apollo. It is a circular building known as a tholos or round structure. On both sides there are lesser temples for Athena and treasuries offered by different city states. Unfortunately, in ancient times a giant boulder came down the mountain and crushed one of the Athenian temples where it still lies today. On our way to the hotel our gentleman bus driver, Dmitri, impressed us by backing the bus up two blocks of a narrow street just so that we would not have to walk our bags up the street. After settling in we found ourselves at a delicious taverna. After using our best Greek and our Hollins girl charm, the owner of the taverna took pity on us and offered us free desert.                      Today had beautiful weather and everywhere we went we were greeted with smiles. Tomorrow we are headed to the temple of Apollo at Delphi and the museum containing all the ancient artifacts. Hopefully the oracle will give us good signs but until then… Brynn Hoffman and Rebekah Holden

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.}

“Wow!”
“Look at that!”
“Mama Mia!”
“Don’t miss the Ferry!”
“Can you believe we’re really here?”

Our objective for today was to power-walk to the metro to get to the ancient/modern port of Peiraeus to take the ferry to the island of Aegina. Upon reaching the port at Aegina, we took a bus to the sanctuary of Aphaia which was our first chance to get up close and personal with a true ancient temple site. It was a bit disappointing not to be able to actually enter the temple, but the ruins were still amazing. The shear size of the blocks and columns was breathtaking and the fact that we were sitting on fallen stones from the temple during our lecture made the experience all the more tangible.

Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

We listened to Professor Richter read about Cockrell whisking away the pedimental sculpture and tried to envision the marbles in their original position on the temple. If only the marbles could be returned to the site. Someone else has obviously wished for this as well because, while waiting for the bus back down to the port, we found amazing post cards which show one picture of the temple as it stands today, but when you tilt it back, it shows a reconstruction of the temple as it probably looked in antiquity. We made a quick trip to the temple of Apollo to marvel at the one standing column from which the port of Kolonna gets its unique name. Here we finally got our chance to sit among the actual ruins and soak in the feeling of antiquity.

By this time were were thinking more of food than prehistoric settlements, so we urged our professor to let us explore the wonders of Greek seafood. The octopus was quite popular, even as a hair gel, as Michelle can attest to. The smelts on the other hand, were not so popular as no one could get past eating the faces except for Prof. Richter and Jenny. They just could not understand everyone’s reluctance. After lunch and a rousing rendition of John Denver’s “Country Roads” by a well-traveled local, we were left to our own devices and set loose upon an unsuspecting populace. Over the next few hours, everyone explored the port, shops and ice cream.  We met a few amazing locals like the shopkeeper who even offered to hold our stuff while we walked around, figuring we would come back to buy more stuff and possibly bring friends.

Our favorite shopkeeper!

We learned the value of timeliness when we boarded the ferry back to Peiraeus when the ferry took off just moments after docking. Once settled many decided to recreate the pile of puppies pose from yesterday while we dutifully worked on our blog entry, although Jenny took a moment to snap a photo for posterity.

The famous “Pile of Puppies” pose!

We returned to the hotel by way of the Benaki Museum. We admit we did not fully appreciate the exquisite Byzantine and Greek art due to our preoccupation with sleep, food and sore feet, not necessarily in that order. From here, we go to read our next assignment, write in our journals and get a good night’s sleep in preparation for tomorrow’s adventure.

Kalinichta - Jenny and Lindsay

First Shot of the Day … Olympic Rings Sculpture outside Athens Airport.

 Flight to Amsterdam & Athens

Both airlines were very nice. We left an hour late & got to Amsterdam an hour early. The attendant at the gate didn’t realize that the plane had already arrived and needed to be prepped for our departure. It was a little unnerving. We were all planning to sleep on the plane but the ammenaties were so outstanding and we quickly got busy with video games, movies, etc. The food was the best we’d ever tasted … at least for airline food. We arrived in Amstadam which was more mall than airport and then boarded the plane for Athens. It was so exciting that we all promptly fell asleep resembling a pile of puppies.We arrived in Athens and were met by Thalia, our great travel agent. We took a bus to Athens and caught our first glimpse of the Acropolis, but it was just a tease.

Our fearless leaders … Prof. Salowey and Prof. Richter

After we dropped the bags at our hotel, our fearless leaders mustered us out for our trek to the Philopappos Monument on the Hill of the Muses. Upon this trek we gained our first canine escort that someone dubbed Charlie. He took his job very seriously guarding us from the southern slopes of the Acropolis all the way to the reconstructed ancient road built by Pikionis. From there we hiked up the Hill of the Muses to watch the sunset while Charlie took a rest. 

After our attempts to keep up with our professor who moonlights as a marathoner, we promptly collapsed in our rooms for a pre-dinner power nap, although some worked at figuring out phone cards while Christie worked out a few kinks with the shower. For dinner, we discovered the true value of our travel agent when we went to have the best food we ever had. Prof. Salowey & Prof. Richter ordered a sampling of traditional mezes each one better than the last although that stuffed zuccini was very hard to beat. From there, Charlie escorted us back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

“Of all books, the most difficult, in my opinion, is a translation.  Now, to travel is to translate; it is to translate to the eye, thought and soul of the reader, the places, colours, impressions and sentiments which nature or human monuments give to the traveler.”
Alphonse de Lemartine, Travels in the East

“It seems to me that the reader of a good travel book is entitled not only to an exterior voyage, to descriptions of scenery and so forth, but to an interior, a sentimental or temperamental voyage, which takes place side by side with that outer one; and that the ideal book of this kind offers us, indeed, a triple opportunity for exploration—abroad, into the author’s brain and into our own.” Norman Douglas (Both quoted in Richard Stoneman, A Literary Companion to Travel in
Greece)

Hellas!  Arcadia!  Greece!

Hollins University is a women’s liberal arts college in Roanoke, VA., USA.  The distance from Roanoke to Athens, Greece is almost 5400 miles (or, roughly, 8600 km, 4600 nautical miles).  The cultural distances between Roanoke and modern Greece, and between the present and the ancient are also great.  We will attempt to bridge these spans, and share any insights with you, to translate, as de Lemartine puts it, our sensory experiences.

I am responsible for this introduction, but henceforth entries will be made by others.  Our postings may be irregular, depending on our skill at finding high speed internet links in Greece, but we expect that in the end we will have a lot to share.  Good day, Happy New Year, and stay tuned. . . !