Field Project Visits 2011: EBAP and the new Thebes Museum

The Institute fields each summer a number of archaeological research projects under permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. As Director I visit a number of the projects each year to see firsthand what they are doing, to meet the members of the research team and to discuss their plans for the future. These visits help me to contextualize their work and to assist them in achieving their research goals.

Last week Jonathan and I had the pleasure of visiting the excavation at ancient Eleon in eastern Boeotia conducted by the Eastern Boeotia Archaeological Project (EBAP). This is their first year at the site. As Brendan Burke (University of Victoria) will write his own guest blog shortly I will not go in to details of their very successful first four weeks in the field. I would like to focus, however, on our subsequent visit to the new Thebes Museum with an extensive guided tour for the EBAP crew by our Greek co-researchers Dr. Vasilios Arvantinos and Yannis Fappas of their preparations for the exhibits. The finds, old and recent, from Thebes and the surrounding areas are simply amazing for all periods. When it opens it will be a “must see” stop, especially for the Mycenaean period finds from a number of sites.

I appreciated seeing the excellent professional and personal relationships between the members of the Greek and Canadian research teams at Eleon. The future of the Institute’s long-standing interest in Boeotian studies, initiated by the research of John Fossey, looks very good indeed. The holdings of the Institute’s Library support this focus.

Cordially,
David Rupp
Director