The Southern Mani Archaeological Project 2026: The Matapan Peninsula

A portion of the SMAP survey area in Mani, Lakonia

In May-June 2026, under the auspices of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Lakonia, with a permit through the Canadian Institute in Greece, the Southern Mani Archaeological Project (SMAP), directed by Drs. Chelsea Gardner (Acadia University) and William Parkinson (Field Museum / University of Illinois at Chicago), conducted pedestrian field survey in the southernmost portion of the Mani peninsula. The following is a blog post written by SMAP student participants Eliese Dziak, Cameryn Gateman, and Megan Earley.

2026 Season in Southern Mani

The 2026 field season marked the second survey season of the Southern Mani Archaeological Project (SMAP), and the first season under a new, 5-year permit. Directed by Dr. Chelsea Gardner (Acadia University) and Dr. William Parkinson (Field Museum of Natural History and the University of Illinois Chicago), the Southern Mani Archaeological Project is conducted under the auspices of the Ephorate of Antiquities in Lakonia and the Canadian Institute in Greece. The project brought together an international team of researchers and students from institutions across Canada, the United States, Greece, Germany, and France.

SMAP survey team during the first week of the 2026 field season

Our team of 21 gathered in Mani, Lakonia, from May-June 2026 to begin work. In addition to the two project directors, the team included Dr. Rebecca Seifried (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), GIS and database director; Dr. Shannon Dunn (University of Edinburgh), lab director; Dr. Mo Snyder (Acadia University), geologist; regional specialists Dr. Katerina Ragkou (Phillips University of Marburg), Dr. Anastasia Papathenasiou (Greek Ministry of Culture), Dr. Sarah Murray (University of Toronto), PhD candidate Adam Wiznura (University of Groningen); aerial imaging experts Dr. Simon Oiry (Université Nantes), Dr. Laurent Barillé (Université Nantes), Philippe Rosa (Université Nantes); and nine student assistants, Cameron Barnard (University of Waterloo), Gabe Davis (University of Illinois Chicago), Eliese Dziak (University of Illinois Chicago), Megan Earley (Acadia University), Cameryn Gateman (Trent University), Oliver Godelie (Acadia University), Aydaen Markowski (Conservation Corps New Mexico), Ifigenia Paschali (National Technical University of Athens), and Christos Zigoumis (Carleton University).

SMAP 2026 team photo at the Hotel Panorama

The goal of the project is to gain a better understanding of the interactions involving the communities of the area and the wider Eastern Mediterranean throughout history and to develop a diachronic and multi-temporal understanding of this dynamic region of Lakonia. Building off the pilot research we conducted in Porto Kagio bay in 2025-2026, this year our team conducted intensive pedestrian survey across the Matapan peninsula, integrating geological investigation, GIS mapping, drone-based photogrammetry, LiDAR, and in-field analysis of archaeological materials. We managed to cover approximately 1.7 sq km or 5.7% of our total permitted survey area! Survey teams systematically documented archaeological material visible on the ground surface while recording a wide range of cultural and landscape features, including agricultural terraces, cisterns, towers, quarries, lime kilns and settlement remains.

Despite the peninsula’s rugged terrain, characterized by steep slopes and dense vegetation, the 2026 season produced significant new data that will contribute to our understanding of settlement patterns, resource exploitation, and agricultural practices.

SMAP survey and lab team members on the last day of survey

Fieldwork

Fueled by a breakfast from our amazing hosts at the Hotel Panorama, our field and lab teams hit the road between 7:00-8:00 AM each morning to go to the day’s location(s) and try to beat the heat. The beautiful drive was often punctuated by local traffic of sunbathing dogs, herds of sheep/goats, car karaoke, and an unabating excitement that comes from the joy of working in such a historically rich and vibrant place. Upon reaching our destination and conducting our daily safety and wellness checks, we separated into lab and survey teams. Unlike excavation, pedestrian survey examines the broader archaeological landscape rather than only focusing on a single site. Surveyors systematically walk across the terrain, recording visible archaeological material and cultural features to better understand long term patterns of human activity within the region. Units were defined in the field based on the terrain and visibility of the area; some areas were unsurveyable due to heavy vegetation, construction, or slopes greater than 30 degrees.

(Left) Student assistants Ifigenia Paschali (front left) and Cameron Barnard (front right) conducting in-field lab analysis under guidance of Shannon Dunn (back left) and Adam Wiznura (back right). (Right) From left to right, student assistants Cameryn Gateman, Eliese Dziak, and Oliver Godelie measure a cistern with guidance from William Parkinson

In compliance with our permit, we conducted much of our lab work at our field locations. This is different from typical archaeological lab work where all finds are brought back to a controlled environment for analysis. Armed with all the essential field lab equipment (camera, notebook, scale bar, iPad, shower curtain, and a blue pirate bucket), under the direction of Shannon Dunn we developed a systematic way to document all of our material finds in the area they were found. The survey teams bagged and recorded their finds by unit and left them in the field for the lab team to conduct their analyses. The lab team categorized, photographed, and recorded all material in our databases before returning the finds to their original context. This meant that most days we were analyzing hundreds of materials (mostly ceramic and tile) in the field! In select cases, we were granted permission by the Ephorate of Antiquities to collect and analyze in a more formal lab setting. From this huge undertaking we gleaned valuable information regarding the interactions in the region and learned much about what it takes to have a mobile lab unit in the field. 

(Left) Portion of terraces surveyed. (Right) From left to right, Katerina Ragkou, Shannon Dunn, and Adam Wiznura conducting in-field lab analysis

Gabe Davis (left) and Shannon Dunn (right) measuring a lime kiln discovered during survey

Landscape

The landscape posed unique challenges to our brave SMAP surveyors! From mountains, to beaches, and maquis forests, we traversed it all this summer. Slips, trips, and falls were common hazards encountered by all, but morale remained high as ankles stayed intact and humour always overrode pride. Of the 390 field units recorded this season, two-thirds of them had 25% or less visibility. Scrub and spiny broom were the most frequent culprits, followed by other types of surface vegetation, all of which ranged in height from ankle- to waist-high. The majority of the units surveyed contained intact and dilapidated terraces, and/or unmodified slopes with compact soil, bedrock, or rubble. Despite some of the challenges, traversing this beautiful landscape was well worth the effort. 

Aydaen Markowski (left) and Rebecca Seifried (right) measuring structure walls engulfed in vegetation

Notable Discoveries

A sudden yell by a student on a remote mountain is generally cause for concern, but for us this meant excitement as we had stumbled across something significant. Throughout the 2026 season, SMAP surveyors documented a diverse range of archaeological remains, including pottery scatters, architectural blocks, agricultural terraces, cisterns, towers, quarries and lime kilns! The majority of materials found fell into the category of ceramics or tile fragments but there were a few small finds that were collected with the permission of the local archaeological service. The items collected include six (!) loom weights, one coin, two glass fragments, one bronze sheet, and fragments of four terracotta figurines. Many of these materials were found (with much excitement) by our student researchers! There were also many notable features, including pre-modern structures, cisterns, and spolia. Surprisingly, we found very few lithic remains; only three small chipped stone fragments were found and no whole stone tools. The team found this puzzling but we are hopefully curious for more to be uncovered in the following seasons!

There were also several interesting structures uncovered. With only a few days left of survey we discovered foundation stones and a high concentration of ceramic materials on top of a mountain. The seemingly unusual configuration and makeup of the structural remains drew the intrigue of our team. After clearing the vegetation immediately surrounding the structure we were able to get a better idea of its layout but are still unsure on the function. The ceramics at this location appear to date to the Hellenistic, further study is needed on both the materials and structural remains however for a definitive date and site function.

(Left) Discovered figurine heads. (Right) One of the six loom weights found

We also cleared a series of circular architectural features discovered during the survey. After some initial confusion, further research coupled with the clearing of the vegetation showed that these were saltpans, used for drying and collecting salt - an important economic driver in the region! The entire area was not able to be cleared due to a chukar bird nest in the surrounding vegetation (it should be known that SMAP will always break/brake for wildlife!).

Aerial view orthomosaic (left) and scaled plan (right) of the salt pans in Site 022 (Matapan - Katergo - Salt Pans)

Photogrammetry

SMAP took to the skies this season as we were joined by Dr. Laurent Barillé, Dr. Simon Oiry, and Philippe Rosa, a team of aerial imaging experts from the Université Nantes in France, to capture some of the unique features we came across. They used drone LiDAR and photogrammetry to further map and document some areas of interest; by conducting different resolution flights to create a detailed 3D map of the areas. From this process we received high resolution mapping of several quarries and of the structure “Frankoklisi”. Photogrammetry like this is extremely beneficial for the documentation and further study of buildings, architectural members, and landscape because it provides additional data that further contextualizes our finds in the region allowing us to gain insights that we otherwise may not have!

(Left) Drone flight. (Right) Dr. Simon Oiry (left), Philippe Rosa (middle) and Dr. Laurent Barillé (right) preparing drone for flight and recording

Drone photograph of Frankoklisi after vegetation cleaning

Geology

The geology team from Acadia University (Dr. Mo Snyder and Honours student Megan Earley) continued upon last season’s field work, exploring coloured marble and limestone outcrops of the Southern Mani Peninsula. Samples were taken at various sites in Matapan, including samples from red, green, black, and white marble outcrops.

(Left) Dr. Chelsea Gardner at the black marble quarry. (Right) Dr. Mo Snyder at a white marble outcrop

This year, the geology team noted regional faults and brecciated material observed alongside coloured marbles and limestones. With the help of the SMAP archaeology team, it was identified that a series of faults, running through the white marble outcrop at Tainaron, travelled directly underneath the historic temple of Poseidon. While the geology team identified the structural features, the archaeology team connected the dots between Poseidon and his association with earthquakes. This unique observation highlighted the uses of working in a multidisciplinary team to piece together records of human activity on and within the natural landscape.

          

(Left) Breccia containing clasts of previously brecciated material, a helpful tool for understanding the geologic history of the area. (Right) Megan preparing to measure the orientation of the white marble at Tainaron

Back at the Acadia Petrographic Laboratory, rock samples from the current and previous field season are being processed for research purposes and for the archival collection at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Samples include representative material from each of the coloured-stone quarries, brecciated material from adjacent and nearby formations, unconsolidated material, and gastropod fossils.

Samples of white (upper left), red (upper right), green (lower left), and black (lower right) marbles back in the lab at Acadia University

Looking Ahead

The 2026 field season demonstrated how much the landscape of Matapan and southern Mani can reveal when archaeological survey is combined with geological investigation, material analysis, GIS, LiDAR, and photogrammetry. Across steep slopes, dense vegetation, terraces, coastlines, and mountain ridges, the team documented new evidence for settlement, agriculture, water management, craft production, quarrying, and the use of local resources through time. These discoveries provide important new points of reference for understanding how communities in southern Mani shaped, occupied, and moved through this landscape while remaining connected to the wider eastern Mediterranean.

Although the walking has ended, the work of the season continues. Ceramic analysis, spatial interpretation, geological research, and the processing of aerial imagery will further refine our understanding of the features and materials recorded in the field. The results of this work will guide future survey seasons and help determine where more focused investigation may be most productive.

Most importantly, the season reflected the collaborative nature of archaeological research. Students, specialists, project directors, local communities, partner institutions, the Ephorate of antiquities of Lakonia, and the Canadian Institute in Greece all contributed to the success of the project. SMAP leaves the 2026 season with new questions, new data, and an even stronger foundation for continuing to explore the long-term relationship between people and the landscape in southern Mani.

The 2026 SMAP team at Hotel Panorama in Pyrgos Dirou, Mani

From My Time as a CIG Intern

When I got the news that I would be spending my summer in Greece, I was ecstatic. Originally, I impulsively submitted an application to my university’s international program because I had become very engrossed in Greco-Roman classics and ancient philosophy during my first year of university. However, I thought my chances were slim when my program coordinator told me it was the university’s most competitive position, so imagine my surprise in December when I received an acceptance email.

On Lycabettus Hill 

Before my internship at the CIG, I had never even done my own laundry, let alone lived independently. Even as I watched my mom weep beside my stepfather and little sister while I walked through the security line—leaving for the next three months—I couldn’t believe it. I had gotten so used to plans falling through that, even as I landed at the Athens airport and walked out with my massive luggage, I thought I was hallucinating. Clearly, I wasn’t hallucinating, because as soon as I left the airport, reality—and the cold May wind—hit me. My first month took a lot of getting used to: living with flatmates, taking care of myself while working, and living in a country whose language I couldn’t speak were all quite difficult.

The Parthenon 

Working at the CIG made acclimating to Greece easier by giving me a routine. Most weeks, I would explore Athens’ museums, art galleries, and archaeological sites during the weekend. Then, during the week, I would be in the intern office by 9 a.m., where I helped with chores, library work, setting up for events and lectures, and researching sites I had seen over the weekend to post about them on the CIG’s social media. It was during this time that I decided to help restructure responsibilities of the intern position by modernizing the manuals used to pass wisdom obtained by previous interns, as well as our approach to communication through social media. I especially enjoyed experimenting with different types of media and formatting to deduce what people statistically responded to best. Still, I found watching my art bring the CIG more attention the most rewarding.

Traditional Greek wedding attire (Museum Of Modern Greek Culture) 

As a student of political science, most of the archaeological information I now had to interact with was completely foreign to me aside from my basic understanding of classical art, philosophy, and literature. It was very interesting to learn about different aspects of the field, my favourite being the use of archaeology to trace how civilizations developed over time and how war and imperialism in Greece explain its formation as a modern state. I was equally curious and frequently inquired about why the archaeologists I met had decided to pursue their specialties, as well as the reality of living in Athens from locals, as my greatest motivation for coming to Greece had been to familiarize myself with people raised in a culture different from my own.

Socrates & Confucius (Agora) 

The more I learned about Greek history beyond its ancient past as the Athenian city-state that bore elements of modern liberal democracy, the more curious I became about the rest of Europe, and by mid-May, I had planned another trip. This one was to Austria, another state previously ruled by an imperial power that was ousted after WWI and replaced by a—then—collapsing democracy. Though I would be lying if I said I visited Vienna only for its political significance, as I also have a great love of Mozart and Klimt—whose many works are displayed on my bedroom walls.

 

Emperor Charles VI (State Hall of the Austrian National Library) 

 

“Mother with Children” by Gustav Klimt 

 

“Apotheosis of the Renaissance” by Mihály Munkácsy

Travelling to Athens, Vienna, and Rome, and discovering lush greenery and insignificant buildings held up by pillars shaped into classical statues was a massive shock for me, especially as someone accustomed to the GTA, where every suburban house and skyscraper looks limp and lifeless. As for Europe as a whole, I was so satisfied by its walkability that I renounced public transit. As expected, this didn’t pan out well for my feet during my long-weekend trips, when I walked around 50 kilometres in each of the cities I visited—especially Rome, which I also mistakenly visited in mid-July.

Rome was stunning: around—and within—every corner stood heaps of monuments, fountains, and statues. Although I was a melting sardine packed beside hundreds of other tourists, I don’t know whether any interior can measure up to the sublimity of the papal apartments and chapels in the Vatican or St. Peter’s Basilica.

“Ecstasy of Saint Teresa” by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

 

St. Peter’s Basilica 

Gallery of Maps (Vatican Museums) 

But culture isn’t much without history, and history isn’t much without the religions that shaped it. I have always written religion off as a generalized “Other” whose principles I can commend but whose instrumentalization I condemn. However, living in and visiting places where monarchs ruled by divine right, and religion both shaped and was shaped by the conquest and the integration of foreign religions, piqued my interest. This interest grew when I finally decided to read the only physical book I had brought with me: Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”, which I would highly recommend to anybody.

“The Bishop of Old Patras Germanos Blesses the Flag of the Revolution” by Theodoros Vryzakis 

Ultimately, it is this interest that tied together my experience working at the CIG and living in Athens. Most of the time, I prefer to consume the world with only my eyes, but—as with the active love preached in Christianity—one must act within the world if one wants to make any impact upon it. For the first time in my independent life, I have shown myself that if I give myself to the world, I can change my circumstances, stoking my ambition to care for those within it.

Nicole Kulova, York University intern, summer 2026

The Odyssey in Boeotia? Connecting ancient Eleon with Homer

The biggest news from Hollywood this summer has been about the newest blockbuster film from Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey. In addition to its huge success and popularity, discussion focuses on the historical accuracy of various elements of the movie, sometimes with informed insight and other times with only strong opinion. Often, these discussions fail to recognize that the ‘history’ of Homer’s epic poems is a highly fraught question that scholars, philologists and archaeologists, have been struggling with since antiquity and something that can never be satisfactorily answered because the poems we associate with Homer are creative, evolving works of fiction that are adapted to their audiences. The film and the discussions it has generated provide an opportunity for our archaeological project at ancient Eleon to highlight some of the material connections with have excavated with the ‘worlds’ of Homer.

Publicity photo for Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey (2026)

Ancient Eleon, located in central Greece about 14 km east of Thebes, has been under study by members from the Canadian Institute since 2007 when a regional survey was conducted. The Eastern Boeotia Archaeological Project (EBAP), as we are called, started excavations in 2011 as a synergasia (collaboration) of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia and the CIG and is currently directed by Dr. Alexandra Charami of the Ephorate and Brendan Burke (University of Victoria), Bryan Burns (Wellesley College) and Trevor Van Damme (University of Warwick). In 2026, the team returned to the elevated limestone ridge on the western edge of the village of Arma, about 14 km east of Thebes, for six weeks of excavations and we found further connections between Eleon and ‘Homer’s world’.

EBAP/Eleon excavation team 2026

Although far from the Troad, the site of ancient Eleon in Boeotia is connected to Troy through two passages in the Iliad that name the site. The first is Eleon’s inclusion in the Catalogue of Ships (appearing in Book 2.500) as one of cities among the Boeotian contingent the leads the Greek forces to Troy at the start of the war. The second passage (10.266–267) offers more specific heroic connections between Eleon and the Homeric heroes, specifically, Odysseus: The boar’s tusk helmet worn by Odysseus is given an elaborate genealogy that connects three generations through a series of exchanges back to Odysseus’ own grandfather, Autolykos, who visited Eleon. At Eleon, Autolykos stole the helmet from the well-built house of Amyntor, the son of Ormenos. This line of Odysseus’ family was also featured in a lost play of Euripides, the Phoenix, with action unfolding in front of the palace of Amyntor at Eleon, according to some commentators. That follows the third mention of Eleon in the Iliad, when Phoenix recounts the dispute with his father, which led him to run away and eventually become part of Achilles’s contingent. He describes the strongly-built courtyard house of Amyntor and the wealth of the family as relatives tried to smooth tensions through feasting:

They singed the hides of many pigs and stretched

the carcasses, that shone with fat, across

the fire for cooking, sacred to Hephaestus.

They drank enormous quantities of wine

from huge wine-jars belonging to my father.

                                                Iliad 9.466-69, Emily Wilson, translator

With this background, we can ask, what are the archaeological indicators that might connect the literary imagination of Homer with the material world we were excavating at ancient Eleon? The site of ancient Eleon has three major periods of Bronze Age activity: pre-Palatial (ca. 17^th-16^th c. BCE), connected to the elaborate burials complex we call the Blue Stone Structure; the Palatial period (15^th to 13^th c BCE), the age contemporary with the elaborate administrative complexes at Mycenae, Pylos and Tiryns and the age of Linear B records (12^th c BCE); and the post-Palatial period, referred in ceramic terms as the LH IIIC period, (12^th-11^th c BCE). The post-Palatial period was relatively short, and a period of resilience in aftermath of wide-spread destructions of major palace centers. At Eleon, it’s the levels dating to the LH IIIC early and middle that provide evidence for the endurance of Mycenaean culture at secondary centers. Elements of all these ages are preserved in the epic poems of Homer.

Excavations in the Northwest quadrant of Eleon has uncovered a multi-room complex dating to the LH IIIC periods (early and middle). The northern section is divided into two large rooms, each of which features a centrally positioned hearth. In the central room we have four post supports surrounding the hearth, in form comparable to, though much simpler than, a Mycenaean palatial megaron. This complex in the Northwest and comparable structures in the further southwest were roofed with large clay tiles, flat pan tiles, covered with half-cylindrical cover tiles. The fired clay roof tiles demonstrate that these were buildings of some significance, requiring a great deal of organized labor for their construction. The buildings likely had a public function, rather than a domestic one. We might even imagine stories of Troy being retold here around the multiple hearths.

NW quadrant Eleon 2019 and roof tile fragments from the SW 2026

In the Southwest quadrant of ancient Eleon, we have architecture at a different orientation than the Northwest and finds which suggest religious activity. Here people may have made offerings of prized possessions, perhaps in gratitude for success in war or hunting. One find in particular suggests this and it is a section of a boar’s tooth with small drill holes in three locations. Two of the drill holes are through raised portions of the tooth, which were likely intended to hold the tusk fragment, fixing it onto a helmet, like the one described by Homer in book 10 of the Iliad. We have a second fragment of a boar’s tusk from nearby as well. While two tusks do not make a whole helmet (it is estimated that thirty boars would be needed for one complete helmet) the fragments we have are evocative.

We thus have tantalizing indications of Homer’s world: large, tile roofed public structures with hearths inside for banquets and story telling and boars tusks likely from a hero’s helmet.

Boar’s tusk helmet from Zafer Papoura Knossos (Heraklion Museum) and boar’s tusk from Eleon showing drill holes

À travers les carnets, la Grèce / Greece through the sketchbooks

Le voyage d’étude en Grèce a offert à notre groupe de l’Université de Montréal une immersion rare dans les paysages et les vestiges qui ont façonné la pensée et l’esthétique du monde antique. D’Athènes au Péloponnèse, les étudiants en architecture et en histoire de l’art ont observé, exploré et surtout dessiné avec une sensibilité remarquable. Leurs carnets témoignent d’un regard attentif, curieux et profondément humain. Ce blog rassemble leurs créations, pour célébrer à la fois leur talent et la beauté intemporelle des lieux qui les ont inspirés.

The study trip to Greece offered our group from the University of Montreal a rare immersion into the landscapes and ancient sites that shaped the thought and aesthetics of the ancient world. From Athens to the Peloponnese, the architecture and art history students observed, explored, and above all sketched with remarkable sensitivity. Their sketchbooks reveal an attentive, curious, and deeply human gaze. This blog brings their creations together, celebrating both their talent and the timeless beauty of the places that inspired them.

« Bonjour! Je m’appelle Clara et je m’apprête à débuter ma dernière année au baccalauréat en histoire de l’art. »

“Hello! My name is Clara, and I’m about to begin my final year of the bachelor’s degree in art history.”

« L’hiver dernier j’ai suivi le cours ART1800 : Techniques et procédés picturaux, où j’y ai découvert un intérêt pour le dessin et l’aquarelle. De mon coup de crayon novice, je me suis donné le défi de continuer mon apprentissage en voyage en peignant et en dessinant les œuvres d’art grecques qui m’interpellaient le plus. Les étudiant.e.s en architecture m’ont été d’une aide précieuse pour aiguiser mon œil et surpasser mes préoccupations perfectionnistes. Merci a elleux! Je continue désormais à remplir mon carnet de croquis dans les grands musées parisiens. » Clara Jacquoudet étudiante au baccalauréat en Histoire de l’art à l’Université de Montréal.

“Last winter, I took the course ART1800: Techniques and Pictorial Processes, where I discovered an interest in drawing and watercolor. With my novice pencil stroke, I challenged myself to continue learning while traveling by painting and sketching the Greek artworks that resonated with me the most. The architecture students were an invaluable help in sharpening my eye and pushing me beyond my perfectionist worries. Thanks to them! I’m now continuing to fill my sketchbook in the great Parisian museums.” Clara Jacquoudet student in the Bachelor’s program in Art History at the University de Montréal.

« Je m’appelle Chaza Rafaee et je viens de terminer ma première année au baccalauréat en architecture à l’Université de Montréal. »

“My name is Chaza Rafaee, and I’ve just completed my first year of the bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Montreal.”

« Ce voyage en Grèce a été une expérience particulièrement marquante pour moi. Voir en personne ce que nous avions étudié en classe – incluant l’histoire de l’architecture grecque, les temples, les châteaux, les sanctuaires, les différents styles architecturaux, les textures, les matériaux ainsi que les méthodes de construction utilisées à l’époque – était réellement fascinant. J’ai également beaucoup apprécié découvrir l’histoire et le contexte propres à chaque site. La manière dont chaque lieu raconte une partie de l’histoire de l’architecture m’a permis non seulement d’enrichir mes connaissances architecturales, mais aussi de m’inspirer pleinement pour mes futurs projets. »

“This trip to Greece was a particularly meaningful experience for me. Seeing in person what we had studied in class — including the history of Greek architecture, temples, castles, sanctuaries, architectural styles, textures, materials, and the construction methods used at the time — was truly fascinating. I also greatly enjoyed learning about the history and context specific to each site. The way each place tells a part of the story of architecture allowed me not only to deepen my architectural knowledge, but also to find genuine inspiration for my future projects.”

« Durant ce voyage, réaliser des croquis a été très important pour moi. Le dessin m’a permis de capturer des détails architecturaux tout en observant les sites d’une manière différente, en prenant le temps de remarquer des éléments que l’on aperçoit parfois moins lors d’une simple visite. Pour moi, ces dessins sont à la fois des souvenirs de ce magnifique voyage et un moyen de mieux comprendre l’architecture, son histoire et les traces qu’elle laisse à travers le temps. » Chaza Rafaee étudiante au baccalauréat en architecture à l’Université de Montréal.

“During this trip, sketching was very important to me. Drawing allowed me to capture architectural details while observing the sites in a different way, taking the time to notice elements that can sometimes be overlooked during a simple visit. For me, these sketches are both memories of this wonderful journey and a way to better understand architecture, its history, and the traces it leaves through time.” Chaza Rafaee student in the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the University de Montréal.

« Les compositions classiques suggèrent des arrangements réguliers, des proportions reconnaissables, une symétrie bilatérale, des points de vue frontaux forts, bref, une certaine rigidité dans la composition géométrique. Ces a priori pourraient être induits par les figures canoniques néoclassiques comme le Capitole de Washington et l’urbanisme entourant le National Mall jusqu’au Lincoln Memorial, ou à une autre échelle, l’articulation des villas palladiennes. »

“Classical compositions suggest regular arrangements, recognizable proportions, bilateral symmetry, strong frontal viewpoints, in short, a certain rigidity in geometric composition. These assumptions might be influenced by canonical Neoclassical figures such as the Washington Capitol and the urban layout surrounding the National Mall up to the Lincoln Memorial, or, on another scale, the articulation of Palladian villas.”

« Alors en visitant les sites séculiers et sacrés grecs, j’aurais cru y apercevoir des systèmes orthogonaux stricts, des grilles de mesures et des modules normalisés et peu de place à l’accident. Après tout, la Grèce antique demeure réputée pour son développement des arts, des sciences, des mathématiques, de la géométrie, de la juste mesure. C’est ce que suggère d’ailleurs le terme « classique » : un juste milieu des qualités, caractéristique d’une référence incontournable servant de modèle. »

“So, when visiting Greek secular and sacred sites, I expected to find strict orthogonal systems, measurement grids, standardized modules, and little room for accident. After all, ancient Greece remains renowned for its development of the arts, sciences, mathematics, geometry, and the pursuit of precise measure. This is, after all, what the term “classical” suggests: a balanced set of qualities, characteristic of an essential reference serving as a model.”

« Or, bien que j’aie pu observer fondamentalement un langage visuel et formel ubiquitaire, riche et sophistiqué, la planification des sites semblait pour le moins arbitraire : les décalements des bâtiments, les arrêts et détours dans les parcours et les changements d’angles et de plans se multiplient ; l’implantation acquiert des caractéristiques semblables à un développement organique, spontané, et surtout, pittoresque. »

“Yet, although I did observe a fundamentally ubiquitous, rich, and sophisticated visual and formal language, the planning of the sites seemed rather arbitrary: building offsets, pauses and detours along pathways, shifts in angles and planes multiplied; the layout took on characteristics akin to organic, spontaneous, and above all picturesque development.”

« À la première année du bac d’architecture, nous sommes encouragés à analyser l’espace grâce au croquis. Armé de mon carnet et de crayons, je tentais de comprendre l’implantation, la relation entre les bâtiments et l’expression formelle générale des lieux. Par le relevé au pas, par la promenade, par de longs moments méditatifs, j’ai voulu saisir l’esprit du site et réfléchir aux règles de composition sous-jacentes régissant le déploiement des systèmes : c’est la nature des études de cas plus techniques. D’autres fois, paralysé par le sublime ou simplement ennuyé pendant dix minutes d’attente de l’autobus, je sortais mon carnet et ma plume pour composer un sketch rapide. »

“In the first year of architecture school, we are encouraged to analyze space through sketching. Armed with my notebook and pencils, I tried to understand the site layout, the relationship between buildings, and the general formal expression of the places. Through pacing measurements, walking, and long meditative moments, I sought to grasp the spirit of the site and reflect on the underlying compositional rules governing the deployment of its systems: this is the nature of more technical case studies. Other times, paralyzed by the sublime or simply bored while waiting ten minutes for the bus, I would pull out my notebook and pen to compose a quick sketch.”

« De nos jours, la pratique de la photographie reste plus accessible que jamais, et c’est une chance fantastique. Alors quelle est la place du croquis? L’intérêt reste qu’il encourage au plus long moment de pause. Il nécessite une certaine concentration et une meilleure observation des détails de la Nature de chaque chose ; l’apprentissage s’intègre finalement de façon durable. »

“Today, photography is more accessible than ever, and that is a fantastic opportunity. So what place does sketching still hold? Its value lies in the longer pause it encourages. It requires a certain concentration and a sharper observation of the details and the Nature of each thing; the learning ultimately becomes deeply integrated.”

« Deux mois plus tard, au moment où j’écris ce texte, mes croquis me rapportent à des moments précis du voyage, à des souvenirs vivides dans mon esprit : parfois à des logiques architectoniques uniques, parfois simplement à des moments heureux avec un groupe de voyageurs étudiants/enseignements fantastiques. » Émile Goyer étudiant au baccalauréat en Architecture à l’Université de Montréal.

“Two months later, as I write this text, my sketches bring me back to precise moments of the trip, to vivid memories in my mind: sometimes to unique architectonic logics, sometimes simply to happy moments shared with a group of wonderful student travelers and teachers.” Émile Goyer student in the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the University de Montréal.