The Greek Diaspora in Toronto; How did the National Archaeological Museum come to have an Egyptian Collection?

This fall we have hosted lectures that focused on aspects of the development of modern Greece. One facet of the history of the country is the emigration of Greeks starting in the latter 19^th century to Europe and North America. Coming from mostly from rural areas these individuals and families sought out a better economic life.

On Wednesday evening, December 10^th at 7:30 pm in the Institute’s Library Christopher Grafos, a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at York University, will give an illustrated lecture entitled “Memory and Migration: A Glimpse of Greek Immigrant Life in Toronto, 1864 - Present”.

The construction of ethnic communities in North America is a process of negotiation. What remnants of a migrant’s past are palatable to the host society and what aspects of the homeland survive the transatlantic voyage? This presentation examines these questions through a historical lens and chronicles the evolution of Greek identity in Toronto, Canada.

The lecture will be preceded by a brief presentation of the Greek Canadian History Project [GCHP] / Πρόγραμμα Έρευνας Ελληνο-Καναδικής Ιστορίας (http://archives.library.yorku.ca/gchp/), which aims to illuminate the history and events that have shaped the experiences of Greek immigrants in Canada and their descendants. Professor Athanasios Gekas (Hellenic Heritage Chair in Modern Greek History & Assistant Professor, Department of History, York University) will make this presentation concerning this important initiative.

How did the Egyptian Collection Come to the National Archaeological Museum?

Few people going to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens venture off the beaten track of the large, well-known collections within their first few visits. If one goes to the left of the marble staircase at the rear of the ground floor and proceeds past the impressive collection of bronze objects to Rooms 40 and 41 in the rear corner of the Museum they come to something unexpected in Greece. That is a small, but high-quality collection of Egyptian antiquities. This display is made up of the personal collections of two Greeks of the Diaspora who lived in Egypt in the late 19^th century, Ioannis Dimitriou of Alexandria, and Alexandros Rostovitz of Cairo.

On Friday, December 12^th at 7:00 pm the archaeologist and Egyptologist Dr. Vasilis Chrysokopoulos will give a lecture in Greek that traces how these antiquities came into the possession of these two men and then made their way to the National Archaeological Museum. The title of his lecture is «Η ίδρυση των συλλογών αιγυπτιακών αρχαιοτήτων Ιωάννη Δημητρίου και Αλέξανδρου Ρόστοβιτς στο Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο». The lecture, sponsored by the Association of Friends of the Historical Archive of the Archaeological Service, will be held at the Historical Archive of the Hellenic Archaeological Service at Psaromylingou 22 on the cusp between the Kerameikos and Psyrri Districts. The Theseio train station is the nearest Metro stop. The public is welcome!

Cordially,
David Rupp
Director