The Beginning of Archaeological Research in the Cyclades

Formal archaeological research in the Cycladic islands goes back to the latter 19^th century. Before that some of the local inhabitants of the islands, often the teachers or doctors, from time to time recorded as well as collected the antiquities that were visible. The most frequently identified materials were fragments of ancient inscriptions or sculpture. The discovery of Early Bronze Age tombs with marble “Cycladic” figurines and statuettes, vessels and other objects in the 1880s propelled further “private” or illegal digging as well as the first systematic excavations. The investigations of Christos Tsountas at several cemeteries in the 1890s and the work of the British School at Athens brought to light this “Cycladic civilization” which had been first suggested by Theodore Bent in 1885.

Many of the individuals who were pioneers in the early research relating to the Cycladic cultures are seldom mentioned in the modern scholarship. One of these was Klon Stephanos (1854-1915) from the island Kea. In 1873 as a medical student at the University of Athens he recorded the inscriptions on Syros where he had grown up as well as excavated tombs at the settlement of Halandriani. This research was done under the sponsorship the Archaeological Society of Athens. He gave up medicine and went to Paris to study anthropology. Returning to Athens he was one of the founders in 1886 and the first director of the Anthropological Museum of the University of Athens. Later he returned to archaeology and on the island of Naxos excavated Early Cycladic tombs from 1903 through 1910. The finds from these excavations are on display in the Cycladic Room of the National Archaeological Museum.

On Monday, May 25^th Dr. Lena Papazoglou-Manioudaki, Director Emertia of the Prehistoric Collection of the National Archaeological Museum will give a lecture in Greek entitled «Οι απαρχές της Κυκλαδικής Αρχαιολογίας και ο Κλών Στέφανος, ιατρός, ανθρωπολόγος και ανασκαφέας της Σύρου και της Νάξου». In her lecture she will explore the life and the professional work as an ethnographer and anthropologist of this multi-faceted and multi-dimensional individual who opened new horizons to this fledgling field of “Cycladic archaeology”.

The lecture, at 18:30, will be at the Historical Archive at Psaromylongou 22 on the cusp of the Kerameikos and Psyrii Districts. This is the last lecture of the 2014/2015 Lecture Program of the Συλλογος Φιλων Του Ιστορικου Αρχειου Της Αρχαιολογικης Υπηρεσιας.

The Board of Directors of the Syllogos Filon has started to craft the 2015/2016 Lecture Program. Suggestions are welcome for possible lecture topics relating to the history of archaeology, Greek and foreign archaeologists of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, and archaeological and conservations issues based primarily on archival research, especially in the holdings of the Historical Archive. One can self-nominate as well. Established scholars, advanced graduate students, and independent researchers are invited to submit a lecture proposal for consideration. For more information and suggestions please write to: drupp@brocku.ca.

Cordially,
David Rupp
Director