Hellenic Studies at CHS: Reflections from Panagiota Bantavanou, Pre-doctoral Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–2026

The Pre-doctoral Fellowship awarded to me by the Center for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University marked the final milestone in the accomplishment of my dissertation. My research focused on cremation as a burial practice in antiquity, developing histological methods to reconstruct the biological profile of cremated individuals while also examining the cremation process itself. However, to fully understand cremation as a funerary practice, it was necessary, beyond the biological perspective, to delve into the cultural aspects and their influence on its development and evolution.

The earliest evidence of cremation in Greece dates back to the Neolithic Age (6800–3000 BCE), however, it became firmly established as a burial practice during the Classical period (450–324 BCE). Cremation reached its highest frequency during the Hellenistic (323–31 BCE) and Roman periods (31 BCE–324 CE), while archaeological and topographical data indicate notable differences between these two eras. To assess the impact of cultural factors on the evolution of cremation, this project focused on the Hellenistic and Roman periods, showcasing the city of Thessaloniki, an urban center of great importance in antiquity that offers remarkable chronological continuity (346 BCE to the present).

To achieve the project’s aims, I conducted a holistic anthropological study of cremated human remains, applying advanced technological methods (light microscopy, FTIR-ATR, and SEM-EDS), combined with references to cremation practices in ancient Greek and Latin literature. Through the Pre-doctoral Fellowship, I was granted access to the HOLLIS library system, including the Harvard and CHS collections, which provided a wealth of sources from modern to ancient poets and historians describing funerary practices in antiquity.

The results of this multidisciplinary approach demonstrate, through empirical data, that cremation evolved as a burial practice partly under the influence of cultural factors. Variations in bone composition and chemical preservation align with literary descriptions of complex pyre constructions and funerary rites, highlighting distinctions between the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Overall, the findings of this project illuminate the diversity of cultural responses to death in past societies and underscore the idea that societies function as living organisms adopting, adapting, and evolving over time.

The CHS fellowship also offered me the opportunity to present my research and engage closely with fellow researchers from my cohort and other CHS programs in Nafplio and Washington, D.C. This ten-day experience in Washington, D.C. allowed for stimulating interdisciplinary discussions, access to CHS facilities and library resources, and time to appreciate the surroundings through walks around the facilities and parks. As part of the program, I visited and met faculty at Georgetown University, engaged with the research community at Dumbarton Oaks, while exploring its exceptional library and museum, and most importantly for me, visited the Library of Congress. In addition, I independently explored several of Washington’s renowned museums, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and Culture and the National Air and Space Museum.

Through this fellowship, I gained not only a deeper perspective on my own research but also an expanded academic network, new research ideas, and opportunities for future collaboration. It was a great opportunity and an open-minded experience, not only for my academic career, but also on a personal level, where I could share concerns and experiences with the broader research community of CHS and grow as a researcher and a person. I am sincerely grateful to CHS for supporting my work, and I hope to maintain a lasting connection with the Center, not only as a research institution, but also through the outstanding staff who supported and guided me throughout this experience.