Cracking the Code: Interpreting Life and Death
About the workshop
Key information
- Full title: Cracking the Code: Interpreting Life and Death through Tombs, Vessels, and Decorative Motifs of the Early Iron Age. Case study: The Stamna Necropolis
- Dates: December 14–15, 2024, 11:00am–3:00pm
- Location: CHS Greece, Nafplio
- Organized by: CHS Greece
- Open to: All (limited number of places)
- Language: Greek
- Application period: October 4–November 17, 2024
- Academic coordination:
- Helene Simoni (PhD Urban Planning and Geographical Information Systems, Archaeologist, Department of Geology, University of Patras, Harvard CHS Fellow 2023-2024)
- Olga-Gioulika Christakopoulou (PhD Archaeologist, Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, Harvard CHS Fellow 2023-2024)
- Activity administration: Matina Goga (CHS Greece)
- Contact number and email: (+30) 27520 47030, int. line 1, matina.goga@chs.harvard.edu
Overview
The Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece organizes the workshop "Cracking the Code: Interpreting Life and Death through Tombs, Vessels, and Decorative Motifs of the Early Iron Age. Case study: The Stamna Necropolis." CHS Greece, through its annual workshop series, aims to support Hellenic Studies and the broader field of Humanities, and to offer intergenerational, interdisciplinary, lifelong learning opportunities to the public.
In this workshop, the participants will have the opportunity to delve into the cultural heritage of the Early Iron Age (Protogeometric and Geometric eras). Through a series of thematic modules, the program will focus on tombs, artifacts, and the linear decorative motifs found on pottery from one of the most significant ancient cemeteries of the period, located in Stamna, Aetolia, given its wealth of grave goods. The analysis will explore how ancient societies employed art as a medium for communication and symbolism. With the help of qualitative and quantitative analyses, as well as with digital cartographic tools (Geographic Information Systems - GIS), the participants will have the opportunity to interpret the social and cultural messages behind the findings, deepening their understanding of the societal frameworks and values of the era.
During the workshop, participation will be interactive and encourage exploration. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the discussions, ask questions and develop their own interpretations of the archaeological findings. By analyzing the symbols and patterns that shaped the social life of the era, collective knowledge will be enhanced, while the use of GIS technology will reveal new patterns and associations. This dynamic approach will encourage discovery and creative thinking, fostering a rich dialogue around the cultural elements of ancient society.
Thematic areas – Workshop structure
The approach to the topic will be organized around the following thematic axes – key aspects:
First day
- The Archaeology of Death in Iron Age Stamna, Greece: An Introduction
- Typological Classification of Burial Structures
- Burial practices
- Introduction to Qualitative Analysis of Decorative Patterns
- Definition and principles of GIS
- Archaeological research and GIS in Greece
- Quantitative Analysis and the adoption of GIS in the excavation of Stamna
Second day
- Symbolic Use of Decorative Patterns: The Homeric Evidence
- Mapping of the findings in the tombs of Stamna and interpretation attempts by the workshop's participants
During the workshop, the two coordinators will present the above mentioned thematic areas, while participants will actively engage in dialogue and case study analyses.