Trip 2 Day 4 (October 9): Olympia, Bassai, Dimitsana

The day began back in the museum. First was Flint's report on the sculptures from the pediment of the temple of Zeus.

Then we heard Angele's report on the Hermes of Praxiteles in which we learned it may not be a sculpture of Praxiteles after all, but may perhaps be a Roman copy of one of Praxiteles' statues. It's still beautiful either way.

Then we had a closer look at the Nike. She's missing some parts but is still very impressive.

Then we were back on the bus to the temple of Bassai where Jon gave his report and we were allowed very special permission to go inside.

The temple is covered over with a protective tent. It looks a bit like a circus tent from the outside.

The surrounding countryside was absolutely gorgeous.

There were also many, many lizards out and about sunning themselves on rocks.

Our next stop was a visit to the outdoor open air water and power museum in Dimitsana. There were reproductions of a flour mill, a tanning workshop, and a gunpowder mill. Each room had information on the entire process used to mill or tan. It was really neat. Unfortunately, none of my pictures from inside turned out.

We spent the night in Dimitsana and I had a beautiful view from my hotel room balcony.

Trip 2 Day 3 (October 8): Olympia

The forecast said rain so we started the day outside at the site, hoping to get through as much as possible before the rain arrived. Either this day or the day before Jess gave her report on the Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus. I can't tell from my pictures which day the report was because I have pictures of the Nymphaeum from both days. It was originally a monumental structure with lots of life-size statues, but there's not much out there now. Some of the statues we saw later in the museum, though.

Next, we went to the stadium to hear Andrew's report on the Olympic Games.

At the bottom of the picture, you can just see the starting line and behind Andrew you can see the judges' seats. What you can't see is that, despite the sunshine, it is, in fact, raining. Andrew carried on and it stopped in time for us to continue our tour of the site which included some Roman buildings, the Philippeion (built by Philip II, father of Alexander the Great), the gymnasium, and the palaestra.

We also investigated a basilica which had previously been Phidias' (a very famous sculptor and painter) workshop where Kyle gave his report late antique Olympia.

Next we walked over to the museum where we sat outside and listened to Joe's report on Epinicians (poems written for victories) and dedications for heroes. Once inside the museum, Jack talked to us about the prehistorical remains found at Olympia, then we were set free to roam the museum. There are a lot of neat things in the museum but, when I finally got round to the room with the pedimental sculptures from the temple of Zeus, I was a little weak in the knees seeing them in person, I was so awestruck. 

After I recovered from seeing these statues, I wandered around some more and was shocked to walk into a room where this guy stood:

The Hermes and Dionysus, possibly the only surviving original sculpture by Praxiteles (all others are Roman copies). He, too, was much larger than I imagined and I had no idea that this statue was even in this museum. Another moment where I was pretty much awestruck. Wow.

Before heading back to the hotel, some of us stopped at the museum for the history of the ancient Olympic Games.

Trip 2 Day 2 (October 7): Patras, Andravida, Chlemoutsi, Olympia

We started the day in Patras, the town in which we spent the night. Mike talked to us at this section of the rather large Roman stadium.

We then walked over to the partially reconstructed Odeion (a building like a theater but smaller and used for singing and poetry competitions).

The views from the top row of seats was amazing.

On our way to the castle at Clemoutsi, we stopped n Andravida to see The Church of Agia Sophia which was surrounded by a gate. Jack, the director of the School and leader of trip 2, had to ask the guy at the periptero (cigarette/candy/magazine stand) for the key. The church may have been constructed in 1205 when the Peloponnese was captured by Frankish knights and Andravida became the capital principality of Achaia.

At Clemoutsi, we saw the first of several castles on this trip. This one was built in 1223 by Geoffrey I Villardouin and Clemoutsi was once the capital of the Venetian district of Elis. By the way, I learned quite a bit about the Franks and Venetians on this trip--I had no idea there were so many knights and castles in Greece!

Inside rooms of the fortifications are museum exhibits open to the public. We were also allowed into a room which is not currently open to the public which had objects from everyday life.

Our last stop of the day was Olympia, site of the original Olympic Games. We were joined by Nancy Bookidis who used to be the Assistant Director of Excavations at Corinth. She guided us through many parts of the site over the next couple of days. As Members of the American School, we were allowed past the ropes into the temple of Zeus, which had the biggest column drums I have ever seen.

Massive column capital

When the site closed for the day, we walked down to a recent excavation of a temple or sanctuary (I can't remember which and I can't find any notes about it) before we headed back to the hotel (http://www.olympia-palace.gr/).

Trip 2 Day 1 (October 6): Aegeira, Aigion, Patras

October 6, 2011

I got up on time, had breakfast, and got on the bus by 7 o'clock this morning! When we got to Aegeira, our first site of the trip, we were greeted by Dr. Georg Ladstatter of the Austrian Institute who's been conducting the excavations for the last few years. He guided us up a hill where the theater overlooked the Corinthian Gulf. We had a seat and he told us about the history of Aegeira and what they've discovered in their excavations.

View of the Corinthian Gulf from the theater

Next, Prof. Ladstatter showed us where a mosaic in a home was found but the roof covering wasn't protecting it from the rain that comes in sideways so it's been covered up with sand and dirt.

After the look in the house, we climbed up the hill of the acropolis and at about the halfway point, we stopped to hear about the recent discoveries there which include late Geometric and proto-Corinthian pottery.

View from hill

We also saw a Hellenistic/Roman era building that has house-elements but is rather large. It may have been used to house visitors as Aegeira was a member of the Achaean League and hosted meetings.

After lunch we stopped at the museum in Aigion where the guy in charge decided to light a clove cigarrette while he talked to us INSIDE the museum. I didn't take a picture of him, but I did want to get one of this giant pithos (storage jug).

The museum in Patras was next where I took one picture before being told no photography allowed.

It's from a Mycenaean vase and the style is apparently pretty peculiar to this region. I wish I could've taken pictures because the exhibits were great (giant mosaic floors, life-size and larger sculpture, a whole section on gladiators, and more!) and since the museum is so new, there was no guidebook for purchase.

After the museum closed, we checked out a Roman bridge where Mike told us a little bit about Roman Patras.

Not far from the bridge we found a shady spot in a parking lot to hear Stephanie's report on the Achaean League since there are no specific sites for her report. Mike, however, continued his report on Roman Patras in a shady spot not far from an exposed section of the Roman aqueduct. This section also happens to be someone's backyard. 

Now I'm relaxing at the Hotel Olympic Star before heading out on the town for dinner.

Trip 2 Itinerary

We leave tomorrow morning at 7 for trip 2. I haven't even finished posting about trip 1! I probably will have to let that wait until I get back from this trip.

TRIP II - DEEP PELOPONNESE

                                                                                                            Night in:

Thursday         Aegeira, Aigion, Patras                                               Patras

October 6                                                                                            Hotel OLYMPIC STAR                                                                                           Tel. 2610-622939

Friday              Chlemoutsi, Andravida                                               Olympia

October 7        Olympia (afternoon)                                                   Hotel OLYMPIA PALACE

                                                                                                            Tel. 26240-23101

Saturday          Olympia (museum and site)                                        Olympia

October 8                                                                               

Sunday            Olympia (museum and site) (morning)                       Dimitsana       

October 9        Bassai                                                                          Hotel DIMITSANA

                                                                                    Tel. 27950-31518

Monday           Gortyna, Megalopolis, Mt. Lykaion                           Pylos

October 10                                                                                          Hotel KARALIS

                                                                                    Tel. 27230-22960

Tuesday           Palace of Nestor, Chora Museum, Sphakteria            Pylos

October 11                                                                                         

                                                                                                           

Wednesday     Methoni, Koroni, Messene                                          Pylos

October 12                                                                                         

                                                                                                           

Thursday         Kalamata Museum, Akovitika                                    Areopolis

October 13                                                                                          Hotel MANI

                                                                                                            Tel. 27330-51190

Friday              Alepotrypa Cave, Taenaron,                                       Sparta

October 14      Kelepha                                                                       Hotel DIOSCURI     

                                                                                                            Tel. 27310-28484

                                                                                                           

Saturday          Mystras, Sparta Acropolis,                                          Sparta

October 15      Menelaion, Artemis Orthia

Sunday            Monemvasia, Amyklaion, Vapheio                             Sparta

October 16     

Monday           Tegea, Mantineia, Orchomenos                                  ASCSA                      

October 17     

(Departure at 7.00 a.m. from in front of the Gennadius Library)

Trip 1 Day 12 (October 1): Dion museum, Thermopylae

We started the day back in Dion in order to see the finds from the site displayed in the museum. Some highlights:

Dedications to Ascelpius, god of healing

Musical instrument made of water pipes

Floor mosaic featuring Alexander the Great

Bronze head of Roman emperor Alexander Severus

On to our final stop of the trip: Thermopylae. Thermopylae means "hot gates" and we had the opportunity to stop at the spring and touch the warm water. There was an area of the springs where people sat in the water.

Next, we heard from Simon about the two most important battles at the location. First, and foremost in his eyes, was the battle in 1941 in which the allies led by the New Zealanders fought against the Germans. He also talked about the battle in 480 BCE in which the 300 Spartans, led by King Leonidas, fought against the Persians to the last man. They used the "gates" of the mountain and the shore to create a bottleneck as they fought the superior Persian numbers. The landscape has changed quite a bit since then--the shore is much farther away.

Monument honoring the 300 Spartans

And that was the end of Trip 1!