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.