My first trip to Greece was less than ideal and, yes, included a hospital visit and a plane on fire…twice. However, in spite of my nearly disastrous first trip to Greece, I fell in love with this historic country and have returned 16 times. As the adage goes, “the rest is history.” Little did I know that, in time, I would actually be part of rewriting Greece’s history.


a plan and a permit

In May of 2002, I presented a paper at the third international seminar on “Ancient Arcadia” held at the Norwegian Institute in Athens, Greece. It was there that presenters Dr. David Romano from the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Mary Voyatzis from the University of Arizona met. They, along with other scholars, came together to discuss the possibility of launching a project at Mt. Lykaion. With Dr. Romano’s expertise in ancient athletics and Dr. Voyatzis’s in Greek sanctuaries of Arcadia, it appeared as a perfect fit for what is preserved at the site. They proposed their key team members and I was honored to be asked to be a staff member.

A permit is a coveted commodity. The Greek Archaeological Service recently slashed the permits distributed to each foreign school (Americans, French, Germans, Italians, etc.) in half — from 12 to six. In other words, of all of the colleges and universities in the United States, only six projects are granted permission to conduct fieldwork for six weeks per season. This is understandable when you consider the massive task of administering and protecting all of these sites and their artifacts.

The site of Mt. Lykaion, located in the region of Arcadia in the southern Peloponnesus, was initially investigated by the Greek Archaeological Service in 1897 and again in 1902 and 1909. Their findings suggested that the earliest material dated to the 7th century B.C., but that main period of use was the Classical period (5th-4th centuries B.C.). By the time of the 2nd century A.D., according to the ancient Roman travel writer Pausanias (analogous to modern-day travel expert and celebrity Rick Steves), the site was no longer in use.

In his Guide to Greece (8.38.2-8.38.10), Pausanias notes that the whole mountain was a sacred place and identified in Greek mythology as the birthplace of Zeus. He also mentions that there was a stadium and hippodrome (horse race track) in which athletic games were held. At the summit of the mountain there was a formidable temenos (sacred enclosure) and an altar of Lykaion Zeus, in front of which were two columns topped by gilded eagles. Pausanias and other ancient authors suggest the possibility of human sacrifice at Mt. Lykaion as well.

the Mt. Lykaion excavation and survey project.

When people learn of my adventures in Greece they typically imagine a tranquil island retreat.

In reality, the physical labor and intensity of having only six weeks (field seasons used to last two and a half months!) to accomplish as much as humanly possible for a task that is, by nature, slow and meticulous - can be incredibly stressful and exhausting. Our typical day begins with breakfast at 6:15am. Work extends from 7:00am until about 2:00pm followed by lunch and a break from the mid-day heat. Afternoon work resumes by 4pm and continues at least until 6pm, although usually later, and dinner begins at 8:30pm.

We maintain this schedule Monday through Saturday afternoon for six weeks. Sunday is a “free” day but we typically take advantage of this time to visit nearby sites as a group. However, for me, the final two weeks are non-stop. As Registrar for the project, I am responsible for archiving all the excavation photographs and the point person for receiving and processing (washing, sorting, counting, recording, and packaging), all the finds uncovered at the site. As a result of my key role I am often pulled in countless directions as excavators, surveyors, architects, artists, conservators, photographers, scientists, guest scholars, student assistants and visitors need things simultaneously. Meanwhile, I do my best to attend to the delicate artifacts that included over 40,000 pieces of pottery and tile this summer alone!

During the summer of 2004 and 2005, the Greek Archaeological Service issued a permit to the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Arizona, in collaboration with the Fifth Ephorate of Classical and Prehistoric Antiquities, to conduct a computerized architectural and topographical survey of the site with the goal of creating a state drawing (a stone-by-stone record) of all the above-ground architectural blocks located in the upper and lower sanctuary. Because this covers an area ranging from 1.5 to two square kilometers and preserves part of multiple structures on its surface (not to mention those uncovered during the excavation process), the survey and architectural documentation continues each season.

With a three-season excavation permit we began in the lower sanctuary during the summer of 2006. The focus was to determine the southern limit of the hippodrome horse race track because it is the only extant and visible (at the northern end) example in the Greek world. Beginning with our 2007 season, expropriation of land in the upper sanctuary approved our ability to excavate in the area of the open-air altar and the temenos (sacred enclosure) as well as several additional areas in the lower sanctuary south of the hippodrome. We continue to explore both of these regions of the sanctuary.

the finds

One of the first questions I am asked when I return from the field is “Did you find anything good?” Absolutely! Most people imagine golden idols such as that of Indiana Jones movies, but I tell them while we did not find any golden idols, we are finding things that could potentially rewrite history.





Piles of ancient pottery sherds, roof tiles, and “small finds” of bone, metal, ceramic, and stone which include things like coins, tools, vessels, figurines, and jewelry may not seem all that exciting, but, when you expect a certain range of materials and then come upon things so unexpected, it is very exciting!


The Greek excavations from a century ago documented artifacts that dated primarily to the Classical period of Greece: the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. They also uncovered much later Byzantine material as well as material that suggested the site could have been used as early as the 7th century B.C. As a result we could expect to find pottery and other artifacts that date from the 7th century B.C. into at least the 6th century A.D.


Excavations in and on the ash altar — essentially an artificial mound of burnt animal bones (almost exclusively sheep and goat) and artifacts — uncovered the expected votive gifts typically dedicated at Greek sanctuaries. What was unexpected however, was the date of some these votive artifacts; prehistoric (Bronze Age and probably Neolithic also) pottery dating as early as 3000 B.C. — a time prior to the building of the Great pyramids of Egypt! These artifacts document much earlier activity at Mt. Lykaion and shift the use of the site at least 2300 years earlier than previously thought.


A couple of other unique and unexpected finds include a Late Minoan II crystal lentoid seal with the image of a frontally faced bull — what is this object from the island of Crete doing on the top of a mountain in the Peloponnesus? Another staggering find was a piece of “fulgurite,” petrified glass formed when lightning hits a sandy soil. But, how suitable to find such an artifact in the sanctuary of Zeus, the Greek god of the sky, who was prone to rages in which he would throw not only rain, but also lightning at the earth.

the future

As news of our unexpected discoveries spread, we began to have visitors from a variety of foreign archaeological schools as well as Greek and other international media. The significance of this site to the possible rewriting of Greek pre-history is so colossal that the Greek Archaeological Service extended our original three-season excavation permit to five years. Thus, we returned again this past summer and will return again next summer.

Following the final excavation season in 2010 we will begin that which is called a “study season” for the summers of 2011-2012. During this time I will be part of the smaller team of scholars focusing on studying the artifacts uncovered over the course of the last five years of excavation. We are required by our permit to publish our findings before we can apply for additional field seasons.

Our team has greatly expanded from the pre-excavation survey seasons of 2004-2005 of 10 to 15 people to the much-expanded team of 2007 of 35 to 45 individuals at any one time. The logistics are incredible! We reside in two tiny villages and support the local economy by renting village homes. Simple, but, pleasant, they are equipped with electricity, running water, and bathrooms with simple showers (although hot water is not guaranteed in every house). Air conditioning is not an option nor is there a store in either of the villages.While conditions can be cramped, there are many wonderful aspects about mountain living. Deliciously pure, cold mountain spring water is ubiquitous and I especially love the soft tinkle of sheep and goat bells breaking the silence of a glorious sunrise above the clouds. Makes me almost forget the burning plane of my youth. O

Dr. Leslie Hammond, Founder and President of Artistic Eye Fine Art Services, possesses decades of experience as an art historian, archaeologist, and museum professional. Hammond holds a Ph.D. in art history and archaeology with a minor in museum studies.

Note to self : Things not to do on your first (or any) trip to Greece

• Travel after a bout of mononucleosis
• Be afraid to say “I do not feel well”
• Travel to Istanbul during a heat wave
• Lay on a cool, but dirty, floor of a military airport with 104° temperature
• Stay in a Greek hospital
• Pack any necessary medications in checked luggage
• Board planes that catch on fire
• Not have a way to contact friends or family
• Get back on the same plane that caught on fire 24 hours ago