Directors’ overview of the 2012-2014 Zagora Archaeological Project

Interviewing the ZAP directors in the Zagora dig hut
Interviewing the ZAP directors in the Zagora dig hut, from left: Lesley Beaumont, Meg Miller, Stavros Paspalas and Irma Havlicek. © AAIA and Bob Miller; photo by Bob Miller
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

In the final week of excavations in the last week of October 2014, I spoke to the three directors of the Zagora Archaeological Project (ZAP), Professor Meg Miller, Associate Professor Lesley Beaumont and Dr Stavros Paspalas, to gain an overview of their plans and aspirations for the outcomes of the project.

I talked to them in the dig hut on site at Zagora, with the usual comings and goings of daily archaeological work: archaeologists coming to get equipment from the hut, and to ask for directorial guidance when a tactical decision was required about how to proceed with excavation.

Read more

Faunal remains analysis – another technique to help understand the Zagora settlement

The specialist work of Dr Melanie Fillios, Zooarchaeologist

Dr Melanie Fillios
Dr Melanie Fillios © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Dr Melanie Fillios is an archaeologist who specialises in researching faunal remains (animal bones) found during archaeological excavations.

She is not a palaeontologist whose job it is to study animal bones in order to develop an understanding about the development and history of that species of animal. Melanie is a zooarchaeologist whose job is to study the animal remains in order to better understand how those animals impacted upon the lives of the humans among whom they lived – and died.

Read more

Backfilling Zagora trenches

Backfillers silhouetted on the horizon
Heroes on the horizon, from left: Hannah Gwyther, waving the ‘come home’ flag, Steve Vasilakis and Aleese Barron signal completion of the backfilling of trenches at Zagora to ensure they are protected. © AAIA; photo by Susan Wrigley
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

I left Greece before the backfilling of the Zagora Archaeological Project (ZAP) trenches was completed, so Hannah Gwyther stepped in and took (and arranged others to take) photographs of the process so that we could share them with you on this blog. Thanks again, Hannah! (Most of our archaeologists, including Hannah, worked on the backfilling, although only a few are seen in these photos. I know how hard they will all have worked.)

Each trench that has been excavated was covered with protective geo-textile which was then weighed down with stones. Then soil and more stones are placed over that. The aim is to protect the trenches from any kind of environmental damage, including wind, rain and possible damage from plant roots should plants take seed there.

Now the focus is on research into the finds from the excavations at Zagora in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and the preparation of publications about that research.

Read more

Mel Melnyczek’s second 2014 Zagora trench team – Trench 7

Trench supervisor, Mel Melnyczek
Trench supervisor, Mel Melnyczek. © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Below is a photo of the team members who worked on Mel Melnyczek’s trench for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about the first 2014 Zagora team to work on trench 7 is here.

The 2013 site plan showing locations of excavations trenches in 2013 is at the bottom of this post. This trench is trench number 7 (described last year on this blog as Excavation Area 2).

Read more

Paul Donnelly’s second 2014 Zagora trench team – Trench 6

Trench supervisor, Paul Donnelly
Trench supervisor, Paul Donnelly. © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked on Trench 6 under Paul Donnelly’s supervision for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about the first 2014 Zagora team working on trench 6 is here.

The 2013 site plan showing trench locations in 2013 is at the bottom of this post. For more information about this part of Zagora, see last year’s post on Excavation Area 5.

Read more

Ivana Vetta’s second 2014 Zagora trench team – Trench 5

Trench supervisor, Ivana Vetta
Trench supervisor, Ivana Vetta. © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked on Trench 5 under Ivana Vetta’s supervision for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about Ivana’s first 2014 Zagora trench team is here.

The 2013 site plan, showing the 2013 trench locations, is at the bottom of this post. Trench 5 was described on this blog last year as Excavation Area 1.

Read more

Kristen Mann’s second 2014 Zagora trench team – Trench 4

Kristen Mann, centre, wearing green, with her trench team members, from left: Lachlan Chisholm, Andrew Smith and Elaine Lin
Kristen Mann, centre, wearing green, with her trench team members, from left: Lachlan Chisholm, Andrew Smith and Elaine Lin.
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked on Trench 4 under Kristen Mann’s supervision for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about Kristen’s first 2014 Zagora trench team is here.

The 2013 site plan showing the 2013 trench locations is at the bottom of this post. This trench is trench number 4, described last year on this blog as Excavation Area 4.

Read more

Antonio Bianco’s second 2014 Zagora trench team

Antonio Bianco working on the plan of his trench
Antonio Bianco working on the plan of his trench.
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked on Antonio Bianco’s excavation area for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about Antonio’s first 2014 trench team is here.

The 2013 site plan, showing trench locations of 2013 excavations is at the bottom of this post. The trench Antonio is supervising is in the vicinity of trench number 4 (described on this blog last year as Excavation Area 4).

Read more

Hugh Thomas’ second 2014 Zagora trench team

Trench supervisor, Hugh Thomas
Trench supervisor, Hugh Thomas. © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked under Hugh Thomas’ supervision for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about Hugh’s first 2014 trench team is here.

The 2013 site plan, showing trench locations of the 2013 excavations is at the bottom of this post. The trench supervised by Hugh is in the vicinity of what was described last year on this blog as Excavation Area 3, which was supervised by Hugh Thomas last year.

Read more

Adam Carr’s second 2014 Zagora trench team

ZAP directors, Meg Miller and Lesley Beaumont with trench supervisor Adam Carr, considering his excavation
From left: ZAP directors, Meg Miller and Lesley Beaumont with trench supervisor, Adam Carr. © AAIA; photo by Irma Havlicek
by Irma Havlicek
Web content producer

Here are some photos of the team who worked under Adam Carr’s supervision for the second three weeks of the 2014 excavations. The post about Adam’s first 2014 trench team is here.

The 2013 site plan, showing the trenches that were excavated last year is at the bottom of this post. The trench supervised by Adam is in the vicinity of trench numbers 3 and 8 as marked on the 2013 plan below. More information about this area of Zagora is in last year’s post about Excavation Area 3.

Read more