Thebes Excavation

Excavation in the Sanctuary of Ismenian Apollo: Thebes, Greece

Herodotus and Pindar, two of ancient Greece's most famous writers, praised the sanctuary of Ismenian Apollo at Thebes in their writing. This important site was partially excavated in the 1910s but has not been fully explored in nearly 100 years. Bucknell is literally making history by running the first joint Greek-American archaeological dig in the midst of Theban heroes and myth at this sanctuary.

The Project: Season 1, 2011

A select group of six Bucknell students will enjoy the distinct opportunity of participating in the first comprehensive geophysical survey and excavation at the Ismenion Hill in Thebes.

Bucknell professors Stephanie Larson and Kevin Daly, together with Dr. Vassilis Aravantinos, Director of Archaeology in Boiotia and Director of the Thebes Archaeological Museum, are the primary investigators.

The dig will take place June 14 - July 27, 2011.

Historical Significance

Ancient Thebes, a major Greek city-state located halfway between Athens and Delphi, was the largest city in Boiotia, one of the main regions of ancient Greece. Thebes gave rise to great kings, legendary wars and timeless myths: Oedipus, Dionysus and Herakles, to name a few.

The importance of the Ismenion hill as a site for exploration cannot be overestimated. Ancient sources from a wide range of chronological periods attest to the Ismenion's continued use as one of the main sanctuaries of ancient Thebes. Without question, the site is of monumental architectural, literary and cultic interest for periods from the second millennium B.C.E through the end of the second century A.D. Exploring the temple and its processional approach most likely also will reveal a repository of significant dedications from the height of the sanctuary's activity (the 7th-4th centuries B.C.E) when it served as a central Greek rival to the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi.

Funding

The project is being funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Gladys Delmas Foundation, the Loeb Library Foundation, and Bucknell University.

Donations to this project are welcomed and appreciated. || Learn more about Supporting this Excavation.

Information

Please contact Stephanie Larson or Kevin Daly for further information.