7-22-08

Teamed with students from schools in Maryland, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and even Poland, Ashley Deitrick, a rising senior at Lycoming College, studied archaeology for three weeks this summer in Pylos, Greece. Under the direction of Dr. Michael D. Cosmopulos from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, Deitrick participated in “The Emergence of State and Social Complexity in Greece: The Pylos Excavation Project.”

At 6:15 a.m. each morning, Deitrick and a group of 12-13 people would pile into a van and embark on the short journey to their work site where they would dig in 5 x 5 meter trenches. Each group, which usually included four or five students, worked in a single trench and was accompanied by a trench leader and a Greek worker, who often times spoke very little English.

After a full day of work, the students would be granted a few hours of free time before jumping back into work again each night, which consisted of two hours of lectures provided by the staff members to teach students the different roles and tasks of the dig, as well as give insight on what each person brings to the project.

The Pylos Excavation Project, Iklaina, Greece

“The best part of the trip was meeting other people from all over the country with the same  interests as mine,” said Deitrick, an archaeology and culture of the ancient Near East, and history major. “Most of the people that attended the trip are archaeology or history majors who wish to specialize in classical studies.”

Pylos is rich with ancient history, including the Athenian capture of Spartan troops during the Peloponnesian War in 425 B.C. It is also the location where the Battle of Naravino occurred in 1827, which, with the assistance of the United Fleet, a royal navy consisting of British, French and Russian ships, led to the Greeks’ successful revolt against Turkey, finally allowing them to be an independent nation.

Also in Pylos is the Mycenaean Palace of Nestor, named after the famous King Nestor, who is mentioned in works by the Greek poet Homer and Trojan War myths. The palace is the governing power over Iklaina, one of the district capitals of the ancient kingdom of Pylos. On April 4, 1939, 65 tablets containing Linear B, ancient characters used for writing Mycenaean, an early form of Greek, were removed on the first day of the area’s excavations.

During her stay in Greece, Deitrick also traveled to the Great Kingdom of the Mycenaeans, located in Mycenae. Mythology states that Mycenae was home to the Greek hero Agamemnon, who is said to be the commander summoned by the Greeks to aid in the retrieval of Helen of Troy, the wife of King Menelaus, during the Trojan War. The site helped define the Mycenaean culture and is famous for its many treasures, including the Lion Gate, which was originally the entrance to the city and is known for the two lions facing each other atop the ancient passageway.

The Pylos Excavation Project, Iklaina, Greece

While Beijing continues preparations to host the 2008 Olympic Games, Deitrick took advantage of her travels in Greece and visited Olympia, the location that held the original Olympic Games in 776 B.C. Deitrick, a history buff, relishes the fact that she was in the city where Phidias, the sculptor of the Athena, found in the Parthenon, and Zeus, in the Temple of Zeus, once lived. 

“What is interesting about the site is that everything that was found there stayed in the Olympia Museum, unlike many other famous artifacts that were taken elsewhere,” Deitrick said.

The last place on Deitrick’s itinerary was the island of Santorini, which was created by an enormous volcanic eruption around 1628 B.C. This eruption caused massive tsunamis and droughts which created many islands, and according to fable, contributed to the fall of Atlantis since much of the island sank due to the blast.

“This trip has really made me realize how much I love archaeology and history,” Deitrick said. “It has made my hard work in my college classes come to life and gave me the experience I need for my future. I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.”

Now back in her hometown of Montgomery, Pa., Deitrick looks forward to her return to classes in August; not only to share her stories with fellow archaeology students, but to prepare herself for future excavations. With her final year of studies at Lycoming ahead of her, Deitrick is anticipating a second trip to Greece to apply her growing knowledge toward finding answers, especially to the questions she and her fellow history enthusiasts have uncovered in their three weeks abroad.

“We plan on uncovering some more of the lower city next summer as well as opening some upper city trenches,” Deitrick said. “There are a lot of puzzles that this year has brought and I am excited to find some answers at the dig next summer.”

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