On June 5, 2025, the 4th Annual Meeting of the Polish Archaeological Institute at Athens (PAIA) was held at the premises of the École Française d’Athènes. The meeting was chaired by Professor Kazimierz Lewartowski, Chair of the PAIA Academic Board.
Professor Janusz Czebreszuk, Director of PAIA, presented a report on the Institute’s activities in 2024, covering both its academic program (field projects, other research, lectures, symposia, summer schools) and its equally important cultural program.
The conference continued with a lecture by Professor Krzysztof Nowicki (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences) entitled “On the Edge of the Dark Age: Excavations at Karfi in Crete, 2023–2024.”
Professor Nowicki presented the results of his work at the archaeological site of Karfi, located in the Dikti Mountains in eastern Crete. This is a key site for studying the collapse of the Late Bronze Age and the formation of Early Iron Age societies. The speaker discussed the topography of the site during the Late Minoan period (ca. 1200–1000 BCE) and presented evidence for the retreat of Minoan populations into remote, mountainous areas following the fall of palace centers. The lecture also offered an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with artifacts from Karfi, which provide insights into cultural transformations, religious practices, domestic architecture, and contacts with Mycenaean culture during this transitional period.
During the event, we also presented the 4th Annual Report of the Polish Archaeological Institute at Athens, available in both print and electronic formats on the PAIA website. The publication summarizes the research activities, collaborations, and initiatives carried out in 2024.
We extend our sincere thanks to Professor Véronique Chankowski and the École Française d’Athènes for making the organization of this event possible.
We were honored by the presence of, among others:
Wojciech Ponikiewski, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Athens, Justyna Słowik (Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Athens), Konstantina Benisi, Director of the Department for the Supervision of Greek and Foreign Scientific Institutions, Dr. Birgitta Eder, Director of the Austrian Archaeological Institute at Athens, Professor Georgia Kokkorou-Alevras (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Katerina Kostanti (National Archaeological Museum in Athens), and Professor Jerzy Danielewicz (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań).
Many of our members also took part in the meeting, including: Professor Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka, Professor Krystyna Bartol, Professor Inga Głuszek, Professor Daniel Makowiecki, Dr Edyta Marzec, Dr Jorgos Doulfis, as well as colleagues from other foreign institutes, representatives of the Polish community, our collaborators, and supporters.
The conference concluded with a reception in the garden of the École Française d’Athènes, offering a pleasant opportunity for continued discussions, exchange of experiences, and plans for the future.
