We are proud to announce that the first excavations season of the international German-Polish-Greek team of Thelpousa Agora Project (TAP) under the auspices of PAIA ended on 10th of August. It was codirected by Prof. Evdoxia Papuci-Władyka (Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow), Dr Johannes Fouquet (Universität Leipzig) and Dr Georgios Doulfis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) and financed by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung and also the Jagiellonian University’s Mare Nostrum Lab (https://mare.id.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/teledetekcja)
which sponsored the equipment and participation of Dr Wojciech Ostrowski, the specialist on photogrammetry and remote sensing. Dr Łukasz Miszk, the archaeologist from the Jagiellonian University and Dr Małgorzata Kajzer, the ceramologist from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences also provided their expertise. Students participating were as follows: Małgorzata Nowak, Natalia Chochorowska, Mia Knoch, Lea Thun, Thorsten Hunds, Georgia Bouzea, Natalia Antifanti, Vasilis Vlachos, Eleni Roussa, and Anna Wencel.
Trenches opened this year delivered a lot of information about the history of the researched Roman building, the so-called ‘loutro’. As expected, no traces were found that it served as baths. According to the regulations, the first preliminary report with the results will be prepared for the Ministry of Culture in due time, and after its approval, disseminated via the website of PAIA and social media.
For three weeks the team worked from 6 am until 2 pm on the site, went back to our hotel at Stavrodromi (20 minutes by car), had a short lunch break, and washed and studied the excavated material afterwards. The excavated material was delivered to the Ephorate in Tripoli.
We would like to thank Dr Konstantinos Kissas, the Director of the Ephorate, for his positive opinion for the excavation. We are greatly indebted to Dr Eleni Psathi for her support and assistance, as well as to Gianna and Alekos Gouvi, the employees of the Ephorate, for their exceptional support and help. Our thanks go to Dr Amalia Siatou, our conservator, as well as to Mrs Beata Kukiel-Vraila, Assistant Director of PAIA working in Athens office. Many thanks are also due to Mrs Nikoletta and Mr Giorgos Papanikolaou, the owners of Dryades Hotel in Stavrodromi, Mrs Dimitra and Christos Kavvouras from the Lithos restaurant in Tropaia, and other friends from local communities of Tropaia, Stavrodromi, Spathari and Kalliani, their presidents, Mr Katsikeros, Mr Michalakopoulos and Mr Aggelakopoulos respectively, as well as the Mayor of the Municipality of Gortynia, Mr Stathis Koulis, and the Head of the High School of Tropaia, Mrs Despoina Fragkou, for their interest.