ERETRIA EXCAVATION RECORDS

Ανασκαφικό Αρχείο Ερέτριας


COLLECTION OVERVIEW

Collection Number: GR ASCSA ExcRec 008
Creator(s): Charles Waldstein, Rufus B. Richardson
Date(s): 1891-1892, 1894-1895
Language(s): English
Summary: The excavations at Eretria began in 1891 under the direction of ASCSA Director Charles Waldstein and during the latter's absences under Rufus B. Richardson (Annual Professor in 1890-1891, later ASCSA Director 1893-1903). Three sites were explored, the acropolis, the theater, and the graves. During the first season (1891) Waldstein thought he had discovered the "tomb of Aristotle." In 1892 the eastern half of the theater's orchestra was cleared and its correct diameter was established. In 1894, Richardson uncovered the foundations of a temple, several water conduits, bases of dedicatory plaques, as well as part of the gymnasium. The collection contains excavation notebooks, drawings, and photos.
Quantity: 0.30 linear meters and about 1GB of digital content
Immediate Source of Acquisition: (ASCSA Excavation Records)
Information about Access: The collection is available for research
Cite as: American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Excavation Records, Eretria Excavations Archive
 

For more information, please contact the Archives at:
The American School of Classical Studies at Athens
54 Souidias Street, Athens 106 76, Greece
Phone: 213 000 2400 (ext. 306)
Contact via E-mail



SCOPE AND CONTENT

The excavations at Eretria began in 1891 under the direction of ASCSA Director Charles Waldstein and during the latter's absences under Rufus B. Richardson (Annual Professor in 1890-1891, later ASCSA Director 1893-1903). Three sites were explored, the acropolis, the theater, and the graves. During the first season (1891) Waldstein thought he had discovered the "tomb of Aristotle." In 1892 the eastern half of the theater's orchestra was cleared and its correct diameter was established. In 1894, Richardson uncovered the foundations of a temple, several water conduits, bases of dedicatory plaques, as well as part of the gymnasium. In 1895, "the work at Eretria was brought to a close. the theater and the buildings connected with it were entirely cleared. The work lacked much if judged by modern standards, because excavation technique has been so greatly improved. Still, it represented a competent and complete excavation. The School had reason to be well pleased with it. It had cost about two thousand dollars" (L. E. Lord, A History of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cambridge, Mass. 1947, p. 87). Preliminary reports in ASCSA Papers VI, pp. 56-122, and in the Annual Reports 11 (1891-1892), 13 (1893-1894), and 14 (1894-1895).  Other people who participated in the excavation: Carleton Brownson, Andrew Fossum, John Gilbert, and John Pickard.

The collection is organized into three series: I. Excavation Notebooks; II. Plans; and III. Photos. Part of the material has been digitized and is available online.

On the excavations at Eretria and the participation of John W. Gilbert, the first African-American student of the American School, see John W. Lee, "An African American Pioneer in Greece: John Wesley Gilbert and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1890-1891," From the Archivist’s Notebook, 1 August 2017. Accessed 31 August 2017.
 



CONTAINER LIST

(Please contact the ASCSA Archives for permission to publish digitized records from the Eretria Archive)


Series I: Excavation Notebooks

Excavation Notebook 1894
Excavation Notebook 1895, pt1
Excavation Notebook 1895, pt2

Series II: Plans

[Flat Storage, Drawer #25]

Survey map by J. Pickard (1891)
Plan and section of theater by A. Fossum
 

Series III: Photos

a. Glassplates (40)

ASCSA APC N 021
ASCSA APC N 022
ASCSA APC N 023
ASCSA APC N 024
ASCSA APC N 025
ASCSA APC N 026
ASCSA APC N 027
ASCSA APC N 028
ASCSA APC N 029
ASCSA APC N 030
ASCSA APC N 031
ASCSA APC N 032
ASCSA APC N 033
ASCSA APC N 034
ASCSA APC N 035
ASCSA APC N 036
ASCSA APC N 037
ASCSA APC N 038
ASCSA APC N 039
ASCSA APC N 040
ASCSA APC N 041
ASCSA APC N 042
ASCSA APC N 043
ASCSA APC N 044
ASCSA APC N 045
ASCSA APC N 046
ASCSA APC N 047
ASCSA APC N 048
ASCSA APC N 049
ASCSA APC N 050
ASCSA APC N 051
ASCSA APC N 052
ASCSA APC N 053
ASCSA APC N 054
ASCSA APC N 055 (Carleton Brownson)
ASCSA APC N 056
ASCSA APC N 057
ASCSA APC N 058

ASCSA APC M 030
ASCSA APC M 031

b. Film negatives (10 x 12 cm)

ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 001 (John Pickard)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 002
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 003 (John Pickard)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 004
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 005
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 006
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 007
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 008
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 009
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 010
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 011
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 012
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 013 (John Pickard)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 014
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 015
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 016 (Carleton Brownson)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 017
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 018 (John Pickard)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC FN 019 (John Pickard) 

c. Prints

ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 001
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 002
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 003
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 004
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 005
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 006 (duplicate of PRINT 004)
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 007
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 008
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 009
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 010
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 011
ASCSA ERETRIA EXC REC PRINT 012