Alexander, Frankenstein and regular days in the life of a Balkan archaeologist. The experience of the Greek – Albanian Archaeological Expedition at Prespa (Albania)

Year 2014, Volume 2 - Issue 3, 95 - 102, 17.04.2015

Stavros Oıkonomıdıs Aris Papayıannıs Akis Tsonos

https://doi.org/10.14486/IJSCS205

Abstract

This is a short account of how archaeology and archaeologists could become protagonists of a political psychodrama, very common in an ancient land like the Balkans. Old and rich heritages often are responsible for the bad relations occurred among people who in reality have nothing to divide except from the ghosts of presumed ancient ancestors. Alexander described here is not the King of Macedonia and Asia but his Frankensteinish version, which was created, fed and grown like a Prague‟s Golem in order to be used as a puppet in the hands of able manipulators. The case of the Greek – Albanian Archaeological Expedition on the island of Maligrad, in the Tri – National zone of Prespa, is given as an example of how things work some times in our days, in places which have never been something else than “grey zones” on the map. The case of the “recent” discovery of the Macedonian tomb at Amphipolis, Greece, is given here as a counter balance to the case of Maligrad. The polemic of the article is not focusing on cultural or demographic minorities of any place in the Balkans but on the ill use of our common historical heritage by political authorities.

Keywords

Alexander, Frankenstein, Balkan archaeologist

References

• Lera, P (2007). Zbulohet një pikturë shkembore në ishullin e Maligradit në Liqenin e Prespes së madhë. Tempulli 12: 37-42.
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, and Tsonos, Ak (2008). Maligradi në vrojtimet tona arkeologjike. Tempulli 13: 60-69.
• -
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, and Tsonos, Ak (2009). “Settlement Organization and Social Context in the SW Balcanic Peninsula (Epirotic and Albanian Coast) and Northern Italy during the transitional Period between the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age (13th-9th BC)”. In From the Aegean to the Adriatic: social organisations, modes of exchange and interaction in the Post-palatial Times (12th-11th B.C.) (Eds, Borgna, E. and Cassola -Guida P). Atti del Seminario internazionale, Udine, 1-2 dicembre 2006, Studi e Ricerche di Protoistoria Mediterranea 8, Quasar, Roma: 325-343.
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, and Tsonos, Ak (2011). “H Eλληνοαλβανική Aρταιολογική Αποζηολή ζηη νηζίδα Μaligrad ζηη Μεγάλη Πρέζπα: διατείριζη πολιηιζμικής κληρονομιάς και περιβάλλονηος ζηη Δσηική Μεγάλη Πρέζπα”, in Θέμαηα Δαζολογίας καιΔιατείριζης Περιβάλλονηος και Φσζικών Πόρων (Eds, Tambakis S.A. and Manolas, E). 3ος Τόμος: Πολιηικές Προζηαζίας ηοσ Περιβάλλονηος, Δημοκρίηειο Πανεπιζηήμιο Θράκης, Ορεζηιάδα:: 101 – 112.
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, and Tsonos, Ak (2013). The Greek-Albanian Archaeological Project on Maligrad: Shaping the Cultural Heritage in the Tri-National Zone of the Great Prespa Lake. Journal of Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 15, 1 (2013): 121-134.
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, Tsonos, Ak (forthcoming). “Being multilingual in the Great Prespa Lake. Examining the diachronic cultural and political boundaries in no man‟s land”. In Balkan Dialogues. Spatial Boundaries and Cultural Identities in the Prehistoric Balkans. Internationales Wissenschaftsforum Heidelberg, 2nd-3rd May 2014, Heidelberg, organized by M. Ivanova and M. Gori.
• Lera, P, Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, Tsonos, Ak, Oikonomou, Ar., Gkotsinas, Ag. (in press). “The Greek-Albanian Archaeological Expedition at Prespa: 2009-2013. The most recent results”. In International Congress of Albanian Archaeological Studies, Center of Albanological Studies, Institute of Archaeology, Tirana, 21-22 November 2013.
• Oikonomidis, St (forthcoming). Fortresses of frontier between Macedonia and Illyria in the Early Iron Age, Ιn 3rd Archaeological Meeting of Ano Macedonia, Aiani, 14-15 December 2013
• Oikonomidis, St (in press). Terra Limitanea: ancient lacustrian, fluvial and mountain passes in the Prespa district, Enalia XII
• Oikonomidis, St, Papayiannis, Ar, and Tsonos, Ak (2013). The Lake Prespa Area: A Geographic and a historic approach to the Tri-National District. Epirotic Chronicles 45 (2011-2013): 9-50