Aris Tsaravopoulos has spent two decades investigating the archaeology of Kythera and Antikythera, and is in Australia this month to give a series of presentations.

Mr Tsaravopoulos’ lecture tour reveals his ground-breaking work at the ancient fortified city on Antikythera and recent finds at the Kastro site, as well as presenting the latest interpretations on the Laconian influence on Kythera, as evidenced by new discoveries of deities’ sanctuaries on the island.

Sponsored by the Kytherian Association of Australia, Mr Tsaravopoulos’ Australian odyssey began in Brisbane last week and even visited northern NSW’s Greek cultural outpost at Bingara’s award-winning Roxy Museum.

On June 7 the Tsaravopoulos show rolls on to Dubbo and on June 15 the Hellenic Club in Canberra will be the venue for his presentation ‘Antikythera – Aegila: A Persian naval base and pirates’ lair, the Antikythera shipwreck in the vortex of the Roman-Cretan war’.

Mr Tsaravopoulos’ events in Victoria – taking in the same subject matter – get underway on June 18: the first at the Archaeology Department of La Trobe University (3.00 pm), followed by a 5.00 pm presentation at the Australian Institute of Archaeology in MacLeod. All events are open to the public and free.
Speaking to Neos Kosmos, Jennifer Webb, adjunct professor at La Trobe, said Mr Tsaravopoulos’ presence in Australia offered a unique opportunity to understand more about the history and archaeology of ancient Greece in the Hellenistic and Roman periods through major discoveries on Kythera and Antikythera.

“Aris Tsaravopoulos has worked for the Archaeological Service of the Greek Ministry of Culture for over 30 years and on the island of Kythera for the last 20 years and is best known for his important excavations at Kastro on Antikythera,” said Dr Webb.

“La Trobe University and the Australia Institute of Archaeology are delighted to be hosting such a distinguished archaeologist.”

On June 20, Mr Tsaravopoulos will head north to Sydney to deliver his final lectures at Kythera House, Kytherian Association of Australia, Rockdale (2.30 pm), and two days later he will be hosted by the Archaeological Institute of Athens at the University of Sydney.

For attendance at NSW events contact Kathy Samios on (02) 9349 1849. For Melbourne events call Henry Huggins on 0400 101140.