The Acropolis

[AlanLichty]

When I first started going over to Jordan to participate excavations in Petra there were no direct flights from New York over to Amman so we typically had to get a connecting flight from cities in Europe that did have flights into Jordan. On a one occasion we couldn't get a connecting flight until the next day so we had to spend the night in Athens. Kind of a given what a group of archaeologists is going to do with an evening to kill in Athens - first stop was the Acropolis.

A view of the Parthenon:

Acropolis

• AlanLichty
• Mar 27, 2018

A view of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.

Part of the Propylaea which was the western gateway to the Acropolis built by Mnesicles starting in 437 B.C.

Last but not least, a view of the Parthenon that more accurately depicts what you really see when you visit - more than a handful of tourists. This might be a lot worse now as this image was taken in 1976.

C&C always welcome.

 

[Ben Egbert]

That last one looks like its under construction with the scaffolding. Imagion such large buildings without glass?

 

[JimFox]

Man, being forced to spend a day in Athens... I pity that punishment... You were one lucky guy there!

Very nice to see these. So they must be adding internal structures to support these old buildings?

 

[AlanLichty]

That last one looks like its under construction with the scaffolding. Imagion such large buildings without glass?

They had glass but it was used for decorations and vessels. Window glass came about during Roman times but was a very limited use item. Serious use of glass as architecture didn't really come about until the mid 1800's with the facade of the Crystal Palace in 1851.

Man, being forced to spend a day in Athens... I pity that punishment... You were one lucky guy there!

Very nice to see these. So they must be adding internal structures to support these old buildings?

Hehe - we were gloating over the "problem" of our layover from the day we first saw our tickets to Jordan

A lot of historical structures that draw in tourists are constantly being reinforced and/or rehabilitated. Sometimes the efforts are worthwhile and well intended and on other occasions can be wildly inaccurate flights of fancy in the eyes of those performing the work. I have seen both extremes.

For good bad or indifferent the work I did as an archaeologist typically leaves a site less protected from the forces of nature/man than it was before we started. The temple structure I worked on for 3 sessions at Petra had a floor level that was just over 2 meters below the surface we started from. Once we exposed the walls and columns that were held in place by the materials from the collapsed roof and ceilings along with 2 thousand years worth of dirt accumulating around everything they are now unprotected and are more susceptible to further damage.

 

[Mike Mancil]

Ahhh, memories. Three of my Navy years were spent about 20 miles northeast of Athens at Marathon. Yep, the original messenger ran a path right by the front gate of our Base and the run is/was commemorated each year. The Parthenon is splendid and we attended a play in the adjacent theatre. Thanks for posting these... Mike

 

[Douglas Sherman]

I am loving these historical images, Alan. What a neat experience you had.