Festival for Archaeology

Keynote Lecture: Dr. Eva Alram-Stern, Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW):
“The Mycenaean Settlement of Aigeira in Achaea and the Period Following the Decline of the Mycenaean Palaces”

The “ArcheKult” association is once again hosting its traditional “Festival of Archaeology” this year. This time, the event will focus on Bronze Age Greece.
Mycenaean culture (1600 to 1050 B.C.) reached its peak with the emergence of the palace centers at Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, and Thebes. Its sphere of influence extended from Greece to Asia Minor. It was no coincidence that the Mycenaean ruler Agamemnon was the commander of the Greek forces on their campaign to Troy. However, his triumph in war ultimately sealed his downfall. There is certainly more than a grain of truth in the literary tradition. The dramatic events at the end of the Bronze Age, which led to severe crises from Egypt to Greece, were described by the English historian Eric Cline as the “First Collapse of Civilization.”
The palaces of Mycenae, too, were largely abandoned—but does that mean the culture completely vanished and perished? With the destruction of the fortresses and numerous settlements around 1200 B.C., the social system changed. Although palace centers, such as Tiryns, remained inhabited, settlements were also established in well-protected locations. Among them is the Mycenaean settlement of Aigeira in Achaia, which was excavated by the Austrian Archaeological Institute. The building complexes and fortifications uncovered here provide insight into the social structure of this post-palatial Mycenaean period.
Dr. Eva Alram-Stern, an associate researcher at the Austrian Archaeological Institute and a long-time member of the Austrian excavations at Aigeira, will discuss this research in her keynote lecture and provide insights into the transformation of a culture during times of crisis.

The lecture will be accompanied by atmospheric music performed by Anita Strobl on the recorder and David Stelzmüller on the lute; afterward, there will be an opportunity for an exchange of ideas and a cozy get-together with food and drink.

Admission: voluntary donation