British School at Athens

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The BSA maintains one of the foremost Classical/archaeological libraries in Europe.

The British School at Athens (BSA) (Greek: Βρετανική Σχολή Αθηνών) is one of the 17 Foreign Archaeological Institutes in Athens, Greece.

1 General information
2 Facilities
3 Archaeological fieldwork
4 Bibliography
5 External links

[edit] General information

The School was founded in 1886 as the fourth such institution in Greece. For most of its existence, it focused on supporting, directing and facilitating British-based research in Classical Studies and Archaeology, but in recent years, it has broadened that focus to all areas of Greek Studies. For example, it is has made notable contributions in the fields of epigraphy and modern Greek history.

The BSA's activities include a regular programme of lectures and seminars, a series of scholarships and bursaries, Athens-based courses for undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers, as well as archaeological fieldwork.

[edit] Facilities

Its facilities include one of the most important Classical and archaeological libraries in Greece (over 60,000 volumes), and the Fitch laboratory, the oldest archaeometric laboratory in Greece. The BSA also operates a branch at Knossos in Crete, including one of the island's main archaeological libraries.

[edit] Archaeological fieldwork

The Heraion of Perachora, excavated by the British School at Athens during the 1930s.

During its long history, the BSA has been involved in a multitude of archaeological projects, including surveys in Laconia, Boeotia, Methana (Argolid), and in the islands of Ithaca (Ionian islands), Kea, Melos, Kythera (Cyclades), Chios (North Aegean) and Crete (Ayiopharango Survey, Ayios Vasilios Survey, Knossos Survey, Praisos Survey) and excavations at Assiros (Greek Macedonia), Lefkandi (Euboia), Emborio and Kato Phana (Chios), Perachora (Corinthia), Mycenae (Argolid), Sparta (Laconia), Phylakopi (Melos), Keros (Cyclades), as well as in Crete at Knossos, Karphi, Praisos, Debla, Trapeza Cave, Atsipades Korakias, Psychro, Myrtos, Petsofas and Palaikastro.

[edit] Bibliography

Helen Waterhouse, The British School at Athens: the First Hundred Years. London: British School at Athens 1986.
Eleni Calligas & James Whitley, On Site: British Archaeologists in Greece. Athens: Motibo 2005.
E. Korka et al. (eds.): Foreign Archaeological Schools in Greece, 160 Years, Athens, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, 2006, p. 52-63.