About us

Yiannis Papadimitriou – Director

Yiannis Papadimitriou is a field archaeologist with over twenty years of experience working in excavations in Greece. He has a First-Class Honours BA in Greek Civilisation Studies from the Open University at Athens and a Diploma in Electrical Engineering.

He has a wide-ranging experience in archaeological excavation and specific expertise in understanding complex stratigraphies. He has frequently acted as a consultant in many projects of the Greek Archaeological Service. He has worked as an excavator and archaeological supervisor in most of the major construction works in Athens, including the metro lines, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation building, the Olympic stadium and other venues. He has also participated in several research projects, such as the Ayios Vasileios cemetery excavation by Groningen University and the Klenia Neolithic cave survey. Yiannis is mostly known for his long-term involvement with the archaeological excavations in the historical centre of Athens, particularly the area around the Acropolis.

His research interests include public archaeology and contested heritage, and takes an active role in science communication, especially towards stakeholders.

Dr Efrossini Vika – Academic coordinator and Head of Bioarchaeology

Efrossini Vika is an archaeologist specialising in osteology and biomolecular archaeology. She has a First-Class Honours BA in Archaeology and Art History from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a First-Class Honours MSc in Human Osteology and Paleopathology from Bradford University, and a PhD in Archaeology and Archaeological Sciences also from Bradford University.

Her multidisciplinary educational background allows her to navigate between innovating methodological applications and the sociopolitics of human-environment interactions in archaeology. She specialises in isotope systems to investigate human mobility and the distribution of natural resources as food within a context of past political economy. She completed her PhD under a Goulandris scholarship and has continuously received national and international funding for her research projects. She has worked in several institutions in Europe, including the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Durham University, Bradford University, the University of York, Groningen University, and the University of Athens. She has worked as a Lecturer in Bioanthropology at Bournemouth University, and is frequently guest-lecturing in her field of specialisation in Universities in Greece and abroad, where she also supervises PhD students. She currently serves as a global expert on isotopes for human identification for the International Committee of the Red Cross and has published many articles and book chapters in her field.

Efrossini purposefully splits her time between academia and field archaeology, seeking to improve collaboration between the two sectors. Her research interests include nutrition-related pathologies; the diseases of urbanization; ancient diets; environmental economics.

Manos Larentzakis – Logistics

Manos Larentzakis is an archaeologist specializing in heritage and monument management. He has a First-Class Honors BA in Archaeology and Art History from the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens and is currently reading for an MA in Monument Management -Archaeology, Architecture and City Planning, at the same University.

Manos has worked as an archaeological supervisor in several excavations in Athens, including the construction of the metro line. He is a member of the archaeological research project at Kontopigado, by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OREA), and the Asteria excavation. He was also a member of the working group that developed the exhibition ‘Smyrna at the start of the 20^th c.’ at the Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens.

His research interests include Byzantine and post-Byzantine archaeology; traditional settlements and fortifications; management of archaeological sites. He is a member of the Scouts of Greece and supports many causes around the preservation of natural and built heritage.

Supreeth Prashanth – Student Member

Supreeth Prashanth is a second-year student in Archaeology, History, and Literature of Ancient Greece at the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens.

He has participated in several Erasmus+ projects, such as Ancient Olympic Spirits, EcoActiZenship, and Hack2Refllect. He is an active member of student organisations and has a dynamic role with AIESEC in Greece, where he is an associate in recruitment and customer experience. Supreeth also contributes to the Hellenistic History Blog.

Supreeth has a true passion for learning and has acquired introductory skills in all fields of archaeology through several seminars. His research interests include the architecture of superstructures from the late Classical period and beyond and the evolution of pottery shapes from prehistory onwards. He speaks English, Sanskrit, Kannada, Urdu, Hindi, and is presently learning modern Greek.