Social Innovation, Mapping, Photography
Archiving Archeological Treasures
Summer 2017
SOME CONTEXT:In the summer of 2017, I traveled to Kefalonia, Greece as an independent study abroad to participate in the beginnings of an ongoing project with the Greek Ministry of Culture led by Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Scott Townsend. Over the course of 5 weeks, our team worked with stakeholders from the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Ionian Center for Arts and Culture, and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kefalonia.
DESIGN QUESTION:How can we create artifacts that document, preserve, and communicate the cultural importance of crumbling archaeological sites on the island to preserve Kefalonian heritage and identity?
COLLABORATORS: KAANCHEE GANDHI, PHIL HARRISON, JULIA PARET, JACK RATTERREE, MIRIAM REZA, SCOTT TOWNSEND + MATTHEW WRIGHTProblem Scoping
Historical Context
In the 1950s the island of Kefalonia was hit by a devastating earthquake that caused a massive exodus of the island's population to the mainland. In the following years, the crumbling, abandoned villages were all but forgotten, until gradually, residents began returning to the island in the 1980s.
These precious archaeological sites are a testament to a piece of lost history. For many on the island, they are a source of stories and memories from their childhood- a true piece of their cultural identity. However, many of the sites become increasingly hazardous to the communities that live around them, and there is a growing demand for demolition.
Methods
Our team was tasked with documenting a collection of archeological sites across the island to enable further preservation and remembrance efforts. This body of images would allow the archaeologists to consider important details when reconstructing the site, staying as true to history as possible. Unfortunately, these images might be the last method of remembering and sharing the countless stories of these structures and the lives that were lived around them.
Using standardized methods used by local archaeologists, we took over 3,000 photographs and designed a system for cataloging and archiving the aggregated data. We carefully considered the ease of use and sustainability of our system, as it would go on to serve as a visual database for the Archeological Foundation.
Design Artifacts
In addition to a visual database of photographic documentation, our team designed a system for mapping each site that outlined a schematic and helped contextual the photos geospatially.
Project Outcomes
As we presented our work to members of the Archaeological Foundation + the Ionion Center for Arts and Culture, locals in the audience would ask us to pause on an image, telling stories of the places we'd documented.
Our work was also presented at the Kefalonia Archaeological Service by the Ephorate to an audience including the mayor of Kefalonia Alexandros Parisis and the metropolitan bishop of Kefalonia Mr. Demetrios.
A sun-drenched summer I’ll never forget.