Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut Athen

02/06/2026

Austria’s Ambassador to Greece joins To Vima International’s Ambass...

24/05/2026

The 2026 Aigeira excavation season has started successfully!
This year’s campaign focuses on the documentation and study of finds from previous excavations, alongside the continuation of excavation work in the acropolis area.
We were pleased to welcome Andrea Rodler and Andrea Acevedo Mejia from the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI) in Vienna, who visited Aigeira for a few days to gain first insights into the wall paintings and plaster fragments discovered during the excavations of the 1980s in the theatre area.
Unlike previous years, the weather has been surprisingly unstable, occasionally forcing us to adjust and reschedule our work in the field.
Excavation work is once again being carried out together with our experienced local team: Giorgos Gekas, Andreas and Angelos Stavrou, and Giorgos Antonopoulos, shown here while preparing the site for the current campaign.
As the season continues, we look forward to the coming weeks of research and excavation in Aigeira.

08/05/2026

What a memorable evening! The Annual Meeting opened with the presentation of the Annual Report by Birgitta Eder, highlighting the activities and achievements of the past year. This was followed by an engaging lecture by Christoph Baier on his recent research on Hellenistic Lousoi. The event attracted a full house. We were honoured by the presence of the ambassador from the Austrian Embassy Athens. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to a successful and enjoysble event.

28/04/2026

23/04/2026

📌 Greek Ministry of Culture: Valuable Finds at Kolonna, Aegina

Valuable finds came to light on the hill of Kolonna on Aegina during systematic excavation research in 2025.

During the opening of an excavation trench inside a large stone-built structure—located outside and in close proximity to the remains of the fortification wall that protected the expansion of the Middle Bronze Age settlement (the so-called “inner suburb”)—the following were discovered: eight gold composite disc-shaped pendants, one gold disc-shaped pendant, seven gold biconical beads, one gold cylindrical bead, eight decorative plaques made of gold sheet, and seven spherical carnelian beads. All likely belonged to a single gold necklace or pendant object, date to the first half of the second millennium BCE, and are preserved in excellent condition. Additionally, twelve copper fragments—probably from small knives—and one needle/pin were found.

Although the stratigraphy of the excavation context in which they were found had been disturbed at an unknown time, it is reasonable to assume that the jewelry constituted grave goods, probably from a Middle Bronze Age burial, even though no evidence of a preserved tomb was identified.

The gold ornaments, especially the pendants, show similarities to some of the jewelry of the so-called “Aegina Treasure,” a prehistoric assemblage of ornaments made of precious and semi-precious stones, which was found on Aegina, illegally exported, and has been housed in the British Museum since 1892.

The archaeological site of Kolonna is located on the northwestern side of the island, near the port and the modern town of Aegina. Although it is mainly known for the Temple of Apollo of the 6th century BCE, the hill of Kolonna shows continuous use over time: a prehistoric settlement, a sanctuary in historical periods, the acropolis of the ancient city, and a Byzantine settlement.

These important finds were uncovered during excavations conducted by the Institute for Classical Studies Altertumswissenschaften - Universität Salzburg through the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Athens, under the direction of Professor Alexander Sokolicek and under the supervision of the Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Πειραιώς και Νήσων-Piraeus & Islands Antiquities Ephorate . It is clear that, despite long-term research, this hill still has much more to reveal.

17/04/2026

Congratulations to Martin Steskal, director of the Ephesos excavations of the Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut !

Einmal jährlich lädt die Abteilung Istanbul des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts (DAI) im Dezember zur „Geburtstagsparty“ von Johann Joachim Winckelmann, dem Begründer der modernen Klassischen Archäologie, ein. Ein Happening, das nicht nur den Geburtstag von Winckelmann zelebriert, sondern auch die Ernennung der neuen Korrespondierenden Mitglieder des DAI. Diese Ehrung würdigt Kooperationspartner:innen und herausragende Wissenschaftler:innen im Arbeitsgebiet des DAI – eine Tradition, die bis in das Jahr 1829 zurückreicht.

Da auch bei Archäolog:innen der Dezember oft mit Veranstaltungen gefüllt ist, können leider nicht immer alle neuen Korrespondierenden Mitglieder an dieser Feierlichkeit vor Ort teilnehmen. Umso erfreulicher ist es, wenn neue Mitglieder wie Martin Steskal, Leiter der Abteilung Historische Archäologie am Österreichischen Archäologischen Institut der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAI/ÖAW) sowie Grabungsleiter von Ephesos, den Weg zu uns ins Institut finden und persönlich von Direktor Felix Pirson die Urkunde überreicht bekommen.

Die Ernennung der Korrespondierenden Mitglieder unterstreicht nicht nur die enge Zusammenarbeit und den lebendigen wissenschaftlichen Austausch, sondern verbindet zugleich Menschen, die die archäologischen Wissenschaften aktiv gestalten.

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Once a year in December, the Istanbul Department of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) hosts the “birthday party” of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, the founder of modern Classical archaeology. This event celebrates not only Winckelmann’s birthday, but also the appointment of the DAI’s new corresponding members. This honour recognises cooperation partners and outstanding scholars working within the Institute’s fields of research – a tradition that dates back to 1829.

As December is often packed with events for archaeologists as well, not all newly appointed corresponding members are able to attend the celebration in person. It is therefore all the more gratifying when new members such as Martin Steskal, head of the Department of Historical Archaeology at the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAI/ÖAW) and director of the Ephesus excavation, are able to visit the Institute and personally receive their certificate from Director Felix Pirson.

The appointment of corresponding members not only highlights the close collaboration and lively academic exchange, but also brings together those who actively shape the archaeological sciences today.