Excavating a Birthplace of Zeus

Photograph courtesy of David Gilman Romano
A conversation with Dr. David Gilman Romano of the School of Anthropology by Jose Serrano, Student Science Journalist
Each summer since 2004, Dr. David Gilman Romano has hiked up a 4,662-foot Greek mountain to the sanctuary said to be one of the birthplaces of Zeus, the mightiest Greek god. Whether that mythic location is here on Mount Lykaion or on the Greek island of Crete has been debated since antiquity. Romano, the Karabots Professor of Greek Archaeology at the University of Arizona, has studied ancient Greek athletics for 35 years. He is the field director and co-director of the Mt. Lykaion Excavation and Survey Project in Arcadia, Greece. His colleague Dr. Mary Voyatzis, also of UA’s School of Anthropology, is the co-director.
What inspired you to become an archaeologist?
The well-known Greek archaeologist George Mylonas inspired me with his dynamic teaching style when I studied art and archaeology as an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis. Along the way, Antony “Tony” Raubitschek at Stanford was an amazing epigrapher, historian and archaeologist. Both these teachers helped me to progress in the field.
What attracted you to ancient Greece?
I was a runner in college. My interest in athletics led me to the history of athletics in ancient Greece. There was an athletic component to many of the religious rituals, including at the sanctuary of Zeus on Mount Lykaion.
Tell me about your base of operation for the Mount Lykaion excavation.
Our base of operation is around Ano Karyes, a village surrounded by walnut groves a few hundred meters below the sanctuary. Ano Karyes now has a winter population of 17. During excavations we fill the village with 55 people. The climate is much cooler than in Athens.
What are the daily activities like at the site?
Each person on the project has a different assignment. Some groups work on household management. One team catalogs and stores our finds. Another team is responsible for the excavation itself, and we have a topographical survey going through all our years of work. We have an outstanding conservation team. Students take part in all these groups.
How do you pick the students who work on the dig each summer?
We interview all the candidates to make sure they’re committed to six or seven weeks living and eating together in a village of 17 people on top of a mountain with no Starbucks around the corner. We want students who take very seriously the study of antiquity. Some have gone on to graduate school and come back three, four, even five times now. 
How do you motivate your team members?
Many aspects of archaeology are tedious. Archaeological techniques require patience as well as enduring sometimes uncomfortable conditions. Some students do the same thing all day, while others have a variety of assignments. We also try to build in a number of things that are fun. We have a great cook. If you have good food, a good cook and a good atmosphere, you’re going to create good conditions for your work. We’re all in the same boat when it comes to accommodations. Every Sunday we set up excursions to a nearby ancient sanctuary or city, often near the coast. After the archaeological trip we end up at the beach and have lunch.
What was one of the most significant artifacts you’ve found?
We work side by side with our Greek colleagues in the 39th Euphoria of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities in Tripoli. One notable discovery was a late Minoan glass gemstone with a finely carved image of a bull. It dates to the 15th century B.C. This artifact pushed the history of the site back into the Bronze Age. We suddenly went back 800 years earlier than the previous earliest evidence. We have even earlier material now going back to the fourth millennium B.C.
How is the initiative coming along to create a large heritage park in Greece and an archaeological museum in Megalopolis?
The Karabots Foundation is interested in funding the museum. The large heritage park we initiated would be the first in Greece. It’s an offshoot of our main focus, but it’s related because the area that would be protected is around Mount Lykaion. It could become a great attraction where European tourists would spend a week or two hiking the park trails and visiting the temples and ancient cities.
How will turning to their cultural heritage help the local community be less reliant on the nearby coal mine?
The coal mine, which is run by the electrical company of Greece, employs most of the population of Megalopolis. It’s fundamental to the survival of the local economy. The mine has enough coal for about nine more years, so other sources of power are being considered for the community. We have proposed a cultural alternative that would employ some of the local population. We’re also planning to build a research center that would support our research and also foster cultural activities.
What’s the significance of Mount Lykaion to ancient Greek archaeology?
Arcadia is a very important region in Greece. As the home of Greek mythology and history, it reflects the most primitive traditions of Greek culture. Having research centered in this area is really at the heart of Greek archaeology.