in a quiet corner of Kolonaki, just a short walk from Athens’ historic center, stands the British School at Athens (BSA). Although not a traditional school, the BSA is one of 19 foreign research institutes in the Greek capital, dedicated to the academic exploration of Hellenic history and culture across a wide range of disciplines. Over its nearly 140-year history, the BSA has made groundbreaking contributions to Greek archaeology, art history and the social sciences, supported by state-of-the-art facilities, an extensive library and impressive archives.

The BSA’s success is closely tied to its long-standing partnerships with the Greek state and local and international institutions alike. It works in close collaboration with Greece’s Ministry of Culture on archaeological projects and preservation initiatives. Through its partnerships with universities and research foundations in Greece, the UK and beyond, the BSA amplifies its impact, fostering a rich exchange of knowledge and expertise. These collaborations not only enhance the quality of research but also strengthen the BSA’s role as a vital link between UK and Greek academic communities, creating a dynamic environment for shared intellectual pursuits.

A cornerstone of the BSA is the Marc and Ismene Fitch Laboratory for Archaeological Science, which embodies the institution’s commitment to interdisciplinary research. Established in 1974, the laboratory has long been a bridge between science and history. From its early days to the present, it has collaborated with researchers to explore key archaeological questions and uncover patterns related to topics such as the economy and human mobility. Over the past 50 years, the Fitch Laboratory has become a crucial hub for researchers from Greece, the UK, and beyond. In addition to conducting cutting-edge research, the lab plays a key role in the BSA’s mission to mentor and educate future scholars through awards, fellowships, internships and intensive training programs.

At the helm of the BSA is Professor Rebecca Sweetman, an expert in classical archaeology and ancient history with a focus on Roman and Late Antique Greece. Her leadership is centered on building international scholarly networks, advancing innovative research, and broadening access to the school by promoting diversity at all levels. Rebecca also aims to harness digital technologies to improve research accessibility and collaboration. Her dynamic approach seeks to modernize the institution while honoring its rich legacy.

Dr. Evangelia Kiriatzi, the Director of the Fitch Laboratory, is a leading archaeological scientist who specializes in the study of craft technologies. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of craft traditions and human mobility in the Mediterranean from prehistory to the present. Under her guidance, the laboratory remains at the forefront of scientific archaeology, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaborations and serving as an international training center.

Together, Sweetman (RS) and Kiriatzi (EK) represent the innovative leadership propelling the BSA into the 21st century. Their combined efforts underscore the institution’s commitment to understanding the human past while embracing modern advancements, making the BSA a vital center for Hellenic studies and a beacon of scholarly excellence. I had the opportunity to speak with both of these leaders to gain insights into their perspectives on the evolving landscape of Hellenic research, the BSA’s role in contemporary academia, and the exciting developments on the horizon.

Founded in 1886, the British School at Athens (BSA) was the fourth foreign archaeological institute established in Athens, following the French, German and American schools. Could you provide a brief overview of the BSA’s founding, its early history, and evolution over the years?

RS: In the late 19th century, travel and communication were challenging, making it difficult to study Greek history and archaeology. As a result, the BSA was founded to support British scholars working in Greece. The school provided essential resources such as a library and hostel, offering a place to live and work, learn Greek and engage with other scholars in Athens. It was an exciting time, as Greece was emerging as an independent country and gaining international recognition for its archaeology, in part due to Sir Arthur Evans’ work at Knossos and Heinrich Schliemann’s discoveries at Mycenae. A key objective of the BSA from the beginning was to contribute to the Greek State’s mission of professionally recovering and protecting antiquities – an aim that remains central to our work today.

Some of the BSA’s earliest projects included archaeological research on the island of Milos and in the region around Sparta. However, the school has always embraced a broad interest in Greece beyond just archaeology. This is evident in the Annual of the British School at Athens (ABSA), its flagship journal, which first appeared in 1894. The inaugural issue featured articles on topics as diverse as the Battle of Marathon, St. Paul and the Areopagus, and excavations by the Greek Archaeological Society at Rhamnous. Over 130 years later, the ABSA is still published annually, with articles spanning subjects from Bronze Age Linear B tablets to mapping Patrick Leigh Fermor’s journey through the Mani, reflecting the BSA’s wide-ranging focus.

Given its long history, some might assume the BSA is an ivory tower for tweedy scholars. But in fact, it’s quite the opposite! The school has always fostered collaboration and interdisciplinarity, connecting researchers across various fields. Indeed, this deep knowledge base has allowed BSA members to work closely with their Greek hosts during difficult times. One notable example is John Pendlebury (1904-1941), a British archaeologist and intelligence officer. Pendlebury, a former BSA student and later the Curator at Knossos, spoke Greek like a Cretan and died fighting for Greek freedom in the Battle of Crete.

Today, as it has always been, the BSA is an extraordinary place where a love for Greece and a commitment to research and sharing knowledge bring together people from various disciplines, fostering new and exciting ideas about the past and present.

What would you say is your mission today? And can you tell us about some of the day-to-day activities?

RS: At the core of our mission is the support of researchers from both Greece and the UK. We focus on promoting and communicating our research, making it accessible through a variety of teaching and outreach activities – only some of which I can begin to mention here. The BSA is home to international scholars, at all stages of their careers, who are working passionately on a broad range of topics related to Greece, spanning from the Palaeolithic to the present. Throughout the year, they immerse themselves in the library – one of the finest in the world for Hellenic Studies – and exchange ideas informally in the Finlay Common Room. In our Archive, which is filled with fieldwork reports, travelers’ diaries, and photographic negatives, new connections are constantly being made as digitization enables greater access to our vast collection. These resources, combined with the work of our Research Fellows, help us stay on the cutting edge of research in and about Greece.

With 140 years of experience, we are driven to advance research into Greece, and the BSA highlights this through a year-round schedule of events. Our program draws audiences to the BSA Upper House for lectures by our Fellows, Greek university collaborators and visiting researchers.

Each summer, the hostel is full of students taking short courses that range from Linear B and Epigraphy to Communicating Archaeology. These courses offer hands-on training and education to a diverse group, from undergraduates to senior professors, allowing them to benefit from the world-class facilities, knowledge and expertise we offer.

The Fitch Laboratory, always a hive of activity, undertakes the more scientific aspects of our work, analyzing pottery under microscopes, using world-standard analytical equipment, and studying bone fragments, seeds and pigments.

The Fitch Laboratory is a world-leading center for archaeological science – the first to be established outside a university setting – can you explain its role and primary functions?

EK: The Marc and Ismene Fitch Laboratory for Archaeological Science, with 50 years of technique and method development behind us, now focuses on answering a range of fascinating questions. We explore everything from creative choices made by ancient craftspeople to the mobility of humans, and the vast exchange networks that existed in the distant and recent past. Over time, the Fitch has expanded its scope to support other areas of archaeological science, such as human osteology, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, soil micromorphology, pigment analysis, archaeometallurgy and geophysical prospection.

Our main aim is to foster collaboration and facilitate high-quality archaeological research using a variety of scientific methods while also providing top-tier services to external institutions and individual researchers. As Rebecca mentioned, people are at the heart of everything we do, and education, training and outreach are key components of our mission. Each year, the Fitch team contributes to and runs several science-based courses. We supervise and mentor postgraduate researchers and have recently participated in a large Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action International Training Network. We also welcome volunteers and interns through programs like Erasmus+ and the Turing Internship Network. Recently, we’ve expanded our outreach program for children and young adults, participating in events like the Athens Science Festival.

You mentioned Knossos earlier. The BSA has a long-standing connection to that famous site, including a satellite research center. Could you tell us more?

RS: Yes, the Knossos Research Center was originally Sir Arthur Evans’ dig house when he was excavating Knossos, the Bronze Age Minoan center of Crete. Evans later passed it on to the BSA, and today it houses the Stratigraphical Museum, a small library and a hostel. Recently, the BSA secured £2.6 million in funding to redevelop the Stratigraphical Museum as part of the Knossos 2025 project, thanks in large part to the Packard Humanities Institute. The development is progressing steadily, and once completed, the museum will be a state-of-the-art research center. Each summer, the center becomes a vibrant cultural hub, hosting a lively outreach program featuring music and art.

In Crete, the BSA also maintains strong ties with local ephorates and museums. Recently, we collaborated with the Regional Governance and the Municipality of Heraklion on an exhibition about the life and work of Pendlebury, displayed at the Vikelaia Library in Heraklion.

The BSA has been at the forefront of archaeological research at some of Greece’s most iconic sites but, as you’ve mentioned, its remit extends beyond archaeology to encompass all aspects of Hellenic studies, both ancient and modern. What are some of the most significant research projects currently being undertaken by the BSA and its members?

RS: Our ongoing fieldwork projects are on the cutting edge of archaeological research, employing pioneering methods and yielding results that greatly enhance our understanding of Greece’s history, from prehistoric times to the present.

A prime example is a series of archaeological survey projects on the Aegean islands of Chios and Samos. These projects are using the latest technology to map ancient landscapes and analyze environmental changes over millennia, giving us a comprehensive view of how human activity evolved on these islands and what its impact was on the environment.

Another notable initiative is the 1821 Project, sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and facilitated by our Chair of Council, Professor Sir Roderick Beaton, a distinguished writer and academic. Led by Dr Michalis Sotiropoulos, the 1821 Fellow in Modern Greek Studies, the project focuses on the letters and diaries of historian George Finlay (1799-1875) and British Admiral Frank Abney Hastings (1794-1828), housed in the BSA Archive. These documents, now digitized and freely accessible online, offer fresh insights into the role of British Philhellenes during the Greek War of Independence.

Each year, we also host an artist-in-residence from the University of the Arts, London. This year, Tina Rowe, who works with analog photography to explore how human presence is recorded and lost in the landscape, spent time in the BSA Archive examining photographs taken by Mercy Money-Coutts. The residency offers alternative perspectives on our work and leads to valuable discussions.

A project that unites all BSA departments is our effort to digitize our vast research collections, supported by a recent RICHeS grant. This project is essential for making these resources accessible to the widest possible audience. Thanks to this initiative, our digital humanities program is thriving, strengthened by collaborations with Greek colleagues and other British International Research Institutes.

What are some notable scientific contributions and discoveries made by the Fitch Laboratory in recent years?

EK: The Fitch Laboratory has made significant contributions by pioneering new research methods in Greek archaeology, influencing both local and international archaeological practices. Over the past 50 years, the laboratory has broken down academic and geopolitical barriers, fostering collaborations across fields such as biology, chemistry, geology and anthropology.

This interdisciplinary approach has led to major advancements in understanding the ancient world. For instance, we’ve mapped ancient trade networks through pottery analysis and discovered links between ancient Greece and regions as far away as England and Spain. Did you know that 1,500 years ago, people living at the site of Tintagel, Cornwall – the legendary castle of King Arthur – were importing wine from Byzantium? These long-distance trade routes reveal much about the complex connections and networks that existed in the past.

We’re also proud of our long-standing collaborations across modern geopolitical borders. For example, we work closely with the University of Ankara in Turkey, which enables us to undertake a unified approach to the study of the prehistoric Aegean and Anatolia, before modern state borders.

Through these efforts, the Fitch Laboratory has reshaped our understanding of the movement of people, materials, and ideas throughout history. This open, cross-disciplinary approach allows us to uncover aspects of the past that would have remained hidden without such cooperation.

How does the BSA collaborate with the Greek Ministry of Culture, local authorities, academic institutions, and other international bodies in its research efforts?

RS: Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at the BSA, and our work with the Greek Ministry of Culture, local authorities, and academic institutions is no exception. These partnerships are crucial to our research endeavors.

Each year, the BSA is granted six fieldwork permits, allowing us to engage in a range of archaeological projects across Greece, from surveying landscapes to excavating ancient sites. Three of these permits are “collaborative permits,” meaning the BSA works closely with the Ministry of Culture. Current collaborative projects include Toumba Serron with the Ephorate of Serres, and Palaikastro in Crete with the Ephorate of Lasithi and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. We’re also excited to restart work on the Keros project in partnership with the Ephorate of the Cyclades.

Recently, we assisted in the restoration efforts at Osios Loukas following the devastating 2023 wildfires, providing materials from our archive, including early 20th-century drawings by Weir Schultz and Barnsley.

The BSA also collaborates academically with institutions such as the National Research Foundation, the Academy of Athens, and the Modern Greek Studies programs at the Universities of Athens and Sheffield. We maintain strong relationships with other foreign schools as well, including the American, Austrian, Polish, and French schools.

EK: Most of the 30-40 projects running at the Fitch Laboratory at any given time are collaborative, relying on the strong relationships we’ve built. with colleagues in Greece, the UK, and beyond. One example is our long-standing collaboration with the Department of History and Archaeology at Aristotle University, Thessaloniki. It was one of the first Greek academic institutions to integrate archaeological science into its research and training – I’m actually an early product of that program! Currently, we’re working together on finds from the excavations at prehistoric Toumba, Thessaloniki. We’re also involved in the TEFRA project, funded by ΕΛΙ∆ΕΚ, which focuses on the practice of cremation in Greek prehistory and antiquity.

The BSA has been running a successful Summer School for UK-based undergraduate students for over 50 years. Can you tell us more about other training programs and exchange opportunities the BSA offers?

RS: Our Summer School for undergraduates has been running for just over 50 years. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the archaeology of Greece firsthand, bringing the sites they’ve studied in textbooks to life.

In addition to the Summer School, we offer a wide variety of training courses. This year, we introduced a new course where students and professionals learned about different methods of communicating archaeology. We’ve also been running a regular, free course for UK school teachers, and our Assistant Director has recently introduced a similar course for Greek school teachers.

Rebecca, you are the third woman to serve as Director of the BSA. As a female leader in academia, could you share your insights on the role and impact of women in leadership positions within the fields of archaeological and historical research?

RS: We’ve made it a priority to highlight the role of women in the BSA’s early history as part of our commitment to improving equality and diversity. It’s important to acknowledge that many of the disciplines we work in at the BSA were not traditionally inclusive. However, we’re actively working to change that. It’s encouraging to see how many women hold leadership positions here and how many female academics come through our doors. But it’s not just about gender equality – we’re striving to open our doors to a more diverse audience and make archaeology accessible to all.

We do this through the various courses we offer, ensuring they’re accessible to diverse communities and supporting participants with funding. One example is our collaboration with NGOs like The Home Project, where we host bi-monthly sessions on Greek archaeology and history for underrepresented groups. Mentoring and sharing knowledge are key to ensuring inclusivity, and we are committed to this mission at the BSA.

Evangelia, what has been your experience as a woman at the forefront of archaeological science? What advice would you offer to young female students and researchers pursuing a career in the sciences?

EK: Like many women, I’ve faced challenges throughout my career, but I’ve also seen significant progress for female scholars. As Rebecca mentioned, we’re especially proud that the majority of the Fitch Laboratory team is made up of women. However, while women tend to be the majority at the undergraduate level, this changes at the postgraduate stage, and women are still underrepresented in senior academic and leadership roles. Socio-economic barriers often impact women more, and balancing family life with a professional career remains a significant challenge. True equality requires both equal access to education and strong family-support systems and inclusive policies for staff appointments.

To young female students and early-career scholars, I’d say that the road isn’t always easy, especially given the scarcity of permanent academic positions, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. But if you’re passionate about what you do, keep going. You will succeed.

Finally, what is your vision for the future of the BSA? What new initiatives or directions do you hope to pursue in the coming years?

RS: The future of the BSA lies in people, collaboration and inclusivity. We want to ensure that more people benefit from the resources we offer. We’re achieving this through wide-ranging events and educational programs, both in-person and online.

Following the success of the Knossos 2025 project, we’re preparing to launch a new fundraising campaign focused on “People and Place.” At the heart of this campaign will be the renovation of the Fitch Laboratory and the modernization of our facilities.

EK: As we celebrate the Fitch Laboratory’s 50th anniversary, our vision is to remain at the forefront of research and training, particularly in archaeological ceramics. We’re committed to developing innovative projects that deepen our understanding of Greece’s connections with the wider world. Additionally, we aim to bridge the past, present and future in our research. A key priority is to further integrate experimental archaeology and the study of contemporary craftspeople, advancing our understanding of ancient craft practices. This will also enhance our training programs and outreach activities, helping us connect with a broader community.

RS: With our new five-year strategy in place, one of our primary goals is to expand our digital humanities provision by making our collections widely accessible. We want to be ready for the rise of AI, and to use digital storytelling to connect people and places across the Mediterranean. People are the future of the BSA; they’re our legacy. By investing in them, we can ensure that the BSA continues to thrive for at least another 140 years!