Behold the raking geison: the new Acropolis Museum and its context-free archaeologies

The Acropolis of Athens, once a symbol of ancient Greek glory, now reflects modern Greece's complex identity struggles. This study reveals how the site has been transformed into a contested 'topos' of cultural identity, claimed by both national and international authorities seeking to impose their interpretations on its management and purpose. The research employs a critical discourse analysis, drawing on Foucault's concept of heterotopia, to examine the Acropolis as a space that embodies Western Classicism while also serving as a battleground for competing narratives about Greece's past and present. The study argues that the ongoing 'cleansing' of non-Classical antiquities from the site is part of an enduring national project, highlighting the tension between preserving ancient heritage and constructing a modern Greek identity.

Plantzos, D. (2011). Behold the raking geison: the new Acropolis Museum and its context-free archaeologies. Antiquity, 85(328), 613–625. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00068009