Publications
A Value-Based Risk Assessment of Water-Related Hazards: The Archaeological Site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
Intensified surface water runoff and localized water inundation pose significant threats to key monuments at the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus. Projections indicate that climate change will exacerbate hydroclimatic extremes in the Mediterranean region, particularly affecting the Roman Odeion and central parts of the site's ensemble. This study employs a value-based risk assessment approach, integrating GIS-based hydrological modeling (HAND), field observations, material assessments, and NARA Grids to link exposure, vulnerability, and potential value loss. The findings highlight the need for site-specific climate change adaptation strategies, prioritizing drainage enhancement, preventive conservation, and continuous monitoring to preserve the site's Outstanding Universal Values under changing climatic conditions.
Moving down the mountain: pathways for sacred landscape transformation at ancient Epidaurus and Nemea
Sacred mountains retained their spiritual significance even after worship shifted to monumental sanctuaries on flat ground, revealing the enduring power of collective memory and sensory experience. The study compares Epidaurus and Nemea in Greece’s Peloponnese, tracing how attention moved from mountain peaks to new temenoi below while mountains remained visually and culturally dominant. Using archaeological data, ancient texts, tourist reviews, and GIS analysis, researchers quantified the sanctuaries' visual impact against topography. This challenges assumptions about landscape transformation, showing that sacred landmarks persist through human perception rather than physical presence alone.
The Afterlife of a Dream and the Ritual System of the Epidaurian Asklepieion
Healing inscriptions at the Epidaurian Asklepieion transform private dreams of supplicants into enduring public tributes, amplifying their influence far beyond individual experience. The study reveals that Mnēmosyne, a goddess associated with memory, plays a pivotal role in this process by preserving the dream's significance for both the dreamer and the sanctuary. She facilitates the articulation of dreams to officials, enabling their inscription and public display, while also creating lasting opportunities for others to honor Asklepios, the god of healing. This ritual system reflects a sophisticated interplay between human action and divine agency, demonstrating how individual experiences are intellectually ordered and ritually integrated into a broader framework that benefits both mortal and immortal realms.
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