Professor Stephen Miller

Professor Stephen Miller, an American archaeologist, who has spent more than three decades excavating the ruins of ancient Nemea, in the Peloponnese,  has suggested in a ‘Time Magazine’ article, that private companies should be allowed to manage ancient sites in Greece.

He comments that “the Greek Ministry of Culture does some things very well; it does conservation work extremely well, they are very good at setting up exhibitions, but they are lousy businessmen.”

Following the publication of the article, the Association of Greek Archaeologists issued a statement today insisting this is not the way forward. “Archaeological sites and the country’s monuments belong to the whole of society and the protection, promotion and management of these sites is the duty of the state, as stipulated in the Constitution and laws of this country.”

Comment:
Whilst Mr. Miller’s suggestion is obviously contentious to Greek archaeologists, I believe it is an option that should not be totally disregarded. Many of the monuments on the Greek mainland are well maintained, but here on the islands, budget restraints and a lack of focus on visitor aspirations, have led to many poorly presented and inadequately maintained sites.

There are a considerable number of tourists who are interested in learning more about ancient Greek history, but sadly many complain about the lack of information and maintenance on the sites they visit. 

I believe that the option of forming partnerships between the Ministry and private enterprises to develop and manage some archaeological sites could at least be a short-term solution to the present situation.

Tony Oswin