Associated Products
From the Vantage of the Victory (Web Resource)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory
Author: Bonna D. Wescoat
Abstract: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods has fascinated scholars since the visit of antiquarian Cyriacus of Ancona in 1444. To your right, find tabs for selected bibliographic references to early as well as recent work and to helpful links outside our site.
Year: 2015
Primary URL:
http://www.samothrace.emory.eduArchitectural Documentation and Visual Evocation: Choices, Iterations, and Virtual Representation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Book Section)Title: Architectural Documentation and Visual Evocation: Choices, Iterations, and Virtual Representation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Editor: D. Scahill
Editor: P. Sapirstein
Abstract: 3D modeling offers a powerful tool to explore and display the interaction of complex topography and innovative building history in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace. Whole-site reconstructions, however, force the issue of how best to acknowledge the partiality of evidence. This paper addresses the challenges of building virtual representation(s) that include specific buildings or structures that warrant reconstruction but present fundamental uncertainties. Because reconstructions can take on their own reality, strategies for effectively exploring structure, space, and environment while confronting, acknowledging, and communicating the extent of the evidence visually are essential. One approach is to offer choice through iterations that present diverse possibilities for a reconstruction, allowing the viewer to compare, toggle between, or interactively explore the options. But to what extent do multiple iterations confuse rather than clarify a reconstruction? What are the boundaries between archaeological documentation and visual evocation? These issues are raised in order to open discussion on the nature, purpose, and advantages of virtual architectural reconstruction within a non-generic environment. Three case studies centering on the Ionic Porch, the Nike Monument, and the bridges crossing the central ravine present different kinds of uncertainty that we have confronted while using 3D modeling as the emerging engine of architectural investigation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace.
Year: 2020
Publisher: Brill
Book Title: New Directions and Paradigms for the Study of Greek Architecture
ISBN: 9789004416635
Interstitial Space in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Book Section)Title: Interstitial Space in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: S. L. Blevins
Author: J. Paga
Author: M. C. Page
Author: W. Size
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Editor: A. Müller
Editor: A. Haug
Abstract: The interstitium, a network of fluid-filled spaces forming a coherent organ of translocation within the body, maps well onto our investigations of the Hellenistic Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace. The cognate interstitium of spaces, pathways, and viewscapes within the sanctuary share a similar flexible and connective coherence. Through examining experiential aspects of passages leading from the entrance to the Central Sanctuary, across the seasonal torrent, and to the theatre and terrace in front of the Stoa, we argue that the interstitial network within the sanctuary emerges as a critical mediator of the reciprocal relationships between architecture, landscape, and human actors in the construction of sacred space.
Year: 2020
Publisher: Sidestone Press
Book Title: Hellenistic Architecture and Human Action: A Case of Reciprocal Influence
ISBN: 9789088909108
Rugged Samothrace: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods within its Natural Environment (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Rugged Samothrace: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods within its Natural Environment
Abstract: Renewed research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, privileging the physical environment and the bodily actions and perceptions of visitors moving through that environment. Presented at the annual Open Meeting of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 04/17/2019
Location: Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece
Primary URL:
http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/news/newsDetails/videocast-annual-open-meeting-2019The Nike of Samothrace: Setting the Record Straight (Article)Title: The Nike of Samothrace: Setting the Record Straight
Author: K. Clinton
Author: L. Laugier
Author: A. Stewart
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: The cleaning, restudy, conservation, and reassembly of the Nike of Samothrace in 2013–2014 have prompted several new proposals as to its topographical context, date, and function. This article seeks to clarify some fundamental issues about the statue itself; the socle and ship’s prow on which it stood; an associated inscription; the precinct and edifice in and around which they were found; and last but not least, their relation to the sanctuary as a whole. These clarifications should enable future work to proceed on a firmer basis than hitherto.
Year: 2020
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: American Journal of Archaeology
The Pilgrim’s Passage through the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Book Section)Title: The Pilgrim’s Passage through the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Editor: T. M. Christensen
Editor: W. Friese
Abstract: A critical reexamination of the possible paths taken by initiates through the complex built and natural space of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace.
Year: 2017
Publisher: Routledge
Book Title: Excavating Pilgrimage: Archaeological Approaches to Sacred Travel and Movement in the Ancient World
ISBN: 9781472453907
From the Vantage of the Victory: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods and Island of Samothrace (Conference/Institute/Seminar)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods and Island of Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: L. Laugier
Author: M. Glennon
Author: A. Laftsidis
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: W. Size
Author: S. Holzman
Author: C. Seidler
Author: S. L. Blevins
Author: D. Matsas
Author: C. Karadima
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: J. Paga
Author: A. S. Koch
Author: E. Archie
Author: I. Burr
Author: A. Basu
Author: M. C. Page
Abstract: This symposium presents the results of the NEH-sponsored collaborative research project centered on the region in the ancient Greek Sanctuary of the Great Gods that coalesces around the famous Winged Victory (Nike) of Samothrace. While the statue in the Louvre has long captured the imagination of the world, it becomes all the more powerful when reunited with its ancient environment. From the Nike’s vantage over the performative heart of the Sanctuary—Theater, Stoa, and Altar Court—we reframe the archaeological investigation of this Hellenistic international religious center by grounding the rich material record in the dynamic environmental factors underlying it, and the human actions through which it was determined and experienced.
Date Range: 04/15/2021-04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumSecondary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumRenewed Excavations and Current Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Book Section)Title: Renewed Excavations and Current Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: S. Holzman
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: W. Size
Editor: P. Triantafyllidis
Abstract: Presentation of research carried out at Samothrace since 2018.
Year: 2022
Book Title: Sanctuaries and Cults in the Aegean from the Early Historic Times to the End of Late Antiquity (11th c. BC- AD 6th c.)
New Petrologic and Geochemical Methods to Determine Local Provenance of non-Marble Building Stone Used in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, Greece (Book Section)Title: New Petrologic and Geochemical Methods to Determine Local Provenance of non-Marble Building Stone Used in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, Greece
Author: W. Size
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. C. Page
Abstract: The island of Samothrace is the result of continuous tectonic activity in the Northern Aegean region and more specifically the Great Anatolian Fault that shears its southeastern margin.
This high energy environment formed a variety of rocks, many of which were used in the construction of the buildings in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. Establishing a system of classification has help clarify local building history. Petrographic analysis correlates specific building sites with at least three island quarries. The choice of construction stone was based on physical attributes and engineering properties. Limestones and dolomites with open cavities (vugs) were light weight yet strong and thus well suited for foundations, while basalt, trachyte, and rhyolite were mainly limited to the lowest level of foundations or large-scale polygonal retaining walls. The carbonates show varying degrees of post-installation weathering and degradation, most notably in the increased volume of cavities created by the plucking out of various sized pebbles. In a sanctuary famed for its innovative architecture built of imported marble, our current investigation emphasizes the fundamental role of local stone as a major component in the process.
Year: 2022
Book Title: ASMOSIA XII Proceedings
Shaping and Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Shaping and Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Abstract: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace is one of the most important sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world, used as a sacred space from the 7th century BCE into the Roman Empire. Famous for its initiation rituals, the site presents one of the richest architectural landscapes of the Aegean, famous not only for its Archaic development, but also for its continued development into the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In this lecture, Dr. Bonna Wescoat, director of excavations at Samothrace, will discuss new insights on how that sacred space was used and how visitors experienced the sanctuary.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 03/25/2021
Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Primary URL:
https://calendar.utk.edu/event/archaeology_lecture_b_wescoat_shaping_and_negotiating_sacred_terrain_in_the_sanctuary_of_the_great_gods_on_samothrace#.YLFf8i1h3UINew Geospatial Research in the Sanctuary of The Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: New Geospatial Research in the Sanctuary of The Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: W. Size
Author: A. Basu
Author: I. Burr
Abstract: All who come to the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace keenly experience the controlling force the landscape exercises over the sacred environment. In our current research, therefore, we privilege the complex terrain as a key determinant in the construction of sacred space and ritual experience ; we focus on the significance of connective spaces and passages joining key regions of the Sanctuary ; and we recognize the interplay of local and imported construction materials as a vital component in the economic, political, and design network of the Sanctuary. In this seminar, we present how our recent work in petrography, archaeology, and 3D modeling have helped to reshape our understanding of the Sanctuary.
Date: 01/29/2021
Primary URL:
http://www.archeo.ens.fr/Multidimensional-spaces.html?lang=frSecondary URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqx_uVM1NC8Conference Name: Géographie historique & géoarchéologie, AOROC; Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris
New Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: New Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Abstract: The Institute of Fine Arts invites you to a lecture about the new excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, with Bonna Wescoat, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Art History, Emory University; Director of Emory University and NYU Excavations, Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, on the advances made this year at the Institute’s summer 2019 excavation in Samothrace, Greece.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 10/04/2019
Location: Institute of Fine Arts, New York, NY
Primary URL:
https://as.nyu.edu/content/nyu-as/as/departments/ancientstudies/events/fall-2019/new-excavations-in-the-sanctuary-of-the-great-gods--samothrace.htmlRenewed Excavations and Current Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Renewed Excavations and Current Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: S. Holzman
Author: S. L. Blevins
Author: J. Paga
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: M. C. Page
Author: W. Size
Abstract: A brief synopsis of recent archaeological excavations at the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace.
Date: 09/11/2019
Conference Name: Sanctuaries and Cults in the Aegean from the Early Historic Times to the End of Late Antiquity (11th c. BC- AD 6th c.), Lemnos, GR
Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace is one of the most important sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world, used as a sacred space from the 7th century BCE into the Roman Empire. Famous for its initiation rituals, the site presents one of the richest architectural landscapes of the Aegean, famous not only for its Archaic development, but also for its continued development into the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
In this lecture, Dr. Bonna Wescoat, current director of excavations at Samothrace, will discuss new insights on how that sacred space was used and how visitors experienced the sanctuary
Date: 04/27/2019
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Association of Ancient Historians, Atlanta, GA
3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Greece) (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: 3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Greece)
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Basu
Author: V. Baillet
Author: I. Burr
Abstract: The presentation covered an array of topics related both to reconstruction and experimentation with the 3D model. These included photogrammetry (a photographic 3D modeling method used to capture remnants of the sanctuary), the use of agent-based modeling in real-time game engines such as Unity3D to investigate crowd dynamics, colorization of ancient architecture from contemporary evidence, and data management best practices for a project of Samothrace’s size and scope.
Date: 03/30/2019
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/discussions-on-3d-initiatives-in-the-sanctuary-of-the-great-gods-samothrace/Secondary URL:
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/parthenon2/schedule/Conference Name: Parthenon2: Digital Approaches to Architectural Heritage, Vanderbilt University
Interstitial Space in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Interstitial Space in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: S. L. Blevins
Author: J. Paga
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Abstract: The interstitium, a network of fluid-filled spaces forming a coherent organ of translocation within the body, maps well onto our investigations of the Hellenistic Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace. The cognate interstitium of spaces, pathways, and viewscapes within the sanctuary share a similar flexible and connective coherence. Through examining experiential aspects of passages leading from the entrance to the Central Sanctuary, across the seasonal torrent, and to the theatre and terrace in front of the Stoa, we argue that the interstitial network within the sanctuary emerges as a critical mediator of the reciprocal relationships between architecture, landscape, and human actors in the construction of sacred space.
Date: 11/01/2018
Primary URL:
https://www.sfb1266.uni-kiel.de/de/veranstaltungen/tagungen-workshops/flyer-hellenistic-architecture-web.pdfConference Name: Hellenistic Architecture and Human Action –A Case of Reciprocal Influence, University of Kiel, Germany,
Shaping and Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Shaping and Negotiating Sacred Terrain in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Abstract: Public presentation in Oxford's Classical Archaeology Seminar.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 10/29/2018
Location: University of Oxford, Ashmolean Museum
Primary URL:
https://www.classics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/classics/documents/media/seminars_mt_2018v2.pdfNew Petrologic and Geochemical Methods to Determine Local Provenance of Non-Marble Building Stone Used in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, Greece (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: New Petrologic and Geochemical Methods to Determine Local Provenance of Non-Marble Building Stone Used in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, Greece
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: W. Size
Author: M. C. Page
Abstract: The island of Samothrace is the result of continuous tectonic activity in the Northern Aegean region and more specifically the Great Anatolian Fault that shears its southeastern margin.
This high energy environment formed a variety of rocks, many of which were used in the construction of the buildings in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. Establishing a system of classification has help clarify local building history. Petrographic analysis correlates specific building sites with at least three island quarries. The choice of construction stone was based on physical attributes and engineering properties. Limestones and dolomites with open cavities (vugs) were light weight yet strong and thus well suited for foundations, while basalt, trachyte, and rhyolite were mainly limited to the lowest level of foundations or large-scale polygonal retaining walls. The carbonates show varying degrees of post-installation weathering and degradation, most notably in the increased volume of cavities created by the plucking out of various sized pebbles. In a sanctuary famed for its innovative architecture built of imported marble, our current investigation emphasizes the fundamental role of local stone as a major component in the process.
Date: 10/08/2018
Primary URL:
http://asmosia2018.comConference Name: ASMOSIA XII, Izmir, Turkey
Quel cadre architectural pour la Victoire dans le sanctuaire des grands dieux à Samothrace? (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Quel cadre architectural pour la Victoire dans le sanctuaire des grands dieux à Samothrace?
Abstract: Le monument de la Victoire de Samothrace est un emblème de la sculpture hellénistique. En 2014, sa restauration au musée du Louvre a permis de mieux comprendre les techniques ingénieuses mises en œuvre pour sa réalisation. En effet, le bateau qui constitue la base du monument a été entièrement démonté, tout comme certaines parties rapportées de la statue. Avant restauration, l'ensemble du monument a fait l'objet d'une campagne d'examens et d'analyses en partenariat avec le Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France et Paris Sorbonne-Pierre et Marie Curie. Les résultats ont été confirmé ou précisé les hypothèses antérieures au sujet des matériaux utilisés. Un réexamen des fragments de la statue et du bateau conservés en réserve a fourni l'opportunité de retrouver l'emplacement de certaines parties du monument et de les réintégrer.
Parallèlement la mission américaine de Samothrace a conduit une série d'investigations dans le secteur où s'élevait le monument à l'Antiquité afin de comprendre comment il était présenté. Ces recherches avaient pour objet de réviser les anciennes reconstitutions du monument in situ et de proposer des hypothèses fondées sur une étude précise du terrain.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 03/15/2018
Location: Musée d’Aquitaine, Bordeaux, France
Primary URL:
http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/fr/evenement/conference-la-victoire-de-samothraceRecent Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Recent Research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Abstract: The Institute of Fine Arts invites you to a lecture with Bonna Wescoat, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Art History, Emory University; Director of Emory University and NYU Excavations, Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, on the advances made this year at the Institute's summer 2017 excavation in Samothrace, Greece.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 02/20/2018
Location: Institute of Fine Arts, New York University
Primary URL:
https://ifa.nyu.edu/events/archive-2018.htmSamothracian Agency: Islanders, Outsiders, and the Brokering of Cult (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Samothracian Agency: Islanders, Outsiders, and the Brokering of Cult
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Invited lecture at the New York University – Paris Science et Lettres Global Alliance conference, Insularities: A Diachronic Interdisciplinary Investigation
Date: 12/08/2017
Primary URL:
https://as.nyu.edu/ancientstudies/events/fall-2017/insularities--a-diachronic-interdisciplinary-investigation0.htmlConference Name: Insularities: NYU-PSL Global Alliance Workshop
Sacred Architecture and Digital Modeling at the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Sacred Architecture and Digital Modeling at the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace
Abstract: Public lecture as Hixson-Lied Visiting Scholar at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 11/08/2017
Location: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Primary URL:
https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/art-historian-to-present-next-visiting-artist-lecture-nov-8/Why Samothrace? (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Why Samothrace?
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Keynote address for the international conference Cultic Connections in the North Aegean Region.
Date: 09/22/2017
Primary URL:
https://aias.au.dk/events/show/artikel/aias-workshop-cultic-connections-in-the-north-aegean-region/Conference Name: Cultic Connections in the North Aegean Region, Aarhus University, Denmark
Barrier or Bridge? Crossing the Central Torrent in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Barrier or Bridge? Crossing the Central Torrent in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Lecture at the international conference There and Back Again: Greek Art in Motion, held in honor of Sir John Boardman on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
Date: 05/03/2017
Primary URL:
https://cfsirjohnboardman2017.weebly.com/uploads/8/5/0/8/85086300/final_programme.pdfConference Name: There and Back Again: Greek Art in Motion, Conference in Honour of Sir John Boardman, Lisbon, Portugal
On the Dynamics of Interactive Exploration over Animation as Methods of Experiential Simulation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: On the Dynamics of Interactive Exploration over Animation as Methods of Experiential Simulation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Basu
Abstract: In this paper, titled “On the Dynamics of Interactive Exploration over Animation as Methods of Experiential Simulation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace,” Basu and Wescoat share their experiences with using emerging visualization techniques to present Samothrace-related content online. Their paper offers insights into the relative strengths of the two storytelling methods.
Date: 03/15/2017
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/samothrace-vr-caa-conference/Secondary URL:
https://sites.caa-international.org/caa2017/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/13.CAA-2017-Program_PDF_Arial.pdfConference Name: Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Digital Archaeologies, Material Worlds (Past and Present)
Choices, Iterations, and Virtual Representation in the Fragmentary World of Ancient Greek Architecture (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Choices, Iterations, and Virtual Representation in the Fragmentary World of Ancient Greek Architecture
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Concluding keynote lecture at the international conference New Approaches and Paradigms in the Study of Greek Architecture, held at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
Date: 11/05/2016
Primary URL:
https://vimeo.com/194494143Secondary URL:
https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/events/details/new-approaches-and-paradigms-in-the-study-of-greek-architecture-3-5-novembeConference Name: New Approaches and Paradigms in the Study of Greek Architecture, American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Shaping the Central Valley in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Shaping the Central Valley in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: V. Baillet
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: C. Houseman
Author: Y. Poularakis
Abstract: Preliminary report on research during the 2016 field season in the Central Ravine of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 02/25/2017
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/february-24-25-emory-university-and-universite-de-bordeaux-montaigne-partner-university-fund-project-on-ancient-greek-architecture/Conference Name: Architectural Interactions in the Northern Aegean,” Emory-Université Bordeaux-Montaigne Colloquium, Atlanta
Samothracian Architectural Innovations (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Samothracian Architectural Innovations
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Overview lecture delivered during a PUF-sponsored visio-conference on Architectural Networks of the Northern Aegean.
Date: 03/02/16
Conference Name: Architectural Networks of the Northern Aegean (Visio-Conference)
From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Winged Victory of Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Winged Victory of Samothrace
Abstract: The twelfth annual David Grose Memorial Lecture. Wescoat is the Director of Excavations for the Sanctuary of the Great Gods in Samothrace. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Department of Classics, UMass Amherst.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 04/04/2016
Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Primary URL:
https://www.umass.edu/classics/david-f-grose-memorial-lectureFrom the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Winged Victory of Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Winged Victory of Samothrace
Abstract: Public lecture delivered as the Jay C. and Ruth Halls Lecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 10/13/2016
Location: University of Wisconsin–Madison
From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace
Abstract: Public lecture presented as the 14th Virginia N. Brinkley Lecturer at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 03/30/2017
Location: College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Primary URL:
https://events.wm.edu/event/view/as/84038From the Vantage of Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Vantage of Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace
Abstract: Emory University Art Historian Bonna Daix Wescoat will give a talk on her research as part of the Mississippi State University Institute for the Humanities' Distinguished Lecture Series. MSU's Department of Art and the Cobb Institute of Archaeology also are serving as event sponsors. Wescoat worked with specialists to restore the Winged Figure of Victory, the Nike of Samothrace, at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Click the "Link" below for more information on Wescoat's presentation, which is free to all.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 04/06/2016
Location: Mississippi State University, Starkville
Primary URL:
https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2017/03/msu-program-next-week-spotlights-nike-restoration-preservationFrom the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: New Research on the Nike of Samothrace
Abstract: Public lecture delivered in the Aarhus Seminars in Classical Antiquity.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 09/21/2017
Location: Aarhus University, Denmark
Primary URL:
https://cas.au.dk/en/currently/events/event/artikel/from-the-vantage-of-the-victory-new-research-on-the-nike-of-samothrace/ARTHIST 729: Strategies for 3D Visualization in Art History, Archaeology, and the Environment (Course or Curricular Material)Title: ARTHIST 729: Strategies for 3D Visualization in Art History, Archaeology, and the Environment
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. C. Page
Abstract: Humanists and social scientists have increasingly engaged the affordances of digital visualization for managing, interrogating, connecting, and presenting a wide array of three-dimensional objects in three-dimensional spatial contexts. This course centers on how digital technologies for various forms of spatial thinking, modeling, and visualizing offer both powerful forensic tools and effective forms of public communication. Using as a starting point the current research trajectory of investigations in the ancient Greek Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace, this course aims to acquaint students with the fundamental digital tools of spatial analysis and offer the opportunity to work directly with each technology. A key objective is to enable students to make knowledgeable choices about which strategies and technologies most effectively address particular research or visualization questions. An emphasis on both acquired skills sets and their informed deployment will effectively prepare students to frame research questions visually and present Humanities scholarship to public audiences.
Year: 2020
Audience: Graduate
ARTHIST 470R-1/729: Art and Sacred Experience in the Hellenistic Age: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (Course or Curricular Material)Title: ARTHIST 470R-1/729: Art and Sacred Experience in the Hellenistic Age: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: In this seminar we will use the Sanctuary of the Great Gods as a backdrop for investigating how artistic and architectural innovations—engendered by political, social, and religious changes that followed the death of Alexander the Great—were deployed in the service of sacred experience in the Hellenistic period. The fame of the windswept, mile-high island of Samothrace in the northeastern Aegean emanated from its mystery cult of the Great Gods, whose rites of initiation promised protection at sea and the opportunity to “become a better and more pious person in all ways” (Diodorus). Although the rites were kept secret, we can gain a purchase on their transformative power through the comments of ancient authors, the lists of initiates who left their names in the sanctuary, the innovative architecture that sheltered the rituals, the splendid dedications offered to the Gods, and the humble but crucial detritus of cult—pottery and animal bones—that built up over centuries of use spanning from the 7th century BC to the 4th century AD. The Sanctuary of the Great Gods thus provides a key point of access into the religious, political, and cultural forces that reshaped the visual terrain of the Hellenistic world.
Students will gain hands-on experience working with the archaeological material in our research portfolio and have the opportunity to work with an array of computer programs used to manage, model, reconstruct, and share this remarkable place on earth.
Year: 2019
Audience: Graduate
The Winged Victory: Learning from a Masterpiece of Hellenistic Sculpture (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: The Winged Victory: Learning from a Masterpiece of Hellenistic Sculpture
Abstract: Public presentation of the results of the Louvre's 2014 restoration of the Nike of Samothrace.
Author: L. Laugier
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumFraming the Victory (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Framing the Victory
Abstract: Public presentation of new research on the precinct which once housed the Nike of Samothrace.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. Glennon
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumNike Precinct: The Ceramic Evidence (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Nike Precinct: The Ceramic Evidence
Abstract: Public presentation of new research on pottery found in the excavation of the Nike Precinct.
Author: A. Laftsidis
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumRecovering the Theater (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Recovering the Theater
Abstract: Public presentation of the results of the 2018 excavations of the theater at Samothrace.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumTracing the Provenance of Building Stone in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods Using Petrography and Geochemistry (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Tracing the Provenance of Building Stone in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods Using Petrography and Geochemistry
Abstract: Public presentation of new scientific research on the local stones used to construct buildings in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: W. Size
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumWhen Local Crafts Meet International Ambitions: Reconstructing the Stoa (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: When Local Crafts Meet International Ambitions: Reconstructing the Stoa
Abstract: Public presentation of new research on the design, reconstruction, and use of the Stoa.
Author: S. Holzman
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumBuilding International Connections: Design and Decoration in the Roof of the Stoa (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Building International Connections: Design and Decoration in the Roof of the Stoa
Abstract: Public presentation of new research on the reconstruction of the Stoa's roof, and its possible design connections to the roofs of Macedonian royal palaces.
Author: C. Seidler
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumAdorning the Stoa Terrace: Major Monuments in the Vicinity of the Nike (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Adorning the Stoa Terrace: Major Monuments in the Vicinity of the Nike
Abstract: Public presentation of new research on the varied marble monuments which stood in front of the Stoa on the Western Hill.
Author: S. L. Blevins
Date: 04/15/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/laszlo-excalibur-lecture-and-day-1-samothrace-symposiumSamothrace, a Sacred Islandscape (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Samothrace, a Sacred Islandscape
Abstract: Public keynote lecture exploring the sacred landscapes across the entire island of Samothrace.
Author: D. Matsas
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumUncovering the Ancient City: Excavations in Palaiopolis (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Uncovering the Ancient City: Excavations in Palaiopolis
Abstract: Public keynote lecture presenting the results of recent Greek excavations at the site of the Ancient City of Samothrace, adjacent to the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: C. Karadima
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumAccess and Movement in the Region of the Stoa Plateau (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Access and Movement in the Region of the Stoa Plateau
Abstract: Public presentation of recent research on means of access and patterns of movement on the Western Hill of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: M. L. Popkin
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumUnlocking the Fulcrum: The Altar Court and its Relation to the Theater (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Unlocking the Fulcrum: The Altar Court and its Relation to the Theater
Abstract: Public presentation of recent reexamination of the reconstruction and topographical setting of the so-called Altar Court in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: J. Paga
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumThe Central Torrent: Iterative Water Management and Ritual Implications (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: The Central Torrent: Iterative Water Management and Ritual Implications
Abstract: Public presentation of recent research on the construction and history of the Central Torrent in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumMetal Objects in the Stoa Fill (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Metal Objects in the Stoa Fill
Abstract: Public presentation of recent analysis of the metal objects found in the fill of the Stoa.
Author: A. S. Koch
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumBronze Sculpture and Terracotta Figurines from the Stoa (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Bronze Sculpture and Terracotta Figurines from the Stoa
Abstract: Public presentation of recent analysis of bronze sculptural fragments and terracotta figurines found during the excavation of the Stoa.
Author: M. Glennon
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumReflecting the Banquet: Glass from the Stoa Fill (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Reflecting the Banquet: Glass from the Stoa Fill
Abstract: Public presentation of recent analysis of glass fragments found during the excavation of the Stoa.
Author: E. Archie
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumEnvironmental Context(s): Imaging, Mapping, and Analysis in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and Environs (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Environmental Context(s): Imaging, Mapping, and Analysis in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and Environs
Abstract: Public presentation of recent advancements in imaging and mapping the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: M. C. Page
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumFrom the Eyes of the Ancients: 3D Walkthroughs of the Reconstructed Sanctuary (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: From the Eyes of the Ancients: 3D Walkthroughs of the Reconstructed Sanctuary
Abstract: Public presentation of the newest iteration of the 3D model of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, and the use of walkthrough videos to reconstruct the paths of ancient visitors.
Author: I. Burr
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumStudying Crowd Dynamics as a Way of Understanding Initiation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Studying Crowd Dynamics as a Way of Understanding Initiation in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods
Abstract: Public presentation of the recent use of crowd modeling as a strategy for understanding the experience of being an initiate at Samothrace.
Author: A. Basu
Date: 04/16/2021
Location: Atlanta, GA
Primary URL:
https://carlos.emory.edu/day-2-samothrace-symposiumBridging the Divide: the Altar Court and Central Torrent (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Bridging the Divide: the Altar Court and Central Torrent
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: J. Paga
Abstract: The central valley of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, accessed via the Eastern Hill’s sacred way, has at its ritual focus the Hall of Choral Dancers and to its south, the monumental Hieron. Yet, the enigmatic structure immediately west of the Hieron known as the Altar Court plays an equally important role as the kinesthetic and architectural fulcrum between the central sanctuary and the monuments and terraces of the Western Hill. While architectural proportions and ornamentation link the Altar Court to the Hieron, its colonnaded and inscribed facade emphasizes its westward orientation, as it looks toward the theater, thereby infusing the space between the two edifices with both ritual and theatrical connotations.
Today, as in the past, the sanctuary’s central ravine dramatically bisects this interstitial space, the deep channel sharply separating the central valley from the Western Hill throughout the sanctuary and hindering movement between the two areas. Excavation and study of the ravine’s ancient remains have clarified the formal qualities of this monumental project, and the high material costs likely associated with its original construction phase and major renovation during the Roman period. The question of how this feature was bridged, and thus controlled movement between different areas of the sanctuary, is especially important in the area between the Altar Court and theater. Rather than a hindrance, the central ravine’s mediation of movement played a crucial role in shaping experience and emphasizing key architectonic relationships.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
Recovering the Theater in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Recovering the Theater in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Abstract: Searching for the head of the Winged Victory in 1891, Charles Champoiseau first exposed the theater that ascends the western slope connecting the central sanctuary to the stoa plateau within the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. Several rows of well-preserved seats, the diazoma, and other features were uncovered by a French-Czech team in 1923, but when Karl Lehmann arrived at the site in 1937, evidence of the theater had largely vanished. Relying on other evidence, Lehmann arrived at a reconstruction that became the basis upon which scholars have understood the theater and its place within the larger sanctuary.
Recent research and excavation, however, has allowed us to clarify our understanding of the monument: georeferencing and correcting inaccuracies in the original French-Czech plan, determining the major design features of the theater, and gaining a better understanding of the complex topographic relationship of the buildings that define this critical zone of the Sanctuary. The koilon may have consisted only of the central five kerkides that survive, for a wedge-shaped design similar to the nearby theater at Thasos, but a fuller design should not be excluded. The newly secured position and dimensions of the orchestra, meanwhile, help to resolve the dual elevation issue in the space between the Altar Court and theater, and provide new evidence for how the Nike monument above the theater was oriented to meaningfully interact with the theater and the areas of the central sanctuary below.
Unfortunately, excavations have not clarified the date of the theater. Reconsideration of the orientation, function, and date of adjacent monuments provides relative evidence to suggest that the creation of a permanent stone theater may belong closer to the middle of the third century B.C.E, rather than the traditional dating at the end of the third or the early second century B.C.E.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
Advancing Research on the Nike of Samothrace and its Precinct (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Advancing Research on the Nike of Samothrace and its Precinct
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. Glennon
Author: V. Baillet
Author: L. Laugier
Abstract: This paper addresses two important aspects of the Nike Monument currently under investigation: the design of the ram that formed the end of the Nike’s prow, and the curious remnants of plaster lion heads found scattered in and around the monument. Photogrammetry and 3D modeling have allowed us to work most effectively with the full surviving material split between Samothrace Archaeological Museum and the Musée du Louvre.
First, we have been able to reconstruct the ram that adorned the warship forming the base of the Nike monument. This daringly configured block originally was cantilevered from the socle to project nearly three meters. Unsurprisingly, it fractured near the midpoint, and only small fragments of it survive. Using photogrammetic 3D modeling of fragments on Samothrace and in the Louvre, we demonstrate that the Nike’s ram is closely related to Egadi ram 1, relic of the first Carthaginian War, as well as a well-preserved Lartian marble ram, from a similar naval monument erected in Rhodes. Our new reconstructed 3D model of the prow demonstrates both the remarkable engineering required to construct the cantilevered block as well as the visual force of the projecting ram in this iconic monument.
Second, we use photogrammetric modeling to create a complete 3D set of scattered fragments of large-scale plaster lion heads from the Nike precinct. Never systematically studied, these humble fragments offer critical new evidence about the precinct. The remains indicate at least two, possible three lions head, possibly belonging to waterspouts on a sima. If correct, this would provide strong evidence that the Nike stood within a roofed structure. We present evidence for the profile of the block to which the lion heads were originally attached and discuss the unusual scale of the lions’ heads for the likely size of the Nike’s building.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
Let the Sherds Speak: The Ceramic Evidence from the Nike Precinct on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Let the Sherds Speak: The Ceramic Evidence from the Nike Precinct on Samothrace
Author: A. Laftsidis
Abstract: The Nike of Samothrace is considered one of the most important sculptural creations of the Hellenistic period and has received extensive scholarly attention. Nevertheless, most of the monument’s publications focus on its sculptural style/features to extrapolate mainly on the issues of the identity of the dedicator, the sculptor of the statue, as well as the occasion for which it was erected. Dates proposed thus far for the monument range greatly, from the early third century to the first century B.C.E. However, the widely accepted placement of the statue in the period of the so-called Hellenistic baroque seems to narrow its date to about 250–150 B.C.E. Pottery, an important component of almost any archaeological problem, has not been taken into consideration so far. This paper argues that the pottery discovered in association with the Nike monument sheds light on the puzzling issue of its date, supporting or weakening some of the proposed theories.
This paper presents the pottery discovered in 1939 and in the 1950s and 1980s within the Nike precinct and its immediate surrounds. Certain caveats emerge: what kind of pottery should be expected for such a kind of monument? How much of this pottery material originally belonged to the area of the precinct? These concerns, combined with the fact that most pottery derives from disturbed fills, call for caution. Nevertheless, a rather uniform picture emerges: the pottery assemblage is dominated by the locally produced Samothracian conical bowls and small bowls, predominantly of the later variety with a string-cut base. Other shapes found in abundance include cooking ware, jugs, and transport amphorae. Consequently, this presentation argues that the date of the Nike monument in the late third to early second century B.C.E., initially proposed by Karl Lehmann, is not supported by the current analysis of the pottery from the Nike precinct.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
(Re)Constructing the Stoa of Samothrace: A Local Dedication with International Ambition (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: (Re)Constructing the Stoa of Samothrace: A Local Dedication with International Ambition
Author: S. Holzman
Author: A. S. Koch
Author: C. Seidler
Abstract: The largest building in the Sanctuary, the stoa has been conspicuous since the first excavations at the site but has never been fully published. This paper presents the results of new research into the stoa’s architecture, decoration, and use—helped especially by the identification of the corner geison block in the Louvre. Identifying the position of every block in the building’s south wall, for instance, has revealed subtle design features, such as an intentional, uniform slope along the building’s length. Was this a utilitarian addition to drain water from the stoa’s terrace or an aesthetic refinement? The terra-cotta roof system indicates local craftsmanship but shares stylistic links with Hellenistic palaces, suggesting that the stoa’s designers may have had palatial ambitions. Finds from the stoa, especially metal objects including iron, lead, and bronze fragments of construction materials, architectural embellishments, vessel parts, votive offerings, and jewelry, offer rich evidence for the building’s ornamentation and the types of objects used within the building, as well as a glimpse of the many ancient visitors to the site. Capacity estimates for the building and adjacent theater reveal that the two structures functioned in tandem and could host crowds on a different scale than the intimate gathering places used for initiation into the Samothracian mysteries. These new avenues of investigation allow us to propose that the stoa was likely a local initiative financed by the Samothracian community. Its departures from the architectural conventions of the Sanctuary’s ornate marble dedications shows how a city harnessed local crafts to meet international ambitions.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
Competition and Display: Monumental Dedications on the Stoa Terrace at Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Competition and Display: Monumental Dedications on the Stoa Terrace at Samothrace
Author: S. L. Blevins
Author: M. L. Popkin
Abstract: The massive terrace built to support the Stoa became a highly desirable location for sculptural dedications in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. The surviving foundations of at least seven monumental statue platforms attest to the accumulation of grand dedications lining the stoa’s facade. The remains of some are well preserved although no longer in situ; the appearance of several others above their foundations has long remained enigmatic. This paper presents the results of recent research into the monumental dedications on the stoa terrace. Through new field research, we can now attribute many fragments to particular foundations, enabling a clearer reconstruction of the dedicatory landscape of the stoa terrace. In a particularly exciting discovery, we have identified fragments of an Ionic column from the area that indicate an impressive column monument adjacent to the already known column monument of Philip V. In addition, a newly identified cutting on the Philip V base has furthered our understanding of the dedication’s form, and the marble analysis of statue base fragments has revealed a wide range of imported marbles deployed in a variety of combinations on the stoa terrace. After analyzing the reciprocal relationship among sculptural dedications and the stoa, we show how the configuration of monuments determined visitors’ access to the stoa in antiquity. We argue that dedicators strategically placed monuments in front of the stoa to create major entrance points and to vie for physical prominence and maximum visibility. Ultimately, we argue, these monuments converted the open terrace into a pathway that simultaneously prescribed entrance to the stoa and propelled visitors toward expansive vistas overlooking the Aegean Sea and central Sanctuary, encouraging visitors to recall their maritime approach to the island and to mentally reenact their recent physical and emotional journey through initiation into the mysteries of the Great Gods.
Date: 01/08/2021
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
From the Vantage of the Victory: Recent Work in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace (Conference/Institute/Seminar)Title: From the Vantage of the Victory: Recent Work in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Author: M. L. Popkin
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Author: J. Paga
Author: M. Glennon
Author: V. Baillet
Author: L. Laugier
Author: A. Laftsidis
Author: S. Holzman
Author: A. S. Koch
Author: C. Seidler
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: This colloquium presents research centered on the region in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace that coalesces around the famous Nike of Samothrace, which has long captured the imagination of the world. From the Nike’s vantage over the performative heart of the Sanctuary—the theater, stoa, and Altar Court—we reframe the archaeological investigation of this Hellenistic international religious center by grounding the rich material record in the dynamic environmental factors underlying it, and the human actions through which it was determined and experienced. The colloquium presents a cross-section of dynamic new research stemming from archaeological investigation, 3D modeling and digital reconstruction, and meticulous examination of previously excavated but heretofore unexamined small finds. Collectively, the papers demonstrate the significance of Samothrace as a locus where local and international ambition and patronage met with innovative results, and where landscape and human interaction are integrally interwoven.
Date Range: 01/08/2021
Location: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, Chicago, IL (webinar)
Clamp Technology in the Stoa of Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Clamp Technology in the Stoa of Samothrace
Author: A. Goblirsch
Abstract: Presentation of recent research on the use of metal clamps in the construction of the Stoa at Samothrace.
Date: 03/16/2018
Primary URL:
https://ausonius.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/component/icagenda/20-thasos-and-samothrace-northern-aegean-architectural-networks-in-the-formation-of-hellenistic-and-roman-designConference Name: Thasos and Samothrace: Northern Aegean Architectural Networks in the Formation of Hellenistic and Roman Design
Raising the Roof: Stoa Woodwork on Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Raising the Roof: Stoa Woodwork on Samothrace
Author: Z. Forstrom
Abstract: Presentation of recent research on the design and construction of the roof and ceiling of the Stoa at Samothrace.
Date: 03/16/2018
Conference Name: Thasos and Samothrace: Northern Aegean Architectural Networks in the Formation of Hellenistic and Roman Design
Raising the Roof: The Woodwork of the Stoa and Its Relation to Design on Samothrace and in the North Aegean (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Raising the Roof: The Woodwork of the Stoa and Its Relation to Design on Samothrace and in the North Aegean
Author: Z. Forstrom
Abstract: Presentation of new research on the design and construction of the roof of the Stoa at Samothrace, and its potential relationship to the roofs of stoas at Thasos.
Date: 01/06/2019
Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America
Why Did the Initiate Cross the Ravine? Understanding the Altar Court and Theater (Blog Post)Title: Why Did the Initiate Cross the Ravine? Understanding the Altar Court and Theater
Author: J. Paga
Abstract: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace is full of mysteries. Deep in the central sanctuary, however, snuggled up against the ravine, is a building that does not seem too mysterious at first glance – the Altar Court. It is a square building that had a beautiful marble façade with Doric columns and an inscription. Once you take a closer look, though, this building turns out to be just as mysterious as the ancient rites that drew pilgrims to the rocky island for centuries.
Date: 01/01/2017
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/2471-2/Blog Title: Why Did the Initiate Cross the Ravine? Understanding the Altar Court and Theater
Website: American Excavations Samothrace
Water Under the Bridge? Questions and Challenges in the Central Ravine (Blog Post)Title: Water Under the Bridge? Questions and Challenges in the Central Ravine
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Abstract: Public discussion of recent research into the design, construction, and impact of the Central Ravine in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 01/01/2018
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/water-under-the-bridge-questions-and-challenges-in-the-central-ravine/Blog Title: Water Under the Bridge? Questions and Challenges in the Central Ravine
Website: American Excavations Samothrace
Samothrace – “The Crust of the Earth” (Blog Post)Title: Samothrace – “The Crust of the Earth”
Author: W. Size
Abstract: Public discussion of the variety of locally quarried rocks that were used by the ancient Greeks in their construction, including in the “Sanctuary of the Great Gods."
Date: 10/15/2016
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/samothrace-the-crust-of-the-earth/Blog Title: Samothrace – “The Crust of the Earth”
Website: American Excavations Samothrace
Report on Summer 2016 Stoa Work (Blog Post)Title: Report on Summer 2016 Stoa Work
Author: L. Neiman
Abstract: Public discussion of research conducted in summer 2016 on the reconstruction of the Stoa.
Date: 08/15/2016
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/blog-report-on-summer-2016-stoa-work/Blog Title: Report on Summer 2016 Stoa Work
Website: American Excavations Samothrace
2019 Field Season (Report)Title: 2019 Field Season
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Preliminary report on the research conducted during the 2019 field season.
Date: 08/15/2019
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/2019-field-season/2018 Field Season (Report)Title: 2018 Field Season
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Preliminary report on the results of research conducted during the 2018 field season.
Date: 08/15/2018
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/field-seasons/2017 Field Season (Report)Title: 2017 Field Season
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Preliminary report on research conducted during the 2017 field season.
Date: 08/15/2017
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/field-seasons/2016 Field Season (Report)Title: 2016 Field Season
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Preliminary report on research conducted during the 2016 field season.
Date: 08/15/2016
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/field-seasons/The Sanctuary of the Great Gods – 3D Model (early 1st cent. AD) (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)Title: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods – 3D Model (early 1st cent. AD)
Writer: D. Matsas
Writer: M. L. Popkin
Director: B. D. Wescoat
Producer: K. Tzortzinis
Abstract: A walk through the 3D digital reconstruction model of the Sanctuary, produced for the reopening of Hall A of the Archaeological Museum of Samothrace.
Year: 2020
Primary URL:
https://vimeo.com/444545786Secondary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/archaeological-museum-of-samothrace-reopens-hall-a/Format: Digital File
Format: Web
Samothracian Petrography (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Samothracian Petrography
Author: W. Size
Abstract: Presentation of preliminary results of a study of the locally quarried stones used to construct buildings in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 03/28/2018
Primary URL:
https://architectureantique.u-bordeaux.fr/files/Ecole_thematique_Archi_Antique/2018/Ecole-Thematique-2018_2602.pdfConference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
The Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Overview discussion of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the research conducted there.
Date: 03/28/2018
Primary URL:
https://architectureantique.u-bordeaux.fr/files/Ecole_thematique_Archi_Antique/2018/Ecole-Thematique-2018_2602.pdfConference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Votive and Honorific Display of Statues in the Sanctuary (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Votive and Honorific Display of Statues in the Sanctuary
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: Overview discussion of votive statues erected and discovered in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 03/29/2018
Primary URL:
https://architectureantique.u-bordeaux.fr/files/Ecole_thematique_Archi_Antique/2018/Ecole-Thematique-2018_2602.pdfConference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Samothrace: After the Storm (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Samothrace: After the Storm
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Discussion of damage caused to the Sanctuary of the Great Gods by storms in 2017.
Date: 03/29/2018
Primary URL:
https://architectureantique.u-bordeaux.fr/files/Ecole_thematique_Archi_Antique/2018/Ecole-Thematique-2018_2602.pdfConference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
The Altar Court, Theater, and Ravine: Issues of Topography and Reconstruction (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Altar Court, Theater, and Ravine: Issues of Topography and Reconstruction
Author: J. Paga
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Abstract: Presentation of recent research on the reconstructions of the Altar Court and Theater at Samothrace and the relationship between both and the Central Ravine.
Date: 03/29/2018
Primary URL:
https://architectureantique.u-bordeaux.fr/files/Ecole_thematique_Archi_Antique/2018/Ecole-Thematique-2018_2602.pdfConference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Le sanctuaire des Grands Dieux à Samothrace : du relevé photogrammétrique à la réalisation des modèles 3D du « ravin central » (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Le sanctuaire des Grands Dieux à Samothrace : du relevé photogrammétrique à la réalisation des modèles 3D du « ravin central »
Author: V. Baillet
Abstract: Preliminary report on the use of photogrammetry to make a model of the Central Ravine of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 03/15/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
The Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods at Samothrace
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Abstract: Overview presentation of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the research program carried out there.
Date: 03/16/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
The Altar Court (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Altar Court
Author: J. Paga
Abstract: Presentation of the so-called Altar Court, its reconstruction, and its relationship to the Theater and Central Ravine.
Date: 03/16/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Coffered Ceilings of Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Coffered Ceilings of Samothrace
Author: A. S. Koch
Abstract: Overview discussion of the design and use of coffered ceilings at Samothrace.
Date: 03/16/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Performance, Memory, and Community in the Region of the Western Hill of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Performance, Memory, and Community in the Region of the Western Hill of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: M. L. Popkin
Abstract: Presentation of research regarding the ritual use of space on the Western Hill of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 03/17/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
Monumental Statue Bases (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Monumental Statue Bases
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: Presentation of large scale statue bases in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace, with a focus on those atop the Western Hill, fronting the Stoa.
Date: 03/17/2017
Conference Name: Ecole thématique internationale Formation à l'expertise en architecture antique
The Mysteries of Samothrace: American Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: The Mysteries of Samothrace: American Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods
Abstract: Professor Maggie Popkin will be giving an online lecture on “The Mysteries of Samothrace: American Excavations in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods” on Tuesday, July 28, 1:30 pm, as part of the Siegal Center’s Classical Archaeology Series. Professor Popkin will present the most up-to-date archaeological research in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, including results of recent NEH-sponsored excavations in the region of the famous Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Author: M. L. Popkin
Date: 07/21/2020
Location: Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (webinar)
Primary URL:
https://arthistory.case.edu/2020/07/the-mysteries-of-samothrace-american-excavations-in-the-sanctuary-of-the-great-gods/Illuminating the Mysteries of the Great Gods at Samothrace, Greece (Book Section)Title: Illuminating the Mysteries of the Great Gods at Samothrace, Greece
Author: M. L. Popkin
Editor: N. Gonlin
Editor: M. Strong
Abstract: A reexamination of the nocturnal initiation rituals in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, focusing on how they were lit.
Year: 2022
Publisher: University Press of Colorado
Book Title: After Dark: The Nocturnal Urban Landscape and Lightscape of Ancient Cities
Photogrammetric Modeling and the Central Ravine of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Article)Title: Photogrammetric Modeling and the Central Ravine of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: V. Baillet
Author: I. Poularakis
Author: A. Farinholt Ward
Abstract: A seasonal torrent, bounded by retaining walls integrating Greek and Roman phases, runs through the middle of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace. This central ravine was the subject of study in 2016, inspired by the American mission’s current focus on the question of how ancient visitors navigated the sanctuary. A key aspect of this study was the accurate, but selective, documentation of the ravine’s anthropogenic elements, and the delineation of these premodern and modern phases. Rather than using laser scanning or other technologies more often used for large features, the project generated a high definition photogrammetric model and associated vector drawings by a modified protocol using a handheld camera. This case study reviews the efficacy of this low-resource methodology within a complex archaeological site, its limitations, and the technique’s long-term benefits in light of a series of catastrophic storms between 2017 and 2020.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.daach.2021.e00173Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
Drinking Vessels from the Stoa (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Drinking Vessels from the Stoa
Author: A. Laftsidis
Abstract: Preliminary report on the pottery found during excavations of the Stoa, with a focus on the prolific drinking vessels.
Date: 06/26/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
Archaeology’s Contribution to Our Understanding of the Sanctuary’s Main Function - The Worship of the Great Gods (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Archaeology’s Contribution to Our Understanding of the Sanctuary’s Main Function - The Worship of the Great Gods
Author: K. Clinton
Abstract: Wide ranging discussion of how archaeological discoveries have impacted our understanding of the Samothracian mysteries and their initiation rites.
Date: 06/29/20
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
The Coins of the Stoa (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Coins of the Stoa
Author: L. Gadbery
Abstract: Preliminary report on the coins found during the excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/02/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
The Stoa Plaster (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Stoa Plaster
Author: L. Neiman
Abstract: Preliminary report on the fragments of wall plaster found during excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/02/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
The Monuments of the Stoa Plateau (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Monuments of the Stoa Plateau
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: Preliminary report on the monument bases and marble fragments found during excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/03/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
Terracotta Figurines and Bronze Sculpture of the Stoa (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Terracotta Figurines and Bronze Sculpture of the Stoa
Author: M. Glennon
Abstract: Preliminary report on the fragments of terracotta figurines and bronze sculpture found during excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/07/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
The Glass of the Stoa (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: The Glass of the Stoa
Author: E. Archie
Abstract: Preliminary report on the glass vessels and fragments found during excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/07/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
Initiate and Theoroi Lists at Samothrace (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Initiate and Theoroi Lists at Samothrace
Author: K. Clinton
Abstract: Introduction to the corpus of inscribed initiate and theoroi lists from Samothrace, with special focus on those found, or originally displayed, on the Western Hill.
Date: 07/09/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
Metal Finds from the Stoa Plateau (Conference Paper/Presentation)Title: Metal Finds from the Stoa Plateau
Author: A. S. Koch
Abstract: Preliminary report on the non-sculptural metal objects and fragments found during excavations of the Stoa.
Date: 07/10/2020
Conference Name: American Excavations Samothrace - Expert Summits
Navigating the Untracked: Agent-Based Modeling of Samothrace’s Sanctuary of the Great Gods (Blog Post)Title: Navigating the Untracked: Agent-Based Modeling of Samothrace’s Sanctuary of the Great Gods
Author: A. Li
Author: A. Basu
Abstract: ECDS Visual Information Specialist Arya Basu briefly describes and includes videos of his in-progress work on agent-based modeling of Samothrace’s Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Date: 04/14/2021
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/navigating-the-untracked-abm/Blog Title: Navigating the Untracked: Agent-Based Modeling of Samothrace’s Sanctuary of the Great Gods
Website: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship - Project Team Blog
American Excavations Samothrace Adapts to 2020 Virtual Season (Blog Post)Title: American Excavations Samothrace Adapts to 2020 Virtual Season
Author: A. Li
Abstract: This post explores reflections on the Samothrace virtual season from Michael Page (ECDS; Department of Environmental Sciences)—with additional input from Dr. Bonna Wescoat—during the COVID-19 pandemic in Summer 2020. The digital tools and methods the project team have used in adapting to new work conditions reflects a longer history of digital scholarship involved in the Samothrace project and have provided a way for project team members to collaborate and think critically about the direction of the project for the future.
Date: 09/08/2020
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/samothrace-virtual-season-2020/Blog Title: American Excavations Samothrace Adapts to 2020 Virtual Season
Website: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship - Project Team Blog
ECDS Helps Make 3D Model Video for Reopening of Archaeological Museum of Samothrace’s Hall A (Blog Post)Title: ECDS Helps Make 3D Model Video for Reopening of Archaeological Museum of Samothrace’s Hall A
Author: A. Li
Abstract: The Samothrace museum has announced its temporary re-opening of Hall A after years of renovation, and in the 3D model included in the exhibit and on the American Excavations Samothrace website, ECDS Visual Design Specialist Ian Burr has helped reconstruct the ancient landscape and the ancient buildings of the sanctuary. The video follows the path of the ancient visitor through the site.
Date: 08/31/2020
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/3d-video-hall-a-samothrace/Blog Title: ECDS Helps Make 3D Model Video for Reopening of Archaeological Museum of Samothrace’s Hall A
Website: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship - Project Team Blog
Discussions on 3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Blog Post)Title: Discussions on 3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Author: A. Li
Abstract: In late March, members of the Digital Visualization Lab at the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship participated in a presentation at the Parthenon2 symposium, hosted by Vanderbilt University and the Nashville Parthenon. Representing the project “3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Greece)”, Dr. Bonna Wescoat from the Art History department joined ECDS’s Visual Information Specialist, Arya Basu, and ECDS’s Digital Visualization Fellow, Ian Burr, as they presented on the ongoing 3D visualization efforts in the sanctuary.
Date: 04/26/2019
Primary URL:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/ecds/discussions-on-3d-initiatives-in-the-sanctuary-of-the-great-gods-samothrace/Blog Title: Discussions on 3D Initiatives in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Website: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship - Project Team Blog
2017 Dream Team – American Excavations Samothrace (Blog Post)Title: 2017 Dream Team – American Excavations Samothrace
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: Introduction to the team members and research agenda for the 2017 field season.
Date: 07/01/2017
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/2017-dream-team-american-excavations-samothrace/Blog Title: 2017 Dream Team – American Excavations Samothrace
Website: American Excavations Samothrace
Recent (Yesterday) Work on the Stoa in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: Recent (Yesterday) Work on the Stoa in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace
Abstract: Overview discussion of research carried out in 2018 on the Stoa in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 03/14/2019
Location: Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Bordeaux, FR
North Aegean Architectural Networks: Thasos and Samothrace in the Formation of Hellenistic and Roman Design (Public Lecture or Presentation)Title: North Aegean Architectural Networks: Thasos and Samothrace in the Formation of Hellenistic and Roman Design
Abstract: Overview discussion of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the architectural networks which linked it to the nearby island of Thasos.
Author: B. D. Wescoat
Date: 03/14/2019
Location: Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Bordeaux, FR
Understanding Human Movement in the Sanctuary Through Agent-Based Modeling (Web Resource)Title: Understanding Human Movement in the Sanctuary Through Agent-Based Modeling
Author: A. Basu
Abstract: Webpage presenting descriptions and videos of recent work using agent-based modeling (ABM) to assess the number of initiates that the sanctuary could hold.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/agent-based-modeling/(11b) Monuments on Stoa Terrace (Web Resource)Title: (11b) Monuments on Stoa Terrace
Author: S. L. Blevins
Abstract: Description and imagery of the monuments on the Stoa Terrace, for the Interactive Plan on the American Excavations Samothrace website.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/11b-monuments-on-stoa-terrace/(13) Theater (Web Resource)Title: (13) Theater
Author: P. Katz
Abstract: Revised description and imagery of the Theater, for the Interactive Plan on the American Excavations Samothrace website.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/theater/(11a) Stoa (Web Resource)Title: (11a) Stoa
Author: S. Holzman
Abstract: Description and imagery of the Stoa, for the Interactive Plan on the American Excavations Samothrace website.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/stoa/(12) Nike Monument (Web Resource)Title: (12) Nike Monument
Author: P. Katz
Abstract: Description and imagery of the Nike Monument, for the Interactive Plan on the American Excavations Samothrace website.
Year: 2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/nike-monument/April 15-16, 2021: From the Vantage of Victory: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the Island of Samothrace Symposium (Blog Post)Title: April 15-16, 2021: From the Vantage of Victory: The Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the Island of Samothrace Symposium
Author: P. Katz
Abstract: A short post summarizing the webinar symposium that occurred April 15-16, 2021, which served as the culmination of American Excavations Samothrace's NEH grant.
Date: 07/29/2021
Primary URL:
https://samothrace.emory.edu/april-15-16-2021-from-the-vantage-of-victory-the-sanctuary-of-the-great-gods-and-the-island-of-samothrace-symposium/Blog Title: American Excavations Samothrace