Exploring the Land of the Levantines: History and Archaeology of Medieval Chios.

The Project and the Course

General Information

Project type: Field school & archaeological field survey

Field school & expedition founded: 2024

The sites: Participants will visit, study and receive training in surveying, recording and historic landscape analysis. They will examine the medieval natural and built landscape, and record features pertaining to human activity on the physical landscape in the northern part of Chios island (medieval settlements, sites and their components).

Project venue and accommodation: Participants and staff will stay at Zorbas Apartments, situated on Leukathia beach, 2 km from the medieval village of Volissos, in NW Chios (https://www.chioszorbas.gr ). Lectures will take place at the school of Volissos, a beautiful early-twentieth-century building (known as the KEP mansion, the seat of the former municipality of Volissos).

About the project: The course aims to introduce students to field reconnaissance, landscape archaeology, historical topography and monumental architecture of the Byzantine-to-the-post Byzantine period (roughly from the 10^th–11^th century to the 1600s). During the field survey, we will study the elements and components that make up the historic landscape of Chios island (human activity such as settlement patterns, monumental architecture, watchtowers, rural churches, defensive works, and material culture). Hiking along selected medieval trails will give students insights into other archaeological features, such as manor houses, rural towers of the great landowners, peasant architecture, farmsteads, irrigation systems, mills, and the like. Participants will trace the evolution of the Byzantine settlement pattern from the dispersed settlement to the fortified (compact-clustered) village and its components. The field school is part of an ongoing project, whose goal is to compile an archaeological inventory of the NW region of Chios.

The field school is designed for students and young specialists in heritage, history and archaeology, but we also welcome anyone interested in:

- Medieval civilization in Southeastern Europe.

- Cultural heritage preservation.

- Heritage sites in the Aegean Sea and Chios island in particular.

BHF partners in this project:

• New Bulgarian University
• Municipality of Chios

Director: Dr. Ioanna N. Koukounis

Field school session available: September 2025

Application deadline: 31 July, 2025

Minimum length of stay: 10 days

Minimum age: 18

Number of field school places available: 

Project language: English  

Experience Required: No

Special requirements: The project is not recommended for individuals with solar allergies or other medical conditions that might be exacerbated during intensive outdoor activities. Participants may bring a laptop and a USB flash drive if they wish to do so. Bringing a personal DSLR camera is not required.

Archaeological Context & Period

The island of Chios holds a special place in the Aegean Sea. In the Middle Ages, its commercial, maritime and economic roles emerged at the time of the Commercial Revolution, when the two maritime Republics of Venice and Genoa had consolidated their supremacy in the Mediterranean. In the course of three centuries under the banners of Saint George, patron saint of Genoa, Chios was the most sought-after commercial center in the Levant. Its rise as a hub for international seaborne trade is an achievement credited to the Genoese mercantile spirit, organization, and management. Its overwhelming prosperity attracted people from the West, who settled there for business opportunities, interacted with the local population and adapted to the local culture. As a result, the island’s demography changed and a new social class emerged dubbed “the Levantines”.How did one culture impact the other? What is their heritage that was left behind? During the field school, we will explore the palimpsest of the Byzantine and Genoese material remains and the cultural impact of Eastern and Western encounters.

The Expedition

The expedition focuses on Mount Amani, the island’s northwestern region, a terra incognita in the scholarly record. Harsh, remote, and poor, Mount Amani is nevertheless surprisingly rich in material for the landscape archaeologist and the student of historical topography. Participants will be introduced to different types of historical and archaeological evidence and will be able to use, integrate and contextualize them.

The expedition in 2025 will focus on the medieval settlement of Volissos and its citadel, as well as several medieval to late medieval churches in the northwest of Chios. The goal will be to familiarize students with the available elements of architectural heritage at a building, ensemble and landscape level, to assess the different building techniques, establish the most common pathologies, analyze their causes and elaborate a strategy for preservation in the short, mid and long term.

The Field School

The Field School is comprised of: 

• Fieldwork 

  • Volissos and Citadel: site and landscape. Implantation strategies, historical evolution, landmarks, landscape heritage value assessment.
  • Architectural survey of a building/building fragment: traditional vs. modern surveying techniques, uses and limitations.
  • Survey and categorization of available pathologies; diagnose and analysis of the causes.
  • Heritage preservation: based on the survey and pathology diagnostic, establish a course of action for immediate urgent measures, stages of conservation/restoration and long-term exploitation.

      

• Specialized lectures in approaching architectural heritage preservation. Introduction to the concept of heritage preservation; historical doctrines and evolution of the concept of preservation; current tendencies, as well as Byzantine history of the northeastern Aegean; Christian Orthodox architecture and art; methodology; and types of historical and archaeological evidence. 

• Excursions and guided tours to Nea Moni (UNESCO monument); Aghion Galas, a medieval settlement built on a rocky spur, on the foothills of which there is a cave with traces of habitation dating from the Neolithic period; the Castle of Chios town; the Mastic Museum and villages

All participants will receive:

• Project handbook (in PDF version by e-mail)
• Balkan Heritage Field School Certificate specifying the fieldwork hours, educational modules, and sites visited
• T-shirt

The Team

• Dr Ioanna N. Koukouni, Byzantine archaeologist.  

• Ivan Vasilev, BHFS coordinator   

• Stefan Stoyanov, architect, BHFS afilliate 

• Ms. Vivi Potamousi MA in Distance Learning, Deputy Mayor responsible for Culture  
• Dr. Eirini Panou, Byzantine archaeologist, Open University of Cyprus.

The Program

The one-week field school session provides a minimum of ... hours of fieldwork, workshops, lectures and guided tours as follows:

Fieldwork:

• Introduction to the archaeological investigation, walkover and field reconnaissance in selected medieval sites.  

• Practicing basic survey and documentation techniques: visual inspection, measurement using tape, sketching, digital photography, site mapping, investigation using old maps, aerial photographs, toponymy, oral tradition etc.  

• Preliminary interpretation and identification of architectural styles and construction techniques, etc.

Lectures:

• Historical context of Chios island and the nearby Anatolian (Turkish) coast and its place in the provincial administration of the Byzantine Empire. The Genoese period of Chios (1304-1566).  

• Imperial patronage: fresco and mosaic decoration in imperial foundations.  

• Religious architecture and imperial patronage.  

• Secular architecture and rural manor houses.  

• Sigillography.  

• Numismatics.  

• Settlement patterns, hamlets, installations.  

• Defensive architecture – watch towers.  

• Rural churches.  

• Material culture.  

• Heraldry.

• Condition assessment of cultural heritage: diagnosing, risk assessment and intervention planning. “Medical” approach: diagnosing, triage and treatment plans. 
• Surveying and documenting architectural heritage. Introduction to architectural survey; general rules and available techniques; choosing a strategy adapted to a given object of study.

Workshops:

• Introduction to Byzantine sigillography and medieval numismatics 

Guided Tours:

• Nea Moni monastery  
• Cave of Aghion Galas
• Chios Mastic Museum

Reading Background

• Koukouni, I.,Chios dicta est…et in Aegaeo sita mari: Historical Archaeology and Heraldry on Chios, Oxford: Archaeopress 2021.  

• Argenti, P. Ph., The Occupation of Chios by the Genoese and their administration of the island 1346-1566, Cambridge U.P. 1958.  

• Doula Mouriki, The mosaics of Nea Moni on Chios, Athens 1985.  

• Bouras, Ch., The architecture of Nea Moni on Chios, Athens, 1982.  

• Ousterhout, R., “Originality in Byzantine Architecture: The Case of Nea Moni”, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Mar. 1992), pp. 48-60.  

• Herrin, J., Byzantium: The surprising life of a medieval empire. Penguin books 2007.  

• The Venice Charter, ICOMOS, 1965 - https://www.icomos.org/en/participer/179-articles-en-francais/ressources/charters-and-standards/157-thevenice-charter
• The Nara Document on authenticity, UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS, 1994 - https://www.iccrom.org/sites/default/files/publications/2020-05/convern8_06_thenaradocu_ing.pdf
• Sens et renaissances du patrimoine architectural, Benjamin Mouton, 2018, Éditions des Cendres, Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, ISBN-10: 2867422787, ISBN-13: 978-2867422782
• First Aid To Cultural Heritage In Times of Crisis, 1 - Handbook, ICCROM, 2018 - https://www.iccrom.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/fac_handbook_print_oct-2018_final.pdf
• First Aid To Cultural Heritage In Times of Crisis, 2 - Toolkit, ICCROM, 2018 - https://www.iccrom.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/fac_toolkit_print_oct-2018_final.pdf

Travel & Accommodation & Practicalities

Travel

Nearest Air Terminal: Chios Airport

Nearest Port: Port of Chios

Or: port of Çesme (Turkey) and thence to Chios

Where to go? Please arrive on 31 August 2024 no later than 18:30 pm in Chios, Greece.   

A detailed travel info-sheet for reaching the hotel from the nearest international airport will be provided for enrolled students.

All students are individually responsible for arranging and covering the cost of their trip to the host country, including booking flights and obtaining any necessary travel documents or visas (if applicable). 

Visa requirements: Citizens of EU, EEA, USA, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria. Citizens of all other countries may need a visa. The Balkan Heritage Foundation can send an official invitation letter that should be used at the relevant embassy to secure a visa to the program. For further details please visit our visa information page.

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation*: Participants will stay at the Zorbas Apartments, situated on Leukathia beach, 2 km from the medieval village of Volissos, in NW Chios (https://www.chioszorbas.gr ) in single, double or three-bed bedrooms. All rooms have showers and wifi. All students will be given a pick-up transfer option from the airport or the port.

Meals: Three meals per day are covered by the reimbursement payment. Meals usually take place in the hotel restaurant, except the brown-bag lunches (when on site and during the excursions). Requests for vegetarian food are accepted. Participants will have to pay extra for additional days in the project hotels, for single room accommodation, as well as for any meals and beverages, services or products outside the project package.

Free Time & Trips

Free time: Visits to Nea Moni, Agio Galas, the Chios Mastic Museum (or Panayia Krina) and the winery Ariousios are organized for all field school participants and covered by the reimbursement payment.

Technicalities & Practicalities

Insurance: The reimbursement payment does not cover insurance. It is necessary to arrange your insurance before your trip to Bulgaria. All EU citizens can use Bulgarian medical services, as long as they can provide evidence of their home-country health insurance with a card/certificate, etc.

Weather: The weather on Chios during September is summery. However, because of the mountainous geophysical relief, land and sea breezes account for cooler temperatures during the evening.

What to bring?

• Work shoes and clothes that will suit outdoor work – keeping in mind the weather conditions (sunny and warm during the day), sunscreen, a wide brim hat, and long trousers because of the vegetation and insects.
• Medication - Please bring only the prescription medicines needed. Bringing non-prescription medicine is unnecessary since you can easily buy all basic non-prescription drugs in Greece. Make sure to have all your medication in your handbag luggage while traveling.
• Small backpack (for your water bottle, snacks, camera, etc.)
• A converter to EU-type electrical sockets if needed.   
• We strongly recommend that all participants purchase an e-SIM card with mobile internet suited to their personal needs while staying in the EU. Although the hotel provides internet access, we are not responsible for its quality or reliability. We cannot guarantee that there won’t be interruptions, excessive network load, or potential server issues.
• A good attitude for work, fun, study and discoveries!

The Cost

All field schools are conducted as non-profit projects by the Balkan Heritage Foundation, Bulgaria. Their costs, including students' costs related to participation in the field school, are covered by the reimbursement payments made by field school students.

BHFS project reimbursement payment covers: Educational and fieldwork activities, pick-up from Chios airport/port, full-board accommodation (hotel + 3 meals per day), tools, materials, project handbook or readings, issue of Certificate of Attendance, administrative costs, travel related to the fieldwork and the excursions included in the field school program plus relevant entrance fees.

BHFS project reimbursement payment does not include: travel costs to Chios or costs of any activities not included in the field school program; medical products and services and any expenses related to medical quarantine (food delivery, accommodation, etc.).

The costs in USD are approximate. Please check the current exchange rates!

Early Bird Cost -  until April 30, 2025:

Early Bird Cost for a four-week project session is  2349 EUR/ approx. 2531 USD

Regular Cost - after April 30, 2025:

The Regular Cost for a four-week project session is 2499 EUR/ approx. 2,693 USD

Reimbursement Transfer Options:

- Bank transfer
- Online transfers via the Balkan Heritage virtual POS Terminal. VISA, MASTERCARD & MAESTRO cards are accepted.      
-  Wise money transfer

For further information contact Admissions Office at: [email protected]!

Discounts off the regular cost:

* 5% DISCOUNT OFF the regular cost available for:

1. Participation in more than one BHFS project in 2025 (discount applies to the second, third, etc. project).
2. Membership in the Archaeological Institute of America.

* 10% DISCOUNT OFF the regular cost available for:

1. Participation in any BHFS project/s in the past.

* 12% DISCOUNT OFF the regular cost available for:

1. Group Participation (three or more people who participate together in one BHFS project in 2025). The discount is valid for each participant.

* 15% DISCOUNT OFF the regular cost is available for:

1. Group Participation (three or more people, who participate in more than one BHFS project in 2025 (the discount is valid for each participant).
2. BHFS alumni, who participate in more than one BHFS project in 2025. (discount applies to the second, third, etc. project).
3. BHFS alumni who attended a full project in the past and return to the same project.

NOTE, 5% OF EVERY COST FOR THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE BALKAN HERITAGE PROTECTION FUND'S ACTIVITIES!

For more information about scholarships, low-cost flights, hotels, etc. please feel free to contact us or look at our recommended links.

New Bulgarian University grants 3 ECTS credits to students for attending the one-week session. Transcripts of Records (ToR) are available upon request for an additional tuition fee of 200 EUR for EU students and 300 EUR for non-EU students.

For details: Regulations for obtaining Transcripts of Records.

Participants in the field school who do not need academic credit units are not expected to pay for them.