Greece's Central Archaeological Council voted unanimously today to open the "School of Homer" archaeological site on the...

Greece's Central Archaeological Council voted unanimously today to open the "School of Homer" archaeological site on the island of Ithaca to the public, approving plans that will turn the long-neglected hilltop complex into a proper archaeological park. The site sits on the eastern slopes of Mount Exoghi in northern Ithaca, near the village of Stavros, and was excavated by the University of Ioannina between 1994 and 2012. Archaeologists Thanasis Papadopoulos and Litsa Kontorli-Papadopoulos uncovered a large acropolis-like complex that researchers say was first inhabited during the Middle Helladic period, roughly 1900 to 1600 BC, and continued to be occupied through the Mycenaean era and into the Hellenistic period. A tower from the Hellenistic phase still stands, and the area was later used as a burial ground during Roman times. The approved plans call for a main entrance built about 30 meters from a well-preserved Mycenaean-era underground stone fountain, which has long been one of the site's most striking features. A guard post, an accessible restroom, and an upgraded parking area with a compacted-earth surface are also included in the design. A natural-earth path will wind through the site, with a section graded for visitors with disabilities, along with two benches and four information signs. The timing matters. Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of "The Odyssey" became a box-office hit this past summer, reigniting global interest in Homer's epic and drawing more visitors to Ithaca than the island was prepared to receive. The mayor of Ithaca, Dionysis Stanitsas, acknowledged publicly that the island's archaeological sites were not ready for the surge in tourism. Today's approval is a direct step toward fixing that. Authorities note that further excavations will be needed before the full scope of the remains can be presented to visitors, so the archaeological park will open in stages as work progresses. #Ithaca #Greece #Archaeology