When we think of ancient histories there, there are very distinct places that we think about. Hopefully, one you are thinking about right about now is Greece. This countries ancient history is one of the most in-depth and one that still is talked about thousands of years later. From the culture to even the language, the Greek history has preserved most things that they have had for so long.
But in terms of archeological sites, that are evidence of these ancient civilizations, it seems that it is not of any concern to people of Greece.
I am a Greek-American that tries to visit Greece every year. As I became older, I realized one significant thing out of everything; archaeological sites were regarded as secondary to everything else. My dad always said to me when I was younger that underneath every modern-day home in Greece, you will probably find a part of an ancient civilization.
It is truly upsetting to see that this country has done so little as compared to what exists around the country. We have so many areas where excavations have started, but funds from the government are not enough for them to continue. This is the case in places like the Parthenon in Athens and even in places like Santorini that is also rich in archeological findings.
Countries around the world are scavenging to find these archeological spots to bring back artifacts for their museums. What is most interesting about museums that I have visited, outside of Greece, is that almost all of them have an entire section dedicated to ancient Greek societies. There has been talk to bring back these artifacts to their true place in Greece but what stops me from thinking its a good idea is the simple fact that we struggling to maintain and to even find the things we have now; how would we protect the new things we would get?
As a Greek-American, who loves the country that she comes from, it is hard to see such history be lost. There is so much more to be excavated and we find that it is better to drink a cup of coffee or to argue about a soap opera than it is to find time to even open a conversation about our ancient history.
The more we let these sites sit unattended, the less we will be able to understand about these civilizations. Not only do I see it as a way in which we, as a greek society, remain uninformed, but it also a way in which other countries can continue to profit off our artifacts and history. The entrance fees that other countries charge would probably be enough to pick us up out from the economic crisis that Greece has been in for so long.
But unfortunately, as it seems, we will be drinking our coffee for a very long time before a change in this area happens.
