This introduction presents the structure and contents of the current issue of Archaeological Reports . It also offers an overview (not meant to be exhaustive) of archaeological activity in Greece over the past 12 months, focusing on major exhibitions and other cultural events as well as important recent publications.
Over 100 archaeological survey projects – of various kinds – have taken place in Greece over the last quarter century, making it one of the most intensively studied countries in Europe from the perspective of landscape archaeology, defined by various types of interest in settlement patterns and human–environmental interaction at spatial scales beyond the individual site. This article examines the practice of survey archaeology in Greece over the last 25 years, with a particular focus on projects that have taken place in the last 10 years. More broadly, it presents large-scale trends in surveys since their coalescence as a systematic form of archaeological research in the late 1950s, based on a dataset of 204 individual projects, mapped and classified according to type, spatial scale, methods, and chronology. Surveys in the twenty-first century exhibit considerable variety in methods and goals, with many characterized by smaller spatial scales, the integration of various types of remote sensing, and a focus on archaeological sites; we see fewer of the large-scale, diachronic regional surveys that became widespread in the later twentieth century. This variety – along with the increasing production and availability of high-quality, multi-modal data – should be applauded, though regional analysis remains a critical strength and important goal for landscape archaeologists in Greece. Lingering problems include publication lag, digital data availability and interoperability, and (occasional) over-emphasis on methodology as an end in and of itself, sometimes at the expense of historical and anthropological research questions. Promising developments for the future concern: (1) the investigation of landscapes that have received little attention from systematic surveys (highlands, mountains, forests, uninhabited islands), especially via remote sensing; (2) the publication, reanalysis, and interpretation of ‘legacy’ datasets; and (3) the integration of survey datasets across multiple scales to address ‘big-picture’ questions in the history and archaeology of Greece, as well as themes of wider significance.
Caves have long been valued in archaeology for their exceptional preservation of stratified deposits and other finds (e.g. palaeontological), making them vital sites for chronological sequencing and interpretive analysis. While some cave sites exemplify the value of stratigraphic integrity, many cave contexts present methodological and epistemological challenges due to palimpsest layers, complex usage histories, and symbolic dimensions. This paper critically examines the multifaceted nature of caves with particular focus on southern Greece. It is based on some of the most recently available data, exploring their archaeological, cultural, and environmental significance from the Palaeolithic to medieval periods. Given the extensive number of cave sites in Greece, this paper argues that caves are case-specific sites characterized by the implementation of specific archaeological research and conservation strategies, and that they are critical loci for interpreting human–environment interaction and cultural expression across millennia.
This article offers a critical synthesis of recent archaeological research on Byzantine Thrace (seventh–fourteenth centuries), emphasizing work undertaken in Bulgaria, Greece, and Türkiye over the past decade. Drawing on systematic excavations, regional surveys, and interdisciplinary projects, we highlight how new discoveries and re-examinations of legacy data have significantly reshaped our understanding of the landscape, settlements, and modes of connectivity in this strategically vital region. Key themes include long-term human–environment interactions, settlement hierarchies, and the interplay between urban and rural landscapes. Case studies of fortified centres such as Skopelos, Philippopolis, and Karasura reveal Thrace’s integration into imperial defence and trade networks, while investigations of port landscapes at Firuzköy, Ainos, and sites along the Black Sea coast underscore the centrality of waterways in structuring economic and social life. Research on monastic landscapes, from Mount Papikion to the Kosmosoteira monastery at Bera, demonstrates how religious communities functioned as hubs of economic production and aristocratic patronage. Parallel studies of rural and rupestrian sites highlight the dynamism of the countryside, challenging urban-centric models and foregrounding the adaptability of local populations to political and environmental change. Beyond individual sites, these findings reframe Thrace not as a peripheral hinterland but as a mosaic of interconnected microregions, each shaped by distinct ecological, cultural, and geopolitical conditions. They reveal both resilience and innovation in the face of shifting imperial borders, foreign incursions, and long-term environmental transformation. Yet the study also underscores the need for greater cross-border collaboration, as modern political boundaries continue to fragment the region’s archaeological record. By integrating diverse datasets and advocating for a transnational approach, this review situates Byzantine Thrace within broader Mediterranean discourse and highlights its potential to illuminate processes of connectivity, resilience, and change across the Byzantine world.
