Protesters took to the streets of Athens, Greece, on Tuesday March 14 to denounce the assault on state-employed archaeologist Manolis Psarros. Some believe the attack was linked to Psarros’ regulatory work preserving cultural antiquities on the island of Mykonos and continued pressure from the tourism industry.
Last week, an unidentified man and his accomplice punched the 53-year-old archaeologist as he got into his car, knocking Psarros unconscious, collapsing and bleeding. Psarros’ partner told the Greek newspaper Prototheme that the archaeologist was punched in the face, head and sternum. An employee of the Cyclades Antiquities Authority, a department of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Psarros was taken to hospital and is now recovering at home after suffering from broken ribs and widespread bruising.
Culture Ministry workers stopped work for five hours in response to what protesters call a “mafia-like attack”. Despina Koutsoumba, who heads the association of protesting archaeologists, says the assault is potentially linked to recent cases of the Cyclades Antiquities Authority blocking property development in Mykonos, according to the report by the Greek magazine Parallax.
“He has no problems in his personal life – debts or anything like that – that would justify something like this,” Koutsoumba told the Associated press.
The Ministry of Culture and Sports did not respond Hyperallergic request for comment.
Protesters, including ministry employees and professionals from the National Association of Archaeological Conservators, are demanding increased protections for officials in roles like Psarros and refusing to work on cases involving Mykonos until the end of the month. months when the association plans a visit to the island resort.
Mykonos, a popular tourist destination and Instagram backdrop for influencers, is one of Greece’s most important archaeological sites. Off Mykonos, the island and UNESCO heritage site of Delos is the birthplace of Apollo, according to Greek mythology. The Sanctuary of Apollo was a popular destination for pilgrims during the first century BCE, and the island became a key trading port by the 2nd century CE. However, researchers are concerned about increased pressure and degradation of important monuments and cultural sites in Greece, largely caused by excessive tourism, a persistent problem in Mykonos.
The Psarros attack potentially shows growing tensions between culture advocates and the tourism industry in the southern Aegean region. (In 2022, the National Bank of Greece forecast 20 billion euros, or about $21 million, in revenue for the tourism industry, according to the French newspaper The world.) According Parallax, a recent change in laws changed the composition of the local council in the South Aegean to no longer accommodate a majority of archaeologists, which protesters saw as an attack on cultural heritage. In requests shared with Parallaxthe Association of Greek Archaeologists says the attack will not prevent ministry employees from doing their jobs.
“Combatant archaeologists and related scientific disciplines will continue to protect antiquities as a public good, strictly enforcing archaeological law,” the group wrote.
