Renowned archaeologist and professor Panos Valavanis dies at 71

Panos Valavanis, one of Greece’s most distinguished archaeologists and a long-serving professor at the University of Athens, has passed away at the age of 71.

Valavanis was known for his prolific contributions to archaeological research, writing, and excavations. Among his many achievements, he identified traces of the oldest known hippodrome in Greece, located in Itea, northwest of Athens. 

Born in Athens in 1954, with family roots in Mesopotamos, Lesvos, Valavanis studied Classical Archaeology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and later continued his studies at the University of Würzburg in Germany.

He participated in numerous excavations under the mentorship of esteemed archaeologists such as Vassilis Lambrinoudakis, Petros Themelis, Michalis Tiverios, Erika Simon, and Heide Froning-Kehler. He was also a corresponding member of the German Archaeological Institute.

Valavanis began working at the University of Athens in 1980 and was appointed professor of classical archaeology in 2000 at the Department of History and Archaeology within the School of Philosophy.

His research interests spanned a wide range of fields, including Attica ceramics and vase painting, Panathenaic amphorae, ancient ceramic workshops, the topography of ancient Athens, the history and topography of the Galaxidi region, ancient Greek technology, and the Olympic Games.

He was deeply committed to public education, known for his tireless efforts to bring archaeology closer not only to his students but also to the broader public. 

Greece’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, paid tribute to Valavanis, calling him “a dedicated and inspired archaeologist” who “generously shared his experience, his wide-ranging knowledge, and his unique perspective.”

Source: ekathimerini.com