History of archaeological photography in Greece

Myrtia Hellner

OTAN EDITIONS

This essay explores the evolution of analogue archaeological photography from 1839 to the 1980s. Initially, archaeologists viewed this new invention with skepticism. However, the simplification of the photographic process, changes in the aesthetic rendering of images, and the large-scale excavations conducted by foreign archaeological schools gradually contributed to the acceptance and widespread use of photography.
By the 20th century, archaeological photography had become established as a valuable tool for documentation. Professional archaeological photographers, whose work is examined in detail, played a decisive role in this development.
The National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis of Athens, along with the excavation of Ancient Olympia, stand as prominent examples of archaeological photography—encompassing the photography of sculptures, monuments, and excavations—which are thoroughly studied.
This book, the only one of its kind in Greece, seeks to provide a comprehensive account of the relationship between photography and the science of archaeology. Featuring a wealth of published and unpublished material, along with practical advice on photography, it serves as both a scholarly study and a valuable manual for professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Myrtia Hellner was born in Athens and grew up between Athens, Berlin and Andros. She studied Classical Archaeology at the University of Munich, followed by postgraduate studies in Art and Restoration at the University of Bamberg. Since 2015 she holds a PhD from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

She lives and works in Athens. As an independent researcher, she specializes in the field of archaeological photography, in the theory of photography and photochemistry, in the investigation of photographic archives, including the dating and archiving of photographic material, of public and private collections, and in photographers’ biographies.