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The book and the exhibition "Hands that Talk" examine the experiences and stories of the inhabitants of the village of Episkopi, whose lives were connected in one way or another with the archaeological research in the area.
Although the inhabitants of Episkopi participated in archaeological excavations conducted by Cypriot and foreign expeditions since the beginnings of Cypriot archaeology in the 19th century, their thoughts and experiences are omitted from official archaeological narratives. Especially during the colonial period, archaeological excavation workers were considered the 'hands' of archaeology; mere manual labourers who were not important enough to be mentioned or recorded.
In order to give voice to the "hands" of archaeology, photographer/researcher Theopisti Stylianou-Labert, archaeologists Elizabeth Stefani and Michael Given, and historian Paulina Nikolaou have produced an oral history and photography project entitled "Hands That Speak". Since the workers' stories cannot be traced in archaeological records and publications, the team spoke directly with people who participated in archaeological excavations or who knew people who participated. In 2022 and 2023, Elizabeth Stefani and Paulina Nicolaou interviewed participants, aged between 65 and 87, who were selected through word-of-mouth acquaintances. During the interviews, photographer Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert took photographs of the participants, capturing people, space and objects. More specifically, the book "Hands That Talk" includes photos and stories from: Eleni Christou, Socrates Savvas, Thessalia (Sallis) Onoufriou Kyriakou, Marulla Triantaphyllidou, Antonis Polycarpou, Maria Alexandrou, Demosthenes (Demos) Theodorou, Katina Tillirou, Chrystalla Evangelou, Anna Constantinou and Irini Kontou. Most of the participants worked in archaeological excavations as seasonal workers, support staff for various missions, guards or specialized technicians.
The project was funded by the Cyprus University of Technology and the CYENS Centre of Excellence. The book was published by the Department of Antiquities and will be launched together with an exhibition at theTopical Archaeological Museum of Kourion, Episkopi, on 10 May 2024 at 19:00.
For the invitation to the book launch and exhibition opening click here.
(GS/EP)
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