Narrative Archaeology:
Milos, a visit (5th century BC – 5th century AD)

On a route from Klima and the underground Catacombs to the Ancient Theater, the archaeological landscape of Milos reveals its narrative with the contribution of the Performing Arts.

Through walking, movement, sound, music, and new media, in this “performance of the narrative,” actors, musicians, residents of Milos, and archaeologists guided us through a visit to the silent presence of the Past as a living body, inviting spectators to take part in a journey that transcends conventional perceptions of time. Milos -with its complex geological, historical, and cultural identity- invites a stratigraphic, multi-layered reading, one that clearly reflects a kind of natural archaeology

In the site-specific work Narrative Archaeology: Milos, a Visit (5th c. BCE – 5th c. CE), a synthesis of narrative performativity and archaeology was realized — one that captures the inherent and indefinable attraction felt by the visitor of historical monuments in their search for the hidden, secret narrative of each Place.

Why do we visit an archaeological site today? What do we seek there?

Narrative Archaeology offers a unique tour/visit, constituting a dramaturgical experience of the archaeological site. It subtly guides the visitor to perceive an ineffable experience, transforming historical and archaeological knowledge into a sensory, emotional, and spiritual event—on an individual or collective level. It was developed as a research methodology on the occasion of 2023 Eleusis – European Capital of Culture and Mystery 20 Performing Arts Initiator – Narrative Archaeology at the archaeological site of Eleusis, which became the first site in Greece where this methodology was applied.

With the contribution of the Performing Arts, the project sought the hidden narrative of this specific archaeological landscape of Milos, allowing archaeological information to be transformed into an experience for the visitor.

The first part of the walking performance will continue in the form of a bilingual audio walk, which any interested person can undertake either alone or in groups.