Working visit to the ancient theater of Epirus PRESS RELEASE Athens, November 26 2012 The President and the Vice President of DIAZOMA Association Mr. Stavros Benos and Mr. Petros Themelis respectively, made a four-day working visit to the ancient theater of Epirus from 20 to 23 of November 2012. The program included visits to: the great Roman theater of Nicopolis, where preliminary and archaeological works are conducted in light of the upcoming restoration works at the monument (images 1-3).   Picture 1   Picture 2 Picture 3 Εικ. 4: Στιγμιότυπο από την επίσκεψη του ρωμαϊκού θεάτρου της Νικόπολης. These works, funded through the programmatic agreement for cultural development of € 100,000, which was signed between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Regional Authority of Epirus, brought to light something very important: the discovery of a section of the paved floor of the theater’s orchestra (images 5-6). Picture 5 Picture 6 The Roman Odeon of Nicopolis (image 7), where the second phase of the restoration works at the auditorium and the maintenance works in its tunnels are underway (images 8-9). The overall enhancement of the Odeon and the wider archaeological site of Nicopolis has been included in the NSRF funding program, with funding amounting to € 2,410,000. More support and restoration works will follow, both on the walls, and the marble frame of the Odeon’s orchestra, in order to safely open the monument to the public. (image 10). Picture 7 Picture 8 Picture 9 Picture 10 The ancient theater of Kassopi (images 11-14). Cleaning excavations have been already completed in this theater. An excavating cut opened in the theater’s orchestra revealed the depletion layer of the monument. * The depletion layer is a layer of soil that can be revealed during the excavation of a monument; it is the result of natural disasters or disasters in general. The study of the findings, mainly ceramics, contained in one such layer can provide valuable information on the dating of the monument’s use, as well as on its destruction and abandonment. Picture 11 Picture 12 Picture 13 Picture 14 The ancient theater of Amvrakia (images 18 -19), which is in the process of completion of excavation works and the realization of small-scale supporting interventions. The excavations uncovered a pottery kiln of the Byzantine period (images 20-21), which had been built very close to the auditorium of the ancient theater. Also, next to the ancient theater the sewers of the ancient city were discovered. (image 22). Picture 18 Picture 19 Picture 20 Picture 21 Picture 22 The ancient theater of Dodoni (images 24-25). Works on that monument are focused on the restoration of the tiers of the auditorium, while a crew of conservators is working on restoring the old theater seats (image 26). Picture 24 Picture 25 Picture 26 The ancient theater Gitanon (image 27). The excavation works are continuing on the lower tier of the theater’s auditorium (image 28). The three main tiers of the lower auditorium have been fully revealed and are kept in better condition. Also revealed are parts of the end rows of tiers, which have not survived in good condition (image 29). Excavation works are also carried out at the monument’s stage structure. Picture 27 Picture 28 Picture 29 On the occasion of this working visit, there was an event organized at the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina, during which the volume on the ancient theaters of Epirus was presented to the public. This publication is the fruit of collaboration between DIAZOMA and the Regional Union of Municipalities of Epirus. Works in all the ancient theater structures of Epirus continue apace, proving that if we all get involved, institutions and ordinary citizens alike, we can make small miracles to enhance the monuments of Greece.