Trees at Kerameikos, Athens, Greece
This is a painting of some trees at the Kerameikos Archaeological Site in Athens, Greece. This impressive site is just outside the busiest tourist areas, across a railroad bridge, which means that when we visited in January we had the ruins and the museum pretty much to ourselves.
Originally built on the edge of Ancient Athens in a district dedicated to potters, the area is named for Keramos, the son of Dionysus and the origin of the English word 'ceramic'.
The site served as an Ancient Greek cemetery for thousands of years. Later, during the Classical period, it was the site of important ceremonies related to the Panathenaic Festival.
Much has changed over the centuries, with buildings destroyed during invasions and "sackings" in 86 BC and 267 AD. Archaeological excavations began in the 1870s and expanded when discoveries were made during construction of the Athens Metro. More excavations are planned, though they will require the expropriation of additional modern properties.
This painting shows glimpses of the layers of history on the site. Enormous ancient building stones are stacked like Legos in front of the trees that cast shadows on the modern walls behind them. It was a blustery day, with alternating periods of bright sun and menacing cloud.