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Kostas Kotsakis

Kostas Kotsakis is professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at the School of Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.Th.). He studied archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where he submitted his doctorate thesis on Neolithic ceramic technology, and carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge. He has taught at the Faculty of […]

Kostas Kotsakis is professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at the School of Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.Th.). He studied archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where he submitted his doctorate thesis on Neolithic ceramic technology, and carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge. He has taught at the Faculty of Engineering of the A.U.Th., at the Demokritus University of Thrace, as well as at the Universities of Cambridge and Sheffield, UK. In 2002 he was visiting professor at Stanford University, USA. He is chief coordinator of the modules “Culture” and “Applied Museology” at the Interuniversity Programme of Postgraduate Studies in Museology, University of Thessaloniki and University of Western Macedonia.

In 1973-77 he served as a research associate of the Archaeological Service of the Ministry of Culture in Thessaloniki and Volos. He was member of editorial committees of the journals Anthropologika, Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology and the European Journal of Archaeology. He is member of scientific societies, such as the Hellenic Society of Archaeometry, the European Association of Archaeologists, the American Association of Archaeologists.

Since 1973 he has been conducting excavations and field projects in various archaeological sites of Northern Greece, such as the Neolithic Sesklo, the Neolithic Dimitra Serron, the Neolithic Mandalo Pellas, and the prehistoric Toumba Thessalonikis. Since 1999 he investigates in collaboration with the University of Sheffield a new Neolithic settlement at Paliambela Kolindros. In 1995-97 he conducted excavations at the Neolithic site of Çatalhoyuk in Anatolia. As a consultant of museological projects he has collaborated with archaeological museums, the NOESIS Centre for the Promotion of Sciences and Technology and the Gerovassiliou Wine Museum both in Thessaloniki.

He has directed 27 research projects which refer to the Neolithic period, with an emphasis on ancient technology, the applications of digital technologies in archaeology, the management of archaeological sites, educational programs for children. He has supervised the design and execution of educational programs in museums, archaeological sites and schools focusing on the history of archaeology in Greece. Within the framework of the EU Euromed Heritage Research Program he has co-drafted the management plan of the Paliambela archaeological site. He has also prepared the museological plan for the Exhibition of Ancient Greek Technology for the Noesis for the Promotion of Sciences and Technology in Thessaloniki. He is leading research programmes funded by EU and he is currently working in the research project “Towards a Holistic Museological Approach to Material Culture”, which is part of the EU Research Programme PYTHAGORAS I.

He has participated in more than 85 conferences in Greece and abroad, and has organized 8 international conferences, among which the conference of the European Association of Archaeologists in 2002. He has published 5 books and more than 120 papers in international journals, edited volumes and conference proceedings.

e-mail: kotsakis@hist.auth.gr