The call for proposals related to the ‘Development of digital applications in the fields of culture and tourism’, issued by the South Aegean Region within the framework of the Operational Program (OP) ‘South Aegean 2021-2027’, was an ideal opportunity for the submission of a proposal by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades of the Ministry of Culture. This was to make particularly important, but inaccessible, archaeological sites of the South Aegean Region digitally accessible.
Thus, at the beginning of 2025, the Action entitled ‘Inaccessible Monuments of the Cyclades – Digital Documentation & Display’ was included in the OP ‘South Aegean 2021-2027’: it is being implemented by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades and the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology (EPS). The financing of the Action, with a total budget of €400,000.00, is carried out by the European Regional Development Fund.
From the various inaccessible locations of the Cyclades, there have been selected the ancient underground marble quarries (lychnite) in Marathi on Paros and the core of the ancient city of Folegandros, in combination with the impressive Chrysospilia, full of inscriptions, within its impressive access in a near vertical natural terrain.
The aim of the Project is to make these unique and at the same time extremely inaccessible sites ‘accessible’ through three-dimensional representations and virtual tours. At the same time, detailed documentation of the specific sites is achieved using state-of-the-art digital media, thus providing a set of data for the study, recording and protection of the multiple component parts. High-resolution three-dimensional models are being created to illustrate the preserved state of the monuments and, in addition specifically for the quarries of Paros, a three-dimensional digital representation of ancient quarrying methods is also being worked up.
‘Access’ is offered to the selected inaccessible monuments through digital tours in combination with the provision of additional information material about the sites and monuments, as well as related informative videos, is offered:
👉 on site on the specific islands: namely at the Archaeological Museum of Paros and in a suitably designed space in Chora Folegandros, where touch screens and VR sets are installed for the use of the aforementioned digital virtual tour services, thus enriching the experience of the museum visit. The same service is also installed in temporary exhibition spaces and Museums under the jurisdiction of the Greek National Museum, showcasing the monuments in places outside the two islands.
👉 and on a specially designed website and an online application, showcasing the monuments to the world.
Hands-on tourism goes beyond the screen, the visual field trip and the virtual tour, to stimulate in-country experience and visitation. It highlights important but hitherto almost inaccessible archaeological sites, making them known to both the local and remote online visitor, so increasing interest in the selected islands and in archaeology in general.
Through the Act, deeper knowledge of ancient sites and monuments emerges and at the same time of their documentation, recording and protection. Knowledge is spread further around, the public mobilized to visit the islands in person and spark a consequent increase in hands-on tourism. These important sites may be appreciated by the public on a global scale too. The island societies, moreover, will enjoy the characteristic, but inaccessible areas close by them. The experience gained by the services involved in rolling all this out will enable the application of these methods to be extended to other inaccessible, culturally interesting points of the Cyclades.
