As Dr Themistoklis Vakoulis says, Delos is a unique case of an archaeological site. “On other historical islands, like Crete’s Spinalonga, the staff goes home at night. On Delos, we stay”.
Delos is a different, magical place; a place that’s unlike any other. Even today, Delos is unique”, antiquities curator Dr Themistoklis Vakoulis says.
He has been living on Delos all year round since 2015 in his capacity at the Ephorate. “The Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades does for Delos what local authorities do everywhere else. We organise transport to and from Mykonos, staff accommodation on the island, infrastructure, equipment. Besides supporting the employees, the Ephorate also manages the archaeological site, welcoming visitors annually, preserving and restoring the monuments.
The monuments are our top priority, and everything else follows. But how much work can a small island – a rocky islet – really take? How many cranes, how many ships can come? And how can this work be scheduled around keeping Delos open to the public? We can’t just bring 30 million euro and start spending – the island would crash.
We need to prioritise and categorise its needs. Life here is hard. The employees spend so many hours together that we have to be pro-active about their wellbeing, promote good relationships, provide activities… Delos is testing – if you don’t take here, if you don’t integrate, the island will reject you”.
