Gavalas Fund for Archaeology

The George and Cleola Gavalas Fund for Archaeology supports field research for students who work on the archaeology of any period in Greek history.

Luis Rodríguez-Pérez is a 2023 recipient of a fellowship from the George and Cleola Gavalas Fund for Archaeology. Rodríguez-Pérez is currently in his first year in the PhD program of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. Although his research is centered on the archaeology of Greece, he is continuously exploring the different ways of digitizing antiquity and community engagement in the field. This summer, he will be involved in both the archaeological excavations at the Athenian Agora and the Vamvakou Ethnography project. At the agora, he will digitize excavation materials as they are stratigraphically excavated, creating a digital record that could be published for the wider public. Incorporating digital methods into an archaeological excavation, especially in Greece, is critical to the future engagement and preservation of material heritage. At the same time, engaging with the Greek community who allow us to excavate and publish our findings, is critical for building rapport between our two communities. Examining this collaboration and the legacy (and construction) of the classical heritage in Greece will be a critical first step toward his research while at UCLA.