Halai, initial focus of the Cornell Halai and East Lokris Project (CHELP), is located in the seaside town of Theologos (Ayios Ioannis Theologos), in Lokris (a district of the larger province of Phthiotis). The town of Theologos is administratively part of the district of the larger town of Malesina, ca. 8 k. to the southeast.

CHELP administrative activities are divided between the project storerooms in the nearby town of Tragana (phone: 22330 92323) and the camp at Vivos (BIBOΣ in Greek) on the Coleman/Purdy property (cell phones: 697 235 9601 and 697 962 4954). Vivos is a little bay about 3 kilometers southwest of Theologos, in the territory of the town of Proskynas. Nearly all participants live at Vivos but a few may occasionally be at Theologos. We try to keep the following information up-to-date but things may change a bit each year.

The site of Mitrou, a focus of earlier syrvey work by CHELP now being excavated by the Mitrou Archaeological Project, is an islet just off the shore of Tragana beach, a kilometer or so north of the town of Tragana.

GOING TO HALAI/THEOLOGOS:
look at the map of Central Greece

BY CAR: from Athens take the National Highway (Ethniki Odos) north towards Lamia and Thessaloniki. About 124 k. from Athens take the first exit for Theologos/Malesina, and follow signs for Theologos (about 8 k. from the National Highway on a good paved road). The archaeological site is within Theologos, on the north side of the bay, about 200 m. to the right after the road reaches the sea. The trip is 2 hours or less, depending on Athens traffic.

 BY BUS: take the 2:30 PM Malesina bus from Athens, as described below; in July and August it goes all the way to Theologos after a stop in Malesina. Or take a Lamia bus, as below, and get off at the Theologos/Malesina exit from the National Highway. We can pick you up there by prearrangement or you can walk or hitch to Malesina and take a taxi to Theologos. People are often generous about offering rides and it is probably safe to accept, except perhaps for women alone.

GOING TO THE CAMP AT VIVOS ON THE COLEMAN/PURDY PROPERTY:
look at the map of East Lokris (Halai)

BY CAR: take the National Highway to the Theologos/Malesina exit as above, follow the signs toward Theologos, turn left from the paved road leading to Theologos after a couple of kilometers and continue another couple of k. to the village of Proskynas, Pass through the village and continue straight, passing under the National Highway. Shortly thereafter, turn right onto the road leading north, marked by a sign mentioning Vivos (BIBOΣ), and continue going north toward the sea. The property is about 2 1/2 k. north of Proskynas. The property has a small house on a fenced-in plot, numbered 8 on the white gatepost, the second to last house before the sea. A grape arbor leads to it from the gate. There will be tents in the back during field seasons. The sea is a few hundred meters further on.

 BY BUS: take any Lamia bus, as below, and get off at the Theologos/Malesina exit as above or further on, at about 132 k., the town of Tragana, less than a kilometer past the toll gates on the National Road (diodia in Greek, pronounced thi-o-dhia with the accent on the o; this is the second set of toll gates after leaving Athens, since there are also toll gates near Thebes). From Tragana, service roads lead eastward on either side of the National Road in the direction of the camp.  Staff and volunteers can call cell phone numbers 697 235 9601 or 697 962 4954 ahead of time to arrange to be met and have their luggage brought to the Vivos camp. If continuing on foot from Tragana, take the service road on the north side, exit from the National Road at the north side of the toll gates and walk northeast for about 2 k. along a rural roadway to the house. Or you can continue east towards Proskynas and follow the route just described under Aby car.@

You can also try to get the bus to let you off at the toll gates themselves, although the bus staff is sometimes reluctant to believe that foreigners really want to get off there.

GOING TO THE CHELP STOREROOMS AT TRAGANA
look at the map of East Lokris (Halai)

 Exit the National Road by car or bus as just described and make your way south for less than a km. to the main square, the plateia (πλατεια), of the town of Tragana. The storerooms are on the south side of the plateia near the southeast corner.

GOING TO MITROU

ABOUT BUSES FROM ATHENS

 You leave Athens from the bus station for central and northern Greece, known generally as the KTEL LIOSSION because it is on Liossion Street. The KTEL LIOSSION is north of the center of Athens and can be reached by taxi or by city bus (number 24). From the KTEL LIOSSION take a bus marked for ΛAMIA (Lamia; the line that provides service to our area) and buy a ticket for the crossroads for Malesina (if going to Theologos) or for Tragana or the toll gates near it (see above) if going to the Coleman/Purdy property at Vivos. If coming on your own, follow the directions above for Halai or the Coleman/Purdy property.

Daily at 2:30 PM there is also a direct bus from the KTEL LIOSSION to Malesina. In July and August the bus has a continuation to Theologos, arriving at about 5:00 PM; otherwise, taxis are usually available in Malesina (ask at the coffee shop -kafeneion- where the bus stops).

The Lamia buses leave the KTEL LIOSSION daily every hour at 15 minutes past the hour from 6:15 AM to 9:15 PM. The Saturday and Sunday schedule may have fewer buses in the evening. The trip takes about 2 hours. The bus usually makes a rest stop, sometimes just before getting to our area. The phone number of the KTEL LIOSSION is 210 831-6811. A ticket constitutes a seat reservation. Try to get there a little early; if all seats are taken, you can make the trip standing or take a later bus.

Taxis from the airport to the KTEL LIOSSION should not be too expensive but the drivers sometimes overcharge and can charge extra for luggage. Ask for an approximate price before you decide. There are also fairly frequent busses from the airport to the KTEL LIOSSION; ask the driver to let you off at the right place and point the way since is bus station is a block or so from the stop.

During the summer we can usually meet you at the Malesina crossroads on the National Highway or in Malesina or Tragana if you telephone us ahead of time.

PROJECT CARETAKER AND ADDRESS FOR PARTICIPANT’S MAIL:

 Halai Excavations
 c/o Nikos I. Psarras
35 odos Anapavseos
 Malesina, Phthiotidos 35001
 GREECE
 Tel: 30 (country code) 22330 (area code) 51 183

The Acaretaker@ in Greece for the Coleman/Purdy house is Nikos Psarras (at above address). He lives just beside the main square in Malesina, near where the bus stops; ask for him at the kafeneion (coffeehouse) nearest the corner of the road in from Athens. His household takes phone messages only in Greek and he speaks only Greek but people in the kafeneion or nearby can usually help with English.

IN EMERGENCIES, call the CHELP mobile phones (see below) or the CHELP storeroom at Tragana (22330 92 323) or contact us via the American School of Classical Studies (see below).

CHELP has e-mail contact in the summer and all participants can be reached at jec13@cornell.edu in cases of urgency or emergency. Outgoing e-mail service may also be available to volunteers and students through our phone connection in the workrooms at Tragana for a small fee. There are usually no internet cafes near our places of work.

UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR PROJECT

Messages for project participants sent by telephone, telegram, fax or mail to the American School of Classical Studies will reach us eventually. The School can also reach us quickly in case of an emergency.

 CHELP PHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESSES
                     (Greek area codes in parentheses; calls from the US should be prefixed by 30)

CHELP PROJECT MOBILE PHONES......................................... 697 235 9601 and 693 801 2451

CHELP PROJECT WORKROOMS/STOREROOMS AT TRAGANA.................... (22330) 92 323

 John E. Coleman, Director of CHELP
Department of Classics, 120 Goldwin Smith Hall
Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853..................................... Tel: (607) 255-3354 or 255-8328
E-mail: jec13@cornell.edu......................................................................... Fax: (607) 254-8899
Cell phones in Greece:............................................................ 697 235 9601 and 697 962 4954

Eleni Zahou, Co-Director of Mitrou Archaeological Project
14th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities
Archaeological Museum, Kastro
GR-35100 Lamia, GREECE......................................................................... Tel: (22310) 29992

Aleydis Van de Moortel, Co-Director of Mitrou Archaeological Project
Department of Classics, 1101 Mc Clung Tower
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0413..................................... Tel: (865) 974-8279
E-mail: avdm@utk.edu................................................................................. Fax: (865) 974-7173
Cell phone in Greece:.............................................................................................. 693 432 7283

Kerill O'Neill, Field director of Mitrou Archaeological Project
Department of Classics
Colby College
4161 Mayflower Hill.............................................................................. Tel: office 207 872-3111
Waterville, ME 04901-8841.......................................................................... Fax: 207 872-3555
E-mail: knoneill@colby.edu
Cell phone in Greece:............................................................................................. 697 852 7036

SOME HOTELS AND ROOMS FOR VISITORS IN THEOLOGOS AND VICINITY (22330)

HOTEL ANESIS, Malesina 35001, Phthiotidos, GREECE........................................ Tel: 51-214
HOTEL GALAXIAS, Theologos, Malesina 35001, Phthiotidos, GREECE................. Tel: 93-211
ECONOMO'S SILVER BAY HOTEL, Theologos................................................. Tel: 93-291/3

OTHER USEFUL ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS

 Archaeological Guard (Archaiophylakas) for Halai:
Blasis Charakliannis, Martino:....................................................................... Tel: (22330) 41-273

 Archaeological Service for Phiotiotis (our district):
Ephoreia Proistorikon kai Klassikon Archaioteton, Archaiologiko Mouseio, Kastro Lamias,
Lamia 35100, GREECE................................................................................ Tel: (22310) 29992
Archaeological Service Museum/Storerooms, Atalanti.................................... Tel: (22330) 23355

Hospital in Lamia........................................................................................ Tel: (22310) 30121

 Athens:

APHRODITE HOTEL, 21 Apollonos Street, Athens.................................... Tel: (210) 323-4357
Athens Center, 48 Archimedous Street, 116 36 Athens................................. Tel: (210) 701-2268
Harry/Maria Coccossis, 17 Grammou St, Melissia 151 27, Athens. (210) Fax 804-8429, Tel: 804-8447
Yiannis Papademitriou, 7 Praxitelous, Kefisia, 145 63 GREECE.................... Tel: (210) 620-5020
Michalis Papanastasiou (auto mechanic, Malesina)......................................... Tel: (22330) 51-535
Nikos I. Psarras, Malesina, Phthiotidos, GREECE 35001.............................. Tel: (22330) 51-183
Spyro Rogan, Thetidos 10, Athens 115 28............................... (210) Fax and phone 729-0645, Tel: 721-2908
TEMPI HOTEL, 29 Aiolou Street, Athens 105 51........................................ Tel: (210) 321-3175

  TELEPHONE LONG-DISTANCE CODES:

 Greece from America (011) 30; America (from Greece) 001; Athens (from elsewhere in Greece) 210

Last modified 5.07.2002