Travel talks: Unearthing Ancient Greece

From Athens to Delphi, the Peloponnese to Crete, the past is never far away in Greece. Join Paul Donnelly as he delves into extraordinary artefacts – from a bronze helmet dedicated to Zeus, to fragments of pottery inscribed with nominations to exile powerful 5th century BCE personalities. Uncover the names of these artists, witness their friendships and rivalries, and unearth the past.

Paul Donnelly is Deputy Director of the Chau Chak Wing Museum at The University of Sydney. Donnelly has been a curator for over 30 years and his numerous exhibitions include 1000 years of the Olympic Games at the Powerhouse Museum, Treasures of the Benaki Museum and Object / Art / Specimen. He is a practising archaeologist and a co-director of the University of Sydney Zagora Archaeological Project on the island of Andros, Greece. Donnelly is a founding member of the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation and a Governor of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens.

Donnelly will be leading a World Art Tour Unearthing ancient Greece in May 2026. 

Image: Aerial view of Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis and Parthenon of Athens, Greece, photo: Shutterstock