Elissavet Omiridou
(she/her)

Research student

School of History, Archaeology and Religion

I am currently a Research Master's student focusing on the Classical chryselephantine statues of ancient Greece and on archaeological theory, especially matters of agency, materiality, as well as style and its meaning. My research aims to investigate the statues' anthropological function and their engagement with viewers within their religious context. I believe this research project will enlighten our understanding of Ancient Greeks' visual and material experience of their art and the multifaceted role art plays in shaping human agency and art production.

I am interested in all things Theory and I believe in the importance of the intercommunication between Classical Archaeology and other scientific branches of the Humanities. This will result in a more fruitful archaeological dialogue and a better understanding of how Ancient Greeks experienced the world they lived in. That being said, we can finally see them for who they were.

Thesis

Classical Chryselephantine Statues: Anthropological Function and Religious Engagement

My thesis titled Classical Chryselephantine Statues: Anthropological Function and Religious Engagement aims to shed light upon: the position of the colossal chryselephantine statues in ancient Greek thought and religious sphere, their function within the visual and material experience of ancient Greeks with their art, the course of anthropomorphism and the contributing role of materiality to this, the meaning and function of style and its affect on the visual interaction between viewer and artefact as well as the statues' role in shaping cult practices and human agency.

Academic Path

2024 – ongoing : MPhil in Archaeology, Cardiff University, research on Classical chryselephantine statues and theoretical approaches
2022 – 2023: MSt in Classical Archaeology, University of Oxford, Blackfriars Hall, specializing in Cognitive Archaeology and the archaeology of the Classical Period
2016 – 2021: BA in History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, direction of Archaeology and History of Art

Internships include participation in fieldwork at Raphena, Glyfada, Metaponto and research programs of ArchaeoCosmos (NKUA), The Kotroni Archaeological Project (UVA), Metaponto (SSM).

Non-academic experience

2022–2023: Welfare Officer of college's Student Committee, Welfare Representative at the Student Union, SU Delegate