Cómo meter toda la Antigua Grecia en un ascensor

It all begins when two perfect strangers find themselves trapped in an elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other is not. A simple question - what do you do? - becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating story. The non-archaeologist, at first ironic and indifferent, bombards the archaeologist with questions. The archaeologist, patient, erudite, charmingly irreverent and funny, responds. The result is a spectacular, hilarious and absolutely absorbing account of Ancient Greece, from prehistory to its decadent end. Teodoro Papakostas not only answers the most frequently asked questions about the archeology of Ancient Greece, but also stops and marvels at the big and small moments of its history: what did a Minoan princess carry in her suitcase to travel to Egypt? How did a Mycenaean official kill time when he was bored? How did a centaur hurt his leg? How did an obscene dance lead to the birth of democracy? Which foreign slave became a rich banker? Why are the Cyclades given that name? According to Dr. Papakostas, Archeology and Antiquity belong to all of us; They inspire us all and show us what it has always meant to be human. Studying archeology and the ancient world is a kind of collective psychotherapy through which we learn about ourselves. Ultimately, he tells us, living in Ancient Mycenae or residing in contemporary London makes us no different, and there are many treasures we can unearth from our shared humanity and connection across time. Because reconnecting with Antiquity is, above all, reconnecting with ourselves.