Books
and Good Reading
However, for me the book is not about Heraion, but about her beautifully written experiences with the people of Greece at the time, particularly those from the almost isolated village of Perachora, six
miles from the dig - who traveled to and from the dig largely on foot. How she saw them as uncorrupted peasants; owners of a few pines; a stony field; a terrace of struggling vines. Describing how they laboured nine hours a day; digging; hacking; sifting; carting. Making new finds every day and seeing a new "golden world" opening up before them. Dilys Powell's description of being in
Greece and living among Greeks, away from the tourist hotspots and no doubt lacking the modern accoutrements such as spray on mosquito repellent and mobile phones is, in my opinion, unbeatable and unrepeatable. The occasional repetition of Greek Grammar "Here I was.." rather than "I was here", and "thee's" and "thou's" which modern readers may find a little alien is
part of the book. Try hard if you find the book difficult, it will bring a real enlightenment to the uninitiated about life in Greece. There are still mountain villages; life in some of them has not yet reached the 21st Century... It is still, in some places, simple; uncluttered; and hard. |