Professor, Greek Archaeology
BA (Dartmouth), MPhil (Cambridge), MA, PhD (Bryn Mawr)
Phone: 905 688 5550 x3798
Fax: 905 984 4589
Email: [email protected]
Fall 2025 Teaching
Not teaching this term.
Winter 2026 Teaching
CLAS 3V30: Art and Archaeology of the Prehistoric Aegean,
CLAS 5V10: Topics in Aegean Prehistory
As a specialist in the archaeology, art, and culture of Bronze Age Greece, my research focuses on achieving a better understanding of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of the Aegean. I am particularly interested in pottery analysis, mortuary archaeology, and issues of identity in the Bronze Age Aegean. I have conducted archaeological fieldwork in the Mediterranean as far west as Spain and as far east as Israel, but my focus is on Greece, where I am currently an associate director of excavations at the Minoan town of Gournia on Crete. I also co-directed the excavations of the Mycenaean cemetery of Ayia Sotira near Ancient Nemea, and worked for many years at the Minoan site of Mochlos on Crete. I currently serve as the President of the Niagara Peninsula Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.
2022. Smith, R.A.K. “Foundation Feasts in the Minoan Palace at Gournia, Crete.” In J.M.A. Murphy and J.E. Morrison, eds. Kleronomia: Legacy and Inheritance. Studies on the Aegean Bronze Age in Honor of Jeffrey S. Soles (INSTAP Academic Press), pp. 137-147.
2020. Smith, R.A.K. with M.K. Dabney and J.C. Wright. “The Mycenaean Cemetery at Ayia Sotira, Nemea,” in J.M.A. Murphy (ed.) Death in Late Bronze Age Greece: Variations on a Theme (Oxford University Press), pp. 90-108.
2020. Smith, R.A.K. “The Power of the Dead: The Late Minoan III Cemeteries of Mochlos and Myrsini,” in J.M.A. Murphy (ed.) Death in Late Bronze Age Greece: Variations on a Theme (Oxford University Press), pp. 283-301
2019. Smith, R.A.K. “Death on the Isthmus: Late Minoan III Tombs of the Mirabello Bay and Ierapetra Areas,” in K. Chalikias and E. Oddo (eds.) Exploring a Terra Incognita on Crete: Recent Research on Bronze Age Habitation in the Southern Ierapetra Isthmus. Philadelphia: INSTAP Academic Press, pp. 111-129.
2017. Smith, R.A.K., M.K. Dabney, E. Pappi, S. Triantaphyllou, and J.C. Wright. Ayia Sotira: A Mycenaean Chamber Tomb Cemetery in the Nemea Valley, Greece. Philadelphia: INSTAP Academic Press.
2015. With Watrous, L.V. et al. “Excavations at Gournia: 2010-2012,” Hesperia, the Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens 84.3, pp. 397-465.
2014. With M.K. Dabney, G. Kotzamani, A. Livarda, G. Tsartsidou, and J.D. Wright “Plant Use in Mycenaean Mortuary Practice,” in G. Touchais, R. Laffineur, and F. Rougemont (eds.) PHYSIS: L’environnement naturel et la relation homme-milieu dans le monde égéen protohistorique. 14e Rencontre Égéenne Internationale. Aegaeum 37 (Peeters: Leuven – Liege), pp. 265-270.
2014. With M.K. Dabney “The Life of a Tomb: Investigating the Use, Reuse and Reconstruction of Mycenaean Chamber Tombs at Ayia Sotira (Nemea),” Meditations on the Diversity of the Built Environment in the Aegean Basin: A Colloquium in Memory of Frederick E. Winter, Publications of the Canadian Institute in Greece, No. 8. (Athens: Canadian Institute in Greece), pp. 145-160.
2014. With E. Pappi, M. Dabney, S. Triantaphyllou, and J. Wright, “Ayia Sotira Cemetery Excavations, Ancient Nemea: 2006-2008,” in Corinthia and the Northeast Peloponnesus: Topography and History from Prehistoric Times until the End of Antiquity, Proceedings of a Conference Held on March 26-29, 2009 in Loutraki, Greece (Athens: Deutsches Archäologisches Intitut), pp. 363-370.
2012. With P. Karkanas, M.K. Dabney, and J.C. Wright. “The geoarchaeology of Mycenaean chamber tombs,” Journal of Archaeological Science 39, pp. 2722-2732.
2012. With M. Dabney, “Children and Adornment in Mycenaean Funerary Ritual at Ayia Sotira, Nemea,” in M.-L. Nosch and R. Laffineur (eds.) KOSMOS: 13th International Aegean Conference, held at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-23 April 2010, pp. 441-446.
2011. With Jeffrey S. Soles et al. Mochlos IIC. Period IV. The Mycenaean Settlement and Cemetery: The Human Remains and Other Finds (INSTAP Academic Press).
2011. With W. Gauss, M. Lindblom and J.C. Wright (eds.) Our Cups are Full: Pottery and Society in the Aegean Bronze Age (Oxford, U.K.: Archaeopress).
2010. Mochlos IIB: The Late Minoan III Settlement and Cemetery. The Pottery. INSTAP Academic Press.
2025 “The Neopalatial and Postpalatial Pottery Sequence of Gournia: New Evidence for Long Term Continuities and Change.” Paper presented at Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
2025 “Fieldwork and Families: Challenges in the Research/Life Responsibilities.” Panelist for Workshop at Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
2024 “My Life in Fragments: The Story of a ‘Sherd Nerd’ in Piecing Together the Minoan Past.” Brock Talks, St. Catharines Public Library.
2024 “Top Ten Pottery Styles of Ancient Greece!” Brock University Archaeology Society.
2023 With R. Fitzsimons, D. Buell, and J. Francis. “Visualizing Unseen Landscapes: Report of the Khavania Archaeological Project, 2022.” 29th European Association of Archaeology Annual Meeting, Belfast, Ireland.
2023 With D.M. Buell, R.D. Fitzsimons, J. Francis, “Canadians at Aghios Nikolaos Again: Report of the Khavania Archaeological Project, 2022,” Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Classics, Halifax, N.S., May.
2023 “Archaeological Excavations at a Bronze Age Cemetery.” Talk presented to Seniors’ Centre Without Walls, St. Catharines.
2023 “Urban Design in the Bronze Age: the Minoan Town of Gournia, Crete,” Talk presented to the Niagara Society of Architects, St. Catharines.
2023 “The Late Minoan I to Late Minoan III Transition: A Ceramic Perspective from Gournia.” Paper presented at Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
2023. “The Life and Death of a Tomb: The Excavation of the Mycenaean Cemetery at Ayia Sotira in the Nemea Valley, Greece.” Paper presented to the Stanford Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.
2022. “The Neopalatial Pottery of Gournia: New Evidence from the Gournia Excavation Project. Paper presented the Institute of Aegean Prehistory Study Center for East Crete Lecture Series. Online.
2022. “From Quarry to Kore: the Technology of an Archaic Greek Masterpiece.” Paper presented at Kore 670: Up Close and Personal with the Ancient Greek World, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.
2022. “The Life and Death of a Tomb: The Excavation of the Mycenaean Cemetery at Ayia Sotira in the Nemea Valley, Greece.” Paper presented to the Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology at the University at Buffalo. Online.
2021. “The Life and Death of Tombs: The Excavation of the Mycenaean Cemetery at Ayia Sotira in the Nemea Valley, Greece.” Paper presented to the Canadian Institute for Mediterranean Studies. Online.
2020. “New Evidence from Late Minoan I Pottery Deposits at Gournia.” Paper presented at Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.
2019. “Death on the Isthmus: Mortuary Rituals in the Minoan Town of Gournia, Crete.” Paper for Archaeological Institute of America, Central Pennsylvania (State Park) Chapter, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.
2018. “The Archaeology of Feasts: Banqueting at the Minoan Site of Gournia on Crete.” Paper for Brock University Humanities Research Institute Annual Symposium, St. Catharines, ON.
2018. With S. Triantaphyllou. “Remembering the Dead: Memory and Mortuary Ritual at the Mycenaean Cemetery of Ayia Sotira, Nemea.” ΜΝΗΜΗ / MNEME: Past and Memory in the Aegean Bronze Age. 17th International Aegean Conference, University of Udine and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Venice and Udine, Italy.
2018. Co-organizer (with Susan Allen, Mireille Lee, and Robert Schon) of Power and Place in the Prehistoric Aegean and Beyond: a Symposium to Honor James C. Wright, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, U.S.A.
2018. “Empty Cups and Empty Bowls: an Early Neopalatial Feasting Deposit from Gournia.” Paper presented at Power and Place in the Prehistoric Aegean and Beyond: a Symposium to Honor James C. Wright, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, U.S.A.
2018. “Ritual Feasting in the Early Neopalatial Period: Middle Minoan III Pottery from the Gournia Palace.” Paper presented at Archaeological Institute of America 119th Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
Member, Managing Committee, Institute of Aegean Prehistory – Study Center for East Crete.
Board of Directors and Brock University Representative, Canadian Institute in Greece
President, Niagara Peninsula Chapter, Archaeological Institute of America
Brock University Representative to the Managing Committee, Member of Survey and Excavation Committee, American School of Classical Studies at Athens
- The American School of Classical Studies at Athens
- Institute for Aegean Prehistory Study Center for East Crete (INSTAP-SCEC)
- Canadian Institute in Greece (formerly Canadian Archaeological Institute at Athens)
- The Archaeological Institute of America Niagara Peninsula Chapter
