Memory Resistances – Archival Testimonies: The case of an Athenian house of the Othonian period
Abstract
This article focuses on the case of an extant Athenian house of the early
Othonian period, which is located in the easternmost section of the
old city of Athens (i.e., Plaka). It is a thorough study of the building’s architectural structure and its historical phasing along with the history
of its inhabitation. It draws its documentation on the physical structure
as such in association with a wealth of archival materials. A series of
contracts related to the site and the building construction – i.e., a fortuitous
discovery – constitute a rare piece of evidence contributing to the
building’s history, its attribution (i.e., to Austrian architect Fr. Stauffert),
original ownership (i.e., by French consul A. de Roujoux), and dating
(i.e., in 1837-38 and construction in 3 phases). Along with the building
as such, the paper seeks to both trace and document the history of its
neighborhood (Alikokkou) and its physical transformations during the
early decades of the modern state. To that purpose it builds primarily
on the series of historical maps (which is the main focus of the volume
that contains it), and secondarily on textual/ archival materials, that is,
mainly building and property related contracts. Through the research
a number of long-standing erroneous assumptions about the building
are unveiled and corrected, such as its dating from the late Ottoman
period, i.e., a long-standing misconception supported by its kinship to
pre-modern house typologies featuring a hayat, that is, a second floor
walled loggia giving on to a courtyard. Collective memory’s inertia preserved
this hypothesis turning it gradually into historical factuality. This
paper attempts to recover this and other gaps in the building’s history
and hence reconstruct its history proper. In that sense, it also serves as
a critical commentary on how easily collective memory often slips into
the status of factual history, especially when it lacks the data, or depends
heavily upon orally transmitted information as is the case with vernacular
(i.e., anonymous) architecture.
Othonian period, which is located in the easternmost section of the
old city of Athens (i.e., Plaka). It is a thorough study of the building’s architectural structure and its historical phasing along with the history
of its inhabitation. It draws its documentation on the physical structure
as such in association with a wealth of archival materials. A series of
contracts related to the site and the building construction – i.e., a fortuitous
discovery – constitute a rare piece of evidence contributing to the
building’s history, its attribution (i.e., to Austrian architect Fr. Stauffert),
original ownership (i.e., by French consul A. de Roujoux), and dating
(i.e., in 1837-38 and construction in 3 phases). Along with the building
as such, the paper seeks to both trace and document the history of its
neighborhood (Alikokkou) and its physical transformations during the
early decades of the modern state. To that purpose it builds primarily
on the series of historical maps (which is the main focus of the volume
that contains it), and secondarily on textual/ archival materials, that is,
mainly building and property related contracts. Through the research
a number of long-standing erroneous assumptions about the building
are unveiled and corrected, such as its dating from the late Ottoman
period, i.e., a long-standing misconception supported by its kinship to
pre-modern house typologies featuring a hayat, that is, a second floor
walled loggia giving on to a courtyard. Collective memory’s inertia preserved
this hypothesis turning it gradually into historical factuality. This
paper attempts to recover this and other gaps in the building’s history
and hence reconstruct its history proper. In that sense, it also serves as
a critical commentary on how easily collective memory often slips into
the status of factual history, especially when it lacks the data, or depends
heavily upon orally transmitted information as is the case with vernacular
(i.e., anonymous) architecture.
Article Details
- How to Cite
-
Φατσέα Ρ. (2015). Memory Resistances – Archival Testimonies: The case of an Athenian house of the Othonian period. Bulletin of the Centre for Asia Minor Studies, 19, 317–380. https://doi.org/10.12681/deltiokms.317
- Issue
- Vol. 19 (2015)
- Section
- The Building
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