Our story is about a traditional copying device, the pontadoros, which is currently used in modern restorations, and more specifically in the process of supplementing broken architectural members. It describes how an enlightened idea conceived in the 1960s defined the way in which the monuments of the Acropolis have been restored for the past 50 years. Recognizing the significance of the monuments for the Greek and European citizens, the modern restorations, under the scientific supervision of ESMA and always with the support of the Greek State and the European institutions, are carried out at the highest standards.

Our story points out how the practices of restoration, as these have emerged through the collaboration of experts in different realms, have contributed to the high quality of the restored monuments, for which the Acropolis works have been globally recognized. Moreover, it points out that the restoration works have contributed to the preservation of a traditional craft, that of marble-carving.  

Climbing up the hill of the Acropolis early in the morning one can clearly hear the sounds of an active community at work: chisels and mallets striking marble with vigor and skill, filling in the gaps that time has left behind. Through this procedure the monuments acquire new meaning, as they become more intelligible viewers and convey the values that they represent.  

Back in the early 1960s. In a village of Attica, Brauron, amidst lush vegetation lies the sanctuary of Artemis. It is at that moment that restorations works begin on a portico which, in ancient times, served the needs of the sanctuary. The project is headed by the then young architect of the Restoration Service, Charalambos Bouras, who has just returned to Greece after specialized studies in France. Bearer of progressive ideas for the restoration of monuments, Bouras applies for the first time in Brauron the principles of  scientific restoration, which he became acquainted with during his stay in Europe. It is worth noting that these principles will later be mirrored in the text of the Charter of Venice (1964). Working alongside Bouras is the specialised sculptor of the National Archaeological Museum, Stelios Triantis.

Imagine the two young, but already experienced men, working together, discussing in an enthusiastic and fruitful atmosphere and proposing solutions to the problems that arise during their work. Both experts in their fields, they discuss, exchange opinions, search for answers. They test and adopt new practices always with a view of conductions a high-quality restoration. The Director of the excavation, archaeologist Ioannis Papadimitriou, also takes an active part in decision making.

One of Bouras’ main concerns was the application of the principle of reversibility, which refers to the ability to restore every architectural member to its  condition before the intervention. The principle ensures that a monument can return to its previous form if future research leads to different conclusions. At the same time, Bouras cares about the aesthetics of the monument after restoration, aiming for the integration of new supplements in a way that is clear, yet always in harmony with the original material.

Until then, the common practice for supplementing a fragment involved flattening the fragmented surface to better fit the supplement. This practice not only led to the sacrifice of original material but also precluded the chance of reversing the architectural member to its previous state. Thus, even the original fragment were found in the future, it would never be possible to reintegrate it into the monument, since the original fragmented surface had been permanently lost.

Ιt is precisely this problem that is solved by the brilliant idea conceived in Brauron, at the beginning of the 1960s. The profound theoretical knowledge of Charalambos Bouras meets the practical skills of Stelios Triantis and leads to the adoption of pontadoros as a means of copying the broken surfaces.

At this point, it is crucial to stress that the pontadoros is a traditional copying device, widely used in sculpture in ordrer to reproduce works of art. Its conception is based on the simple idea of transferring points (in Greek “pontoi”), from a completed surface to a surface under construction. The transfer of a carefully designed network of points by an experienced craftsman and the gradual removal of layers of marble, in parallel to the original, allows an exact replica to be created. This method, known since antiquity, is a traditional technique familiar to sculptors and marble craftsmen.

So, what was the idea that was adopted in Brauron that would significantly influence modern restorations in Greece? For the first time it was decided to create supplements that would completely "embrace" the fractured surface and reproduce the form of the lost part, without need to chisel off the original fragment. Specifically, the process of creating a new supplement includes the following steps: making a cast that completes the fractured surface. The use of a malleable material such as plaster allows the "negative" of the fracture to be captured. Then, copying the plaster surface in marble, with the use of the pontadoros. Finally, joining the original fragment and the supplement, which thanks to this technique are in perfect contact.

This innovative idea was to change the way in which the monuments of classical antiquity are restored in Greece. After its application in the restoration of the portico of Brauron, the technique was applied, in 1965, to the restoration of the eastern staircase of Herodeion, where once again Bouras was in charge.

Ten years later, we move to the Acropolis, when the great program of the  restoration of the monuments begins (1975). Bouras, now an acclaimed professor of Architecture, participates as a member and later as President of the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA), which plans, directs and supervises the restoration works. A large number of experienced marble craftsmen are hired to work on the restoration, applying the technique of copying with the use of a pontadoros. Next to the chisel and the mallet, which carve the marble, the pontadoros is the "silent" but tireless partner of the marble craftsman. By measuring, calculating and transferring the points with patience, the craftsman duplicates the random breaks and heals the wounds that time and human activity have inflicted on the monument.

Today, digital technology opens up new perspectives by ensuring high quality, precision and speed in the production of supplements with the use of digital scanners and digital pantographs. It is today that we have chosen to tell the story of the pontadoros and to evaluate its contribution to the restoration of the monuments. ESMA and YSMA have a rich photographic and film archive of the restoration works on the Acropolis, covering almost 50 years of activity on the Sacred Rock. This is the material that will be used to capture the contribution of pontadoros, right before time and technological progress obliterate its use in modern restorations

European Dimension: The monuments of the Acropolis have emerged as a symbol for Greece, Europe and the Western Civilization, as they express  and promote the values of democracy, which flourished in Athens in the 5th century BC. Recognizing the significance of the monuments for the Greek and European citizens, the modern restorations, under the scientific supervision of ESMA and always with the support of the Greek State and the European institutions, were carried out at the highest standards. The most important qualities of the works, from 1975 onwards, were interdisciplinary collaboration, combination of traditional techniques of intervention with state-of-the-art technology, innovation and compliance with international restoration ethics, especially those reflected in the Charter of Venice (1964).

Our story points out how the practices of restoration, as these have emerged through the collaboration of experts in different realms, have contributed to the preservation and flourishing of a traditional craft, that of marble carving. Moreover it emphasizes the especially high level of execution of the Acropolis works, for which they have been globally recognized.