Ancient Ingredients, Series II, explores these rich and long food traditions that date back to the Bronze Age, ca. 3000-1425 BCE. Archaeologists study food remains, burnt seeds and bones, a long with environmental evidence to better understand what the Minoan people ate.

Mount Athos, the famous monastic area in Northern Greece, home to centuries old monastic institutions, the very heart of Orthodox belief worldwide, a peninsula with 20 Byzantine monasteries, as seen through the eyes of contemporary Greek artist, Markos Kampanis.

Markos Kampanis religious work and commissions are of particular importance for his effort to pair the tradition of Byzantine culture with the aesthetics of Modern art. He has been working on murals, icons and book illustrations.

Ancient Greeks so admired Cretan dancers that they believed the Cretans had invented dancing. Cretans still love to dance, and some traits of their dances and costumes apparently descend from the Bronze Age...

The modern Olympics spawned from a set of ancient Pan-Hellenic athletic events that began as early as the 8th or the 9th century BC. Eighteen ‘’gymnika’’ (nude) contests and nine ‘’hippika’’ (equestrian) events at Olympia were introduced during the 1300 year history of the Olympics...

Shortly after OXI Day, October 28, 1940, and in anticipation that Greece would need assistance and relief, Archbishop Athenagoras, leader of the Greek Orthodox Churches of North and South America, convened a meeting on November 7, 1940 of Greek American community leaders. The result of that meeting - the Greek War Relief Association - was to play a significant role in the survival of the Greek people until liberation reached their country.

The fishermen of Paros have an enviable view of the world. For these men, as long as they have their boats and the sea, they have happiness. Christian Stemper began taking photos of these fishermen in 2010 in an effort to document their proud, but fading, tradition.

Seventy five years ago, Ioannes Metaxas was awoken at 3:00 in the morning by the Italian Ambassador, Emanuele Grazzi. Metaxas escorted Grazzi to the sitting room on the right side of the main entrance to Metaxas’ Kifissia residence. Here, Grazzi reluctantly delivered an Italian ultimatum to Metaxas. The ultimatum stated that either Greece allow Italy to occupy certain strategic parts of Greece, or face invasion. Metaxas responded with ‘Oxi’ (No) and ‘alors, c’est la guerre’ (therefore, this is war). Metaxas’ response brought Greece into World War II, 1939-1945.

Dreams are elusive and Joy is even more so. Nikos Engonopoulos both a Greek painter and poet and a super-realist knows it very well. I have been reading his poems for years. Sometime ago I wished to approach them allegorically. I followed his descriptions and within them I found pictures that create a lot of feelings. I molded them in a Byzantine like painting as I felt that’s what is fitting.

On March 25, 1821, after four centuries of occupation, Greece declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire and embarked on a revolution for its freedom. IN 1971, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the War of Independence, ELTA issued three special series commemorating the battles of the Greek Revolution. Y. Belissaridis and P. Gravvalos curated the collections. We are pleased to share pieces from this commemorative philatelic collection that highlight some of the great battles that brought Greece her Independence.