The Name
Why Ancient O.W.L.?
This enterprise is based in Athens and since in Ancient Greece the goddess Athena was the protector of the city, it was considered appropriate for a business that deals primarily with ancient culture to dedicate its name to her.
The goddess's sacred animal, the owl, is a nocturnal bird that has excellent vision in the dark and is thought to symbolically have the natural ability to see the "unseen side of things." The owl was therefore chosen as it represents wisdom and knowledge - the main goods pursued through the various activities of this enterprise.
The Headquarters
Ancient O.W.L. is located in the area of Rhea Dionysos, on Dryadon Street [Dryades: Nymphes of the Forests], in a wonderful place next to nature.
The headquarters contain, among others, our main office, study areas, recreation areas and a bar. Furthermore, there is a library, which consists of 3,150 books concerning a variety of topics like history, archaeology, mythology, art, medicine, nutrition, botanology, psychology and many more.
Our headquarters, except on event days, is only accessible to members of the Ancient O.W.L. Club, strictly by appointment.
The Team
Eirini Tsakiri
Archaeologist, M.B.A., founder & director of Ancient O.W.L.
Eirini Tsakiri completed her studies in Archaeology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as in Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art at the University of Western Attica - former Technological Educational Institution of Athens and then graduated with honors from the M.B.A. Master of Business Administration Program in Tourism Management of the School of Organization and Business Administration of the University of Piraeus.
Since 2011, she has been actively involved in a variety of archaeological and cultural projects, as well as in publications presented at international conferences in Greece, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Austria, and other countries.
The main axes of her research include Classical Greece (5th–4th century BC), Greek and foreign Mythology and its “decoding,” the archaeology of Eastern civilizations, Papyrology, and the practical applications of the field of Cultural Tourism. She is also conducting doctoral research in the field of Culture within the Department of Business Organization and Management at the University of Piraeus.
After 12 years of extensive experience and further education in the Culture sector, she decided with this company to enrich the cultural interactive experience in Greece with innovative ideas.
Collaborators
Dimitris Tsakiris
Musician, Author, Homeopathic
Dimitris Tsakiris graduated from Homeopathic Therapeutics from the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy, where he studied with the Professor G. Vythoulkas, after first completing his studies in Veterinary Medicine, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Hippocratic Medicine, Self-knowledge, as well as issues related to psychology and esotericism, are the main axes of his personal research.
In this journey of search, mrs Tsakiris completed additional academic studies at the Department of Theology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and he also received his diploma in "Stress Counseling" from the University of Berkeley - College of Natural Therapies.
He studied guitar at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens and in 2006 he released his album "Akou tis Fones" (Listen to the Voices) with lyrics, guitar and singing by himself. He has given concerts in various parts of Greece (e.g. Glass Music Theatre, Cabaret Voltaire, Name of the Rose, Blaze -Tinos Island- etc.).
He has participated in the publication of many books and magazines, which concern esotericism and homeopathy. In 2016, his book "Spiritual Paths" was released, in which he deals with selected techniques, practices and systems aimed at self-awareness.
Konstantina Sylikou
Painter, Artist, Theater Scene Designer
Konstantina Silikou was born in Athens. Her origin is from the island of Tinos.
She studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts with teachers D. Mytaras, L. Kanakakis and I. Moralis. She also studied stage design with V. Vassiliadis, where she graduated with honors. She continued her postgraduate studies at the Saint Martin΄s School of Art in London with St. Marsden and A. Wishow.
Later she studied Theology at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and she studied Byzantine painting and portable hagiography icons and iconostasis of Holy Temples.
For many years she is the artistic director of the Art Workshops of Moschato and Dionysos.
She has presented her work in 8 solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous group exhibitions. Her works are in Museums and collections in Greece and Abroad.
Vasiliki Tsakiri
Nutritionist, Minor Psychology
Vasiliki Tsakiri studied Nutrition - Dietetics at the Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki and completed her internship next to the Clinical Dietitian - Nutritionist Mr. Petsios.
She then continued her studies at Deree American College, where she completed her Minor in Psychology and attended many similar seminars and training programs, such as the "Eating Disorders" of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in order to combine the possibilities of psychology and of nutrition, as he considers these two factors to be the most important for human health, on a holistic level.
Her main areas of interest and research are Hippocratic Medicine and nutritional habits in ancient Greece.
Ms. Vasiliki is also involved in classical singing and opera, being a soprano herself.
Alexandros Tsamados
Conservator of Antiquities, specialized in stone materials
Alexandros Tsamados is a conservator of antiquities and works of art, specializing in stone conservation. Born in Alexandria, Egypt - a place with a multilayered historical and cultural stratification - he came into contact at an early age with the concept of the value of cultural heritage. He completed his studies at the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art in Athens and has dedicated his professional career to the care, protection, and promotion of monuments that bear memory and history.
He has worked on a wide range of conservation and restoration projects in both the private and public sectors. Throughout his professional career, he has collaborated with archaeological services and institutions on significant monuments, including the conservation project of the Holy Church of Saint Therapon in Mytilene, where his long-term involvement contributed to deepening his knowledge of stone pathology and the management of complex monumental ensembles.
His love for antiquities is expressed through respect for the material and for the significance of the monument as a bearer of culture, approaching conservation as an act of responsibility toward the past and future generations, with the aim of safeguarding history through the authenticity and historical value of monuments.
Vicky Christou
Conservator of Antiquities and Works of Art, Museologist
Vicky Christou is a graduate of the School of Conservation of Works of Art and Antiquities of the University of Western Attica - formerly the Technological Educational Institute of Athens, specializing in stone conservation. Afterwards, she expanded her studies at the University of the Aegean where she completed the Master's Program "Cultural Informatics and Communication", specializing in Museology. At the end of her postgraduate studies, she did her diploma thesis entitled "Design and Implementation of a Joint Program in Two Different Museums" and then she was involved in the creation, organization and conduct of educational programs in archaeological museums of Attica.
She has participated as a conservator, as a museologist, but also as a volunteer in many cultural projects, e.g. re-exhibition of museums, preservation of archaeological finds, etc. and now works as an antiquities conservator specializing in stone, at the Ministry of Culture.
In addition, she is involved in art and artistic creation, having attended painting and ceramics classes.
Athena Mantala
Archaeologist and Art Historian, Egyptology researcher
Athina Mantala completed her undergraduate studies in the Department of Archaeology and History of Art at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Subsequently, driven by her interest in Egyptology and its relationship with ancient Greek culture, she participated in the excavation of the Sanctuary of the Egyptian Gods at Marathon and completed the 'University Certified Seminar in Egyptology' at the Hellenic Institute of Egyptology.
Her work on the sacred rock of the Acropolis, within the sector of Dispersed Architectural Members, brought her into direct contact with a wide range of archaeological material spanning multiple chronological periods. At the same time, her engagement with post-processual archaeology shaped her approach to the past as a living field of meanings, symbols, and human experiences. This perspective constitutes the core of her research, which focuses primarily on mythological archetypes, symbolic meanings, and their comparative analysis.
Furthermore, she actively explores creative writing and teaches Ancient Greek and philosophy to both children and adults.
Evaggelia Lalounda
Philologist, Specialized in Ancient Greek Text
Evangelia Lalounta studied Classical Philology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She continued her academic training by attending numerous seminars focused primarily on Ancient Greek and Latin texts, both at the Faculty of Philosophy (including Ancient Greek Tragedy: Genesis and Development, Ancient Drama: Theatre of the Classical Period, Latin Language and Literature, Latin Language: Reverse Text, among others) and at other universities and private institutions. She has been teaching Ancient Greek, Latin, History, and related subjects since 1992. She has worked as a teaching consultant for philologists in the field of Ancient Greek, as an instructor for undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Faculty of Philosophy, and as a tutor for final-year students preparing for entrance examinations to various departments of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Philology, History, Archaeology, Philosophy, Pedagogy).
Alongside her extensive teaching activity across a wide range of educational institutions, she has also been involved in the authorship of preparatory secondary-level textbooks in Ancient Greek, Latin, History, and related subjects.