The current volume contains the papers both of the members of the research team as well as
those of invited scholars that were read during the International Symposium entitled “Regional Stories towards a New Perception of the Early Greek World”, held at the University of Thessaly in Volos, from 18-21 June 2015, thus marking the closure of the research program. The aim of the symposium was on one hand to present original overviews, mostly geographical, of the current data from the entire Greek World, dating from the tenth to the end of the seventh century BC, based partly on the results of the research of the members of the “ARISTEIA” project or thanks to the expertise of the invited scholars. A second aim of the symposium, was to present new evidence from important current excavation projects, thus highlighting the data published up to now. The topics of the papers were drawn from the three axis of the “ARISTEIA” research project (Settlements, Sanctuaries, Cemeteries). The regional diversities or homogeneities, the interaction between the Greek and indigenous communities, the study of the Early Greek World independently from the chronological “divide” of ca. 700 BC, the rise of the polis, were some of the suggested lines of inquiry. The symposium was also an occasion to honour an eminent scholar of the Early Iron Age, Professor Jan Bouzek. It is hoped that this printed joint volume, together with the interactive database available in the web (aristeia.ha.uth.gr), will offer a continuous stimulus for further research and studies towards a better perception of this crucial and long period of Greek civilisation.
