The library was transferred to the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in 2016, following a donation by Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki, and in 2024. It contains over 5,000 volumes. The collection covers a range of subjects including Greek and foreign literature (including ancient Greek literature), art (mainly contemporary Greek and foreign painting and sculpture), travel guides, biographies, and, importantly, Greek history and archaeology (both prehistoric, classical, and Byzantine archaeology, as well as ancient and modern history). Many of the books in the collection bear inscriptions from their authors. The languages of the publications include Greek, English, French, German, Italian, as well as Bulgarian, Russian, and others.
The library of archaeologists Giannis Sakellarakis and Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki
Content
Biography
Giannis Sakellaraki (1936-2010) was an internationally renowned archaeologist, specializing in the Minoan period. A graduate of the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Athens and a doctor from the University of Heidelberg, he joined the Greek archaeological service in 1963. He served in various parts of Greece, including Crete, where he worked at the Heraklion Museum, initially as a curator and later as its director, and in Athens as a curator and supervisor of the Prehistoric Collections and deputy director of the National Archaeological Museum. His life’s work included excavations at Archanes and the Idaion Antron, and later at Zominthos and Kythira. Prolific in his writing, he authored books and articles on prehistoric Aegean and Minoan Crete. He taught at the Universities of Athens, Hamburg, and Heidelberg, publishing numerous books and articles, mainly on early Aegean civilizations. He delivered many lectures worldwide and participated in numerous conferences and symposia. He was a member of various Greek and international scientific associations. For his contributions to Greek archaeology, he was given awards, along with his wife and close collaborator, archaeologist Efie Sapouna, by the Academy of Athens and the University of Crete. In 2004, he was honoured by the President of the Republic with the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour.
Efi Sapouna-Sakellarakis is a graduate of the University of Athens and the Department of Tourist Professions at the Industrial School. She undertook postgraduate studies in London and Heidelberg and earned her doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy in Athens. She worked at the Acropolis, Olympia, Nafplion, Heraklion, and Corfu Museums, and participated in excavations in these regions. She served as a secretary for the American School of Classical Studies’ excavations at the Ancient Agora of Athens, worked in the Archives Department of the Ministry of Culture, and was involved with the Department of Underwater Antiquities. Her significant contributions include her work on the excavations at Zakros, Archanes, and Zominthos, which she co-directed with her archaeologist husband, Giannis Sakellarakis. For the excavation at Archanes, they were honored by the Academy of Athens. As the Ephor of Antiquities in Euboea, she conducted important excavations across the island, in Skyros, and along the Boeotian coast, and was particularly focused on the creation and operation of museums. She has participated in numerous international conferences and scientific lectures. Her scholarly work exceeds 150 titles, including books and articles. She is a member of the Archaeological Society of Athens, the Greek Numismatic Society, the Institute of Underwater Archaeological Research, and the Archaeological Institutes of Berlin and America. Since 2010, she has been the president of the Psycha Foundation, which funds Greek excavations.