Valerios Stais (Greek: Βαλέριος Στάης; b. Kythira 1857 – d. Athens 1923) was a Greek archaeologist.[1][2] He initially studied medicine but later switched to archaeology obtaining his Doctorate from the University of Halle (Saale) in 1885.[1] He worked for the National Archaeological Museum of Athens from 1887, eventually becoming Director of the Museum, a post he held until his death. During that period he organized or participated in excavations in Epidaurus, Argolis, Attica, Dimini, Antikythera and elsewhere.[3] He wrote a lot on archaeological matters, published several papers, mainly in Archeologiki Efimeris (Αρχαιολογική Εφημερίς "Archaeological Newspaper"[4]), and many books.

Valerios Stais also became the first to study the Antikythera mechanism from the lumps of archaeological material retrieved from a wreck found near the coast of Antikythera in 1900. [5] He identified that one of the pieces had a gear wheel embedded in it.

References

  1. ^ a b Trimmis, Konstantinos (2016). "The forgotten pioneer: Valerios Stais and his research in Kythera, Antikythera and Thessaly". Bulletin of the History of Archaeology. 26 (1). doi:10.5334/bha-558. hdl:1983/01500056-c564-4c31-b1b6-0d1f0bf037f5.
  2. ^ S. R. (1924). "Valerios N Stais". Revue Archéologique (in French). 20: 224. JSTOR 41031709.
  3. ^ Petrocheilos, Ioannis (1992). Valerios N Stais (PDF) (in Greek). Athens: Athens Archaeological Society. ISBN 9607036123.
  4. ^ "Aρχαιολογική Εφημερίς" (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  5. ^ D. J. de Solla Price, "An ancient Greek computer", Scientific American June 1959: 60-67 "An Ancient Greek Computer". Archived from the original on February 18, 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-17.. In some later publications in that context, his name has been confused with that of Spyridon Stais, a politician.
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