Sino-Hellenic Academic Project (SHAP)
About SHAP
The Sino-Hellenic Academic Project (SHAP) is a collaboration between the University of the Aegean, Greece, and Henan University, China, which seeks to promote further research on ancient Greek and Chinese civilisations through a series of comparative and parallel projects. It is a project which aims to bring Greek and Chinese academics closer together through joint efforts such as conferences, publications, workshops, and so on. Crucially, both universities have established centres in each other’s campuses: The Research Centre for Hellenic (RCHC) at Henan University and the Research Centre for Yellow River Civilisation (RCYRC) at the University of the Aegean.
The Sino-Hellenic Academic Project’s mission promote and encourage research in the domain of Sino-Hellenic studies. The opportunity for studying the Greek and Chinese civilizations side-by-side is unique. Experts from both fields and from both countries are gathered here to discuss and create methods and understanding of both civilizations respectively.
Our Centers has specialists in Hellenic and Chinese culture, arts, archaeology, and archaeological sciences and so is a unique opportunity for anybody who wishes to study either Greece or China’s past. We also are in the process of creating a specialised libraries for the purpose of teaching and researching the history, culture, and archaeology of the Hellenic world here in the heart of China’s cultural hinterland.
The Initiator of the Project is Ioannis Liritzis, Professor of Archaeometry-Physical Sciences of the University of the Aegean, Dept. of Mediterranean Studies & Visiting Distinguished Professor at the University of Henan (www.liritzis.eu), who established the collaboration also through an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two Universities.
In Henan: The first realization of this initiative came with the first Greek PhD student Alex Westra (B.A. SOAS, London Univ.; MA, Edinburgh Uni.), who was recommended by Prof Liritzis and started a PhD on Chinese Bronze Age compared to the Mycenean civilization. Alex provides also Greek lessons and English lessons to students at Henan and he has contributed much to the opening and organization of our center in Henan.
Current Acting Director of the RCHC is Dr Chao Chen, currently working on Ancient Greek law and he is interested into exploring ancient Greek agriculture.
Professor Miao Changhong, Professor of Geography and co-initiator with Prof Liritzis of the MOU and the two research centers.
In Rhodes: Currently Prof. Ioannis Liritzis (Archaeometry) and Prof. Manolis Stefanakis (Classical archaeology-numismatics) are acting directors of the Research Center for Ancient Yellow River Cultures (RSAYRC) in Rhodes. In the initial team belong Dr. Asimina Vafiadou, Tutor in archaeometry, as well as Dr. Pantelis Volonakis (Informatics) and Maria Bratitsi (MSc conservation).
Other SHAP members: Prof Nikolaos Efstratiou (Research affiliate) (Prehistoric Greece, Cyprus and Anatolia- Neolithic-Mesolithic period, Aristotle University of Thesaloniki, Dept of History & Archaeology, Greece); Assoc. Prof. Ioannis Iliopoulos (Geologist-Geoarchaeologist, Dept of Geology, University of Patras, Greece); Emer. Prof. Ioannis Hatzopoulos (Photogrammetry, Dept of Environmental Studies, Univ of the Argean, Mytilini, Greece); Assoc. Prof. Spyros Vosinakis (IT and Museums/Cultural Heritage, Dept. of Engineering Design of Products & Systems, University of the Aegean); Dr Ch.Karydis and Dr P. Manti both conservation scientists at Ioanion University and Anna Lazarou (BA, M.Sc, Ph.D Cultural Studies – Art History – Archaeology ), MSc (Applied archaeological Sciences), PhD Cand. Univ. of Peloponnese).
ARCHAEOMETRY: At the University of the Aegean and at Henan University, as well as at other locations in the world, we develop affiliations to our Centers and have collaborations and joint projects which contribute to the realization of various research targets. The well-equipped archaeometrical laboratories aim to establish international cooperation, innovative scientific dating methods (dating by C-14 and luminescence, biomolecular & isotopic studies, mineralogical and XRF analysis, organic and inorganic component analysis, microscopic techniques, 3D reconstructions and cyber archaeology, conservation science, cultural management and other. Analyses are carried out by world experts in China, Greece, USA, Italy, France.
ARCHAEOMETRY LABORATORY & LABORATORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY & PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION
The Centre also has at its disposal two Laboratories directed by Prof. Ioannis Liritzis, with advanced and far-reaching approaches in archaeological sciences are also part of our research agenda.
Library
Specialist libraries in key campuses surrounded by high ranking academics
International Collaboration
Research
Exploring and comparing ancient China and Greece through specialists and experts
Education
Educating young students and budding scholars into the field of Sino-Hellenic studies
Publications
High quality academic cooperative works published in relevant fields.
Conferences
Regular meetings, conferences, workshops, and seminars to foster interactions
Exchanges
Students, researchers, academic exchanges between countries for greater benefits
research agenda
archaeology
Archaeological research about the prehistoric and historic periods of Hellenic and Chinese culture and civilizations are the chief objective of this collaboration. The history of these two countries have played a big part in the development of the world. Comparative research in archaeology explores the differences between Greece and China’s archaeological past through geo-archaeology, and through investigation into the materials, culture, art, site distribution and so on. Minoan and Xia periods, or antiquity with Warring States and Qin-Han dynasties and later historical periods can be compared. Themes of social structure, materiality and material culture, longer processes, technology and trade, migrations, and burials are worth exploring here.
Archaeometry
At our disposal at the University of the Aegean and at Henan University, as w ell as at other locations in the world, we have at our disposal well-equipped archaeometrical laboratories for established and innovative scientific dating methods such Carbon, Isotopic, and luminescence. We are able to do extended petrographic, organic and inorganic component analysis with X-ray Diffraction and other such methods. Analyses are carried out by world experts in China and in Greece.
History
The history of these two countries have played a big part in the development of the world. Whereas we are discussing the famous accomplishment of the Confucians, or of the Pythagoreans, we have a unique opportunity in the world to place two of the greatest civilizations in the world side-by-side and evaluated, compare, and learn from each other. From the golden of Athens, to the unification of China by Qin Shi Huangdi – the First Emperor of China. The nature of the city, or the polis, and the place people had within their political systems. One can also research the huge depth of Science and technology that these two civilizations accomplished since the Bronze Age and Iron Age, and understanding the process of human civilizational emergence along the way.