The exhibition "Life among ruins" explores the relationship of people of different social and ethnic groups and from different periods (Byzantine, Ottoman and Early Modern) in the Eastern Mediterranean with ruined remains of an earlier past. It investigates the impact of the past and its ancient ruins on people's lives, dreams and ideals in later periods.

The exhibition is divided in two parts:

A photographic exhibition, featuring photos of the 1930’s to 1950’s from excavations of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ascsa) in the Athenian Agora, is hosted at the Allard Pierson Museum at Amsterdam (nl) between 21.10.2011 and 29.01.2012.

An online exhibition featuring drawings, sketches and maps of European travellers, who visited the Eastern Mediterranean between the 17th and 19th centuries. These illustrations come from printed books and maps of the 'Bijzondere Collecties' of the University of Amsterdam (nl). These images provide invaluable information on the antiquities themselves as well as on daily life in pre-modern Greece and Turkey.