The Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology is a Special Regional Service of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage. It is based in Athens and has jurisdiction across the entire Greek territory. It consists of four Departments and two Offices operating at Department level: the Office of Northern Greece based in Thessaloniki and the Office of Crete based in Heraklion.
The operation of the Ephorate is defined by Article 27 of Presidential Decree 4/2018, “Organization of the Ministry of Culture and Sports” (Government Gazette 7/A/22-01-2018).
The operational objectives of the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology are the protection, promotion, and management of cave sites and paleontological remains associated with human presence. The Ephorate exercises its responsibilities through on-site inspections of caves, the conduct or supervision of excavations and all forms of scientific research and documentation of caves, the promotion of palaeoanthropological and paleontological research, as well as the preparation and implementation of technical studies for the arrangement, conservation, enhancement, and presentation of cave sites and all kinds of archaeological and paleontological remains originating from them.
To achieve its objectives, the Ephorate collaborates with local authorities and institutions and participates in European and international programs. It promotes its work through the presentation and publication of scientific research, the organization of conferences and seminars, and participation in similar events organized by other institutions. It also designs and implements educational programs, organizes outreach activities and events to highlight the cultural heritage of caves, and produces conventional and digital publications and educational material.