Monika spent a second month in London with the Trust’s support in August 2025.

Examining the plaster casts of the Parthenon frieze (the Elgin Marbles) in the Britis Musem’s Archaeological Research Collection in Reading

I had the wonderful opportunity to receive the The Robert Anderson Research Charitable Trust scholarship for the second time. Thanks to a month-long stay in London (and its surroundings), I was able to complete my doctoral dissertation devoted to plaster casts of ancient sculptures. Those days were intense and sometimes exhausting – filled with visits to libraries, archives, and, of course, museums – but also incredibly fruitful. Every hour spent in these institutions contributed to the quality of my dissertation.

One of the highlights of my stay was the chance to study the plaster casts of the Parthenon frieze made in Elgin’s time and to carry out a detailed analysis of them. The Robert Anderson’s scholarship is a wonderful opportunity to advance one’s research, and I wish every scholar could experience it. Both the first and the second stay contributed to the development of my professional academic career and to obtaining a position as a lecturer at the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw.

My stay would not have been as rewarding without the presence of Mr Howard Davies. His support, advice, and truly delightful company made the house in Highgate a place I will always want to return to. It was a great pleasure to talk with him and listen to stories about the former owners of this beautiful house.

For more information about the other students in the 2025 cohort please see here.