Menorca Field School in Archaeology & Heritage Management (Summer)

Boston University’s Summer Menorca Field School in Archaeology & Heritage Management will take place at the site of Torre d’en Galmès on the island of Menorca, Spain. The program will consist of a six-week excavation campaign combined with lectures, laboratory work, and study tours of the island’s cultural and historical monuments. The program has a strong focus on both theory and practice of archaeological heritage management and includes opportunities for collection management, organizing exhibits, designing site brochures and catalogs, and preparing a site for tourism.  Students will excavate a structure built during the late Iron Age period, dating back to the third century BC, that was later reused during the Roman occupation of the island. The field school will focus on the use of domestic space from the late Iron Age through the Roman Period to Medieval times.

Menorca, the easternmost of Spain’s four Balearic Islands, is located midway between Spain, Sardinia, France, and North Africa. The field school will be based in the beautiful port city of Mahón, now the modern capital of Menorca.

Program Curriculum

Boston University works in collaboration with the Universitat de les Illes Balears in Menorca.

Required Courses

Students enroll in both of these courses:

CAS AR 503: Archaeological Field Methods (4 credits)

Through hands-on experience and formal lectures, students learn the fundamentals of field excavation and recording, as well as the identification and analysis of Talayotic, Roman, and Medieval period artifacts. Students’ approach to field work will be very interdisciplinary, including both traditional field work methods and more contemporary, scientific methods such as waterseeving, sampling, charcoal recovery, and the study of phytoliths. Pérez-Juez, Goldberg. Syllabus

AR580: Studies in Archaeological Heritage Management: Cultural Heritage of Menorca (4)

Introduction to heritage management in the context of an archaeological field school in Menorca, Spain. Students will explore themes in heritage management through daily excavation and visits to numerous archaeological, historical, and natural sites throughout the culturally rich island of Menorca. Topics include: values and significance of cultural sites and objects; identification and analysis of stakeholder communities; principles and practice of heritage management; local, national, and international contexts, laws, and regulations; the World Heritage Convention and biosphere reserves; conservation, site management, and cultural tourism; looting and protection of archaeological resources; museums as venues for heritage curation, interpretation, and education. Students will engage in hands-on heritage activities and projects. Elia.

Program Details

Requirements
  • Open to both graduate and undergraduate students
  • No previous fieldwork experience is required
  • No Spanish language skills are required
  • Students admitted to the program must be able to engage in fieldwork in hot temperatures for significant periods of time
  • Admissions requirements for all programs
Program Dates
  • Summer Term: June 6 to July 18, 2012
    • Program Arrival: June 6, 2012
    • Depart Spain: July 18, 2012
Cost
  • Summer 2012 Program Fee: $8,200

Cost includes tuition, housing, board, field trips, and emergency travel assistance coverage. Costs for Summer 2013 have not yet been announced and will be subject to approval by the Board of Trustees at Boston University. Additional expenses to consider for the summer. Financial aid is available. The program arranges a trans-Atlantic group flight that is not included in the program fee. We recommend that students take this flight.
Credits
  • Upon successful completion of the program, students earn eight Boston University credits. Students must enroll for a total of eight credits.
Housing
  • Students and staff will stay at an attractive and comfortable hotel located in Mahón, close to the island’s spectacular beaches. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the hotel.
Application Deadlines
  • Summer Term: March 1 

Download a description of the Menorca Field School in Archaeology & Heritage Managment.

Program Faculty & Staff

The Boston University Menorca Programs are administered by staff in both our Boston and Menorca offices. In Boston, a program manager facilitates the admissions and pre-departure procedures, and maintains contact with students prior to their arrival in Menorca. The Boston Office also houses administrative personnel who are responsible for everyday operations. In Menorca, the staff comprises resident directors and administrative, academic, and housing personnel.

Faculty & Staff Profiles

Amber Thacher, Program Manager

On-Site Faculty/Staff

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