Archaeological Field School & Lab Opportunities and Internships
Archaeological Field School and Lab Opportunities and Internships, Summer 2025
Koster Site, near Kampsville, IL Summer 1973–a fine training ground for several generations of American archaeology students.
This curated compilation of archaeological field schools is provided as a convenient starting point for students seeking out archaeological field and lab experiences. The list is not complete, and we will add additional opportunities as we learn of them–please let us know of additional US and international field schools so we can consider including them. The text and images below are taken from each project’s website, through the links provided below. Note that Boston University is not affiliated with any of these projects. While we try to ensure that the information provided below is accurate, please be sure to get updated information frequently from each individual project’s website and field school director(s).
NOTE: As updated information is being received for Summer 2025 opportunities, some of the listings below still show 2024 information (shown below in GREEN font) and will be updated as soon as we receive new information, or removed if we learn that they will not offer a 2025 field season. If you are interested in a field school that has not yet been updated below, contact the director directly to find out their 2025 plans and application procedure.
Special note for Boston University Archaeology majors: You are reminded that all field schools must be pre-approved in order to meet the major’s archaeological field school requirement, and field schools offering transfer credits must be pre-approved by BU Study Abroad. If you are interested in the field schools listed below or others, discuss them with your faculty advisor and with the Archaeology DUS to ensure that they will meet the BU Archaeology Program’s requirements and, if applicable, will provide course credits that are transferable to BU.
At the bottom of this list, we offer a few potential opportunities for financial aid/scholarships to help offset the costs of participating in archaeological fieldwork and related cultural heritage opportunities.
We welcome your comments and suggested additions and edits to this list of archaeological field schools, lab opportunities, and museum internships! Please contact Robert Murowchick (Director of Undergraduate Studies, Archaeology Program, Boston University) at <remurow [at] bu.edu>
Purpose: Established in 2007 in honor of AIA Honorary President Jane Waldbaum, this scholarship is intended to help students who are planning to participate in archaeological field work for the first time. Students majoring in archaeology or related disciplines are especially encouraged to apply. The Scholarship Fund provides $1000 each to help pay expenses associated with participation in an archaeological field work project (minimum stay one month/4 weeks).
Eligibility:
The scholarship is open to students who have begun their junior year of undergraduate studies at the time of application and have not yet completed their first year of graduate school at a college or university in the United States or Canada.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must not have previously participated in archaeological field work of any kind. The committee will consider both academic achievement and financial need in its deliberations.
AIA scholarships are open to students from all backgrounds. Minority and disadvantaged students are encouraged to apply.
Purpose: A scholarship established in honor of AIA Honorary President Elizabeth Bartman to assist advanced undergraduates, graduate students, or those who have recently completed a master’s degree with the expenses associated with participating in a museum internship either in the United States or abroad.
The internship fund is intended to help advanced undergraduates, graduate students, or those who have recently completed a master’s degree, in Archaeology or a related field (e.g., Anthropology, Art History, Classics, History, etc.) meet expenses associated with undertaking a museum internship (minimum duration a summer or semester). Specific projects will vary and might include the following: collection cataloguing, provenance or archival research, exhibition preparation, the writing of labels and/or didactic panels, assisting with websites and presentations in other media, such as audio guides and exhibition videos, and participating more broadly in museum activities, working with conservators, art handlers, designers, and other museum professionals.
The committee will consider academic achievement, past experience (or lack thereof), and financial need in its deliberations. AIA scholarships are open to students from all backgrounds. Students from historically marginalized communities are encouraged to apply.
Requirements: Applicants are not required to be members of the AIA at the time of application. Successful applicants will receive a one-year complimentary student membership to the AIA. Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in Archaeology or a related field. Please note that all application materials (including references and transcripts, and the online application form below) must be received at the AIA bythe April 1 deadline. Awards are contingent on confirmation of acceptance by a host institution. At the conclusion of the internship tenure, the recipient is required to submit a report on the use of the award to AIA Headquarters (directed to David DeVore). Within two years of tenure of the internship, the recipient is also expected to submit an abstract to the Program for the Annual Meeting Committee, in order to be considered for participation in the AIA Annual Meeting.
In the summer of 2007, ASOR renewed its emphasis on providing funding scholarships that enable individuals to participate in fieldwork in Western Asia and the wider Mediterranean, and also by awarding grants to support the archaeological projects themselves. Since 2007, ASOR has awarded well over $1 million to more than 900 researchers and students with project grants, fieldwork scholarships, travel scholarships, and other research fellowships. In 2025, ASOR plans to award over $250,000 in scholarships, fellowships, and grants.
Scholarships Available in 2025: (Apply for all using the universal application form above. All scholarships support participation on ASOR-affiliated projects.)
BIPOC Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation: BIPOC Scholarships for fieldwork participation are made possible through an endowment that was established by many generous donors who contributed to ASOR’s Diversity Initiatives campaign in 2020 and 2021. Six scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded to African American or Indigenous people of color for the summer of 2025.
Shirlee Meyers/G. Ernest Wright Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation: These scholarships were made possible by a generous endowment given by Professors Eric and Carol Meyers. One-half of the funds awarded each year are in memory of Eric’s mother, Shirlee Meyers. The other half of the funds each year are in memory of Professor G. Ernest Wright, former ASOR President and a professor of both Eric and Carol Meyers.
Member-Supported Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation: These scholarships are funded by contributions from our members. Many of these gifts are made during March Fellowship Madness, and other members make contributions (ranging from $10 to $2,000) throughout the year. Whenever the gifts are made, ASOR designates these donations into a special fund reserved for scholarships for fieldwork.
Sheeler Scholarshipsfor Fieldwork Participation: These scholarships are made possible by annual contributions from the Sheeler family in celebration of Harva Sheeler’s involvement in and support of ASOR and archaeological digs. Scholarships normally are designated to support volunteers and staff on the Tell el-Hesi Project.
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide.
Scholarships cover a portion of tuition. Scholarship recipients are responsible for their remaining tuition balance, travel expenses, and personal spending money. Awards are determined by review of the Statement of Interest and teacher recommendations (as appropriate for program). Award amount varies by applicant; we hope to assist as many women as possible.
Please Note: WIA Scholarships are available only for those applying to the CAA’s field schools.
Questions: If you have any questions, please contact the CAA at education@caa-archeology.org or 618-653-4316 for more information.
The Center for Field Sciences is offering four individual $1,500 Sun Duck scholarships to help cover the cost of any field school in our 2025 offering. The Sun Duck scholarships are designed to support students with demonstrated financial need so to reduce barriers for entry to academic archaeology and/or the Cultural Resource Management sector. While focusing on financial need, a minimum level of merit is required. This scholarship has no cash value and will only be used to cover a portion of a CSF field school tuition.
Application Deadline: March 7, 2025 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time
Award Decision: March 21, 2025 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time
Eligibility
Must be enrolled as a student in an academic institution (undergraduate or graduate level) or have completed a BA/BS degree the past three years or an MA/MS degree in the past two years.
Must be at least 18 years old on the day the field school begins.
Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (a B or 80% average in none US based academic systems).
Students from any major may apply.
Students from any country may apply – you DO NOT need to be a US Citizen.
Must apply and be admitted to a CFS field school. No need to pay the nonrefundable deposit to be eligible for this scholarship.
Must complete and submit the Sun Duck scholarship application.
Requirements
Apply, and be admitted to any CFS 2025 field school.
Complete Sun Duck scholarship application and answer all essay questions.
Upload unofficial copy of transcripts showing GPA.
Upload your latest FAFSA application. If you are not a US Citizen, upload tax records showing your/your family financial status.
Through scholarships and mentorship, IFR continues to work toward our goal of improving access to field research training opportunities and promoting equity and diversity in the field sciences. Please scroll below to learn more about our Vera R. Campbell Promise Scholarship. In addition, we provide links to funding search engines and to grants and scholarships available to students from external organizations.
The Vera R. Campbell Promise Scholarship supports undergraduate students attending higher education institutions in Los Angeles County, CA to participate in IFR field schools. Priority is given to first-generation college students with demonstrated financial need.
This scholarship provides:
Direct financial support of up to $5,000 towards the cost of attending an IFR field school.
One-on-one mentorship sessions with IFR Academic Board members and/or IFR staff before and after the field school.
Scholarship Application Deadline: March 15, 2024 Priority Deadline: March 1, 2024
Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants are designed to help support undergraduates as they seek knowledge and experience in their academic fields by studying abroad. Seventy-five $1,000 grants are awarded each year. Applicants do not have to be Society members but must attend an institution with an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter.
Dec. 15, 2024: Application portal opens
March 15, 2025: Application deadline
May 1, 2025: Recipients will be notified
May 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026: Study Abroad program must begin during this time
Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you meet ALL of the following:
you are an undergraduate attending an institution with an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter;
you have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
your study abroad program begins between May 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026;
you have applied to or been accepted into an accredited study abroad program before the session deadline and provide a letter of acceptance or a letter confirming your application, on official letterhead, as part of your application.
you are not a sitting Phi Kappa Phi board member, divisional vice president, member of the Study Abroad Award committee or Society employee at time of application.
If you have any questions about the application process, please email amy_rutledge@saa.org.
The Native American Scholarships endowment fund was established in 1988 to foster a sense of shared purpose and positive interaction between archaeologists and Native Americans. Since 1998, the SAA has used endowment income to award the Arthur C. Parker Scholarship. In 2009, the Society added two new awards to support undergraduate and graduate education in archaeology. These scholarships are funded through individual donations, a silent auction held at the SAA Annual Meeting, and external grants. The following competitive scholarships are currently offered:
SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship for Archaeological Training for Native Americans supports archaeological training for Native Americans who are students or employees of tribal, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian cultural preservation programs. Amount award is variable. Any form of archaeological training may be funded, not just limited to field schools. Learn more about Arthur C. Parker (1881–1955). (One available for 2025)
SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship supports undergraduate studies for Native American students. For 2024, funding includes: tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, family and dependent care, medical expenses, on-line archival research costs, and archaeology related analysis costs. Amount awarded is up to $6,000 with one scholarship available each year. (One available for 2025)
SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship supports graduate studies for Native American students. For 2024, funding includes: tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, family and dependent care, medical expenses, on-line archival research costs, and archaeology related analysis costs. Amount awarded is up to $10,000 with one scholarship available each year. (One available for 2025)
Bertha Parker Cody Award for Native American Women supports undergraduate and graduate studies, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care. All Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women, including gender non-conforming individuals, who are undergraduate or graduate students in the fields of archaeology and museum studies, are eligible for this award. This award is partially funded by the Autry Museum of the American West. One scholarship available each year. Learn more about Bertha Parker Cody. (1907–1978). (One available for 2025)
Eligibility: Scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders. See scholarship descriptions above for any other eligibility requirements.
If you have any questions about the application process, please email amy_rutledge@saa.org.
The Historically Underrecognized Student Archaeology Scholarships (formerly the Historically Underrepresented Groups Scholarship) endowment fund was established in 2010 to increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities obtaining degrees in archaeology. Embracing diversity in heritage and narratives is key to understanding the past. However, minority groups have long been underrepresented and marginalized in American archaeology, creating an imbalance with consequences, not only in research goals and interpretations, but also in communication with diverse publics. Since 2015, the SAA has used the endowment to help minority students enhance their education and successfully prepare for careers in archaeology and heritage management. The Society along with the Minority Scholarship Committee is committed to the inclusion of under-represented minorities in archaeology. Support for these scholarships comes from individual donations and corporate partnerships. The following competitive scholarships are currently offered:
For Undergraduate Students supports archaeological training or participation in a research program for undergraduate minority students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and childcare. Any form of archaeological training during the summer may be funded, not just limited to field schools. Amount awarded is up to $3,000 with one to two scholarships available each year.
For Graduate Students supports archaeological training or participation in a research program for graduate minority students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and childcare. Any form of archaeological training during the summer may be funded, not just limited to field schools. Amount awarded is up to $3,000 with one to two scholarships available each year.
Eligibility*
To apply for a scholarship, the following criteria must be met:
You must be a member of historically underrepresented minorities in archaeology, including but not restricted to African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, and other non European minorities.
You must be a resident of either the United States or Canada.
At the time of application, you must be enrolled in a regionally accredited university in the United States or Canada or, if outside the United States, a university with equivalent accreditation.
If the applicant is a graduate student, s/he must be in their first or second year of graduate studies and may not have an MA/MS degree at the time of application.
Please note: Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, or Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are encouraged to apply to the Native American Scholarships program for parallel funding opportunities.
Open for applications. The application deadline is January 31.
Please see the guidelines for instructions on preparing your application. Cappetta Scholarship Guidelines 2025 v1
If you have any questions about the application process, please email amy_rutledge@saa.org.
The Matthew Tobin Cappetta Archaeological Scholarship provides funding for graduate students studying archaeology or ethnoarchaeology of the American Southwest and the South American Andes. Students working in other American regions, whether they are from the United States or other countries, will be considered if their research involves significant collaboration with Indigenous peoples. The scholarship covers tuition, course fees, and books or course materials for graduate-level classroom and field-based courses in anthropology, with emphasis in archaeology or ethnoarchaeology. It also supports travel to attend field schools or directed study projects that lead to research papers, reports, journal articles, or advanced field research. Both Masters and Doctoral students are encouraged to apply. Amount awarded is variable with four scholarships available each year.
Matthew Tobin Cappetta was an archaeologist who spent a decade in the American Southwest, working with Native American tribes on archaeological sites. He instilled trust and humor in those around him. Matthew intended to attend graduate school to get advanced training in archaeology before his tragic death in 2019. His parents, Patricia and Les Cappetta, established an endowment in his name to honor his memory and lifelong passion for archaeology that will support, in perpetuity, other aspiring archaeology students to attend graduate school and achieve their dreams of becoming professional archaeologists. They hope that others will be inspired to contribute to the endowment. To make your donation, visit the Cappetta Scholarship Donation page.
To apply for a Matthew Tobin Scholarship, the following criteria must be met.
You need to be enrolled in a graduate program (MA or PhD) in a university accredited by the country in which you reside.
You should be conducting advanced study of the archaeology/ethnoarchaeology of the US Southwest and the South American Andes, which are the two regions that most impacted Matthew’s life.
Students working in other American regions, whether those students are from the United States or other countries, will be considered if their research involves significant collaboration with Indigenous peoples of those regions.
You can receive the award in subsequent years, but you must reapply each year because this is a single-year grant.
You must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
The Matthew Tobin Cappetta Scholarship Committee strongly encourages applications from students who are affiliated with historically underrepresented groups.
If you have any questions about the application process, please email natalie.munro@uconn.edu.
The Ofer Bar-Yosef Scholarship for Advanced Doctoral Students in Old World Prehistory
The Bar-Yosef family created the Ofer Bar-Yosef Scholarship to honor and celebrate the life and remarkable archaeological career of Professor Ofer Bar-Yosef. Professor Bar-Yosef’s research made foundational contributions to our understanding of human evolution and cultural development from the Lower Paleolithic to the development of Neolithic farming economies and sedentary villages, and geographically spanned the entire Old World from Western Europe to China.
The Ofer Bar-Yosef Scholarship acknowledges and supports excellence among advanced graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree on some facet of prehistoric archaeology in the Old World. The scholarship is intended for students who have already completed their coursework and all other requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation itself (research and/or writing). The Ofer Bar-Yosef Scholarship is given specifically to facilitate completion of the applicant’s doctoral degree. The scholarship is open to students whose research focuses on Paleolithic, Mesolithic, or Neolithic archaeology (or their broadly equivalent temporal or cultural manifestations) in Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia. The goal is to help promising advanced students to produce superlative dissertations in these fields.
Eligibility and Who Can Apply:
Any advanced graduate student enrolled and in good standing in a PhD-granting program, regardless of home country and nationality of the applicant.
The applicant must be a student of prehistoric archaeology or a closely related discipline who is conducting research in Eurasia, Africa, or Australia on archaeological sites/materials dating to the Pleistocene or early Holocene.
At the time of applying for the scholarship the student must have: (1) already completed all coursework and other requirements (e.g., languages, statistics, etc.) for the doctoral degree except the dissertation itself; (2) a designated principal advisor or supervisor; and (3) an approved dissertation proposal or prospectus.
What the Scholarship Can Be Used to Cover:
The Scholarship is a one-time only award of $5,000 that can be used to cover field and/or laboratory expenses, as well as basic living expenses while writing the dissertation. The funds must not be used for purchases of permanent equipment, or for the main stages of excavation and data collection.
The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the US study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting minority and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs. Application Open! The Summer, Fall, and Academic Year 2025-2026 application cycle is accepting applications until February 5, 2025 at 12pm (noon) Eastern Time. We are unable to accept late applications.
Fieldwork and Field School Opportunities
UNITED STATES
ALABAMA
CRM Professional Training Program: A Unique Field School Experience hosted by ArchaeoPLUS in collaboration with Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research (TVAR), and the Alabama Archaeological Society (AAS)
Join a Transformative Journey into Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management
Embark on an unparalleled educational journey with our Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Professional Training Program, designed for aspiring professionals in archaeology, anthropology, history, and related disciplines. This immersive program offers rigorous hands-on training, enabling participants to gain valuable skills in CRM—a rapidly expanding field projected to grow by 8% over the next decade. As the job market for those with degrees in related fields shifts, CRM represents an exceptional career opportunity, encompassing approximately 90% of available roles in the United States, but is also a field in which many graduates feel they are unprepared by their college curricula and traditional archaeological field schools. This field school, taught by CRM archaeologists and academic archaeologists specializing in pedagogy and praxis, is designed to prepare graduates to enter CRM immediately upon graduation.
Course Objectives
Our field school is structured to achieve the following objectives:
Comprehend CRM Principles: Gain a solid understanding of the foundational concepts and practices inherent to cultural resource management.
Develop Practical Skills: Engage in archaeological surveys and excavations, alongside artifact analysis, to equip you for future employment with CRM firms across the United States.
Navigate Regulations: Familiarize yourself with federal and state regulations governing cultural resources, ensuring compliance and ethical stewardship in your future endeavors.
Maximum Participants: 6
Housing: Rented houses or hotel rooms near the project area with shared rooms. Each house is equipped with full kitchen and laundry.
Meals: Participants are responsible for their own food during the course of the project, but transportation to grocery stores or restaurants as a team will be done daily.
Transportation and Tools: Transportation to and from the project area will be provided for the team daily. All tools necessary to conduct this project will be provided, with the exception of PPE (gloves, high-vis vest, personal backpack and reusable water bottles) and personal tools (tape measure, trowels). Recommendations for PPE and tools will be sent out in the “tool kit” in April, 2025.
Cost: US$ 800 per 4 -week session (4 weeks mandatory). Fee includes: registration and field fees, lectures and workshops, most field and laboratory gear, housing and transportation as described above.
Project Directors:
William Henry PhD RPA; Hunter Johnson MA RPA
Contact information: William Henry
3906 Hawthorne Ave SW, Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
Every tree has a story to tell. Dendrochronology is the study of natural and human processes that are recorded in the annual growth rings of trees. This tree-ring record is archived thanks to the remarkable preservation qualities of wood, and across the wide geographical distribution of trees. Through the science of dendrochronology, a broad range of ecological, climatic, geological, and cultural phenomena can be reconstructed and analyzed with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Course dates: Monday, May 13 through Friday, May 31, 2024
What is DISC2024?
Participants will learn fundamental Dendrochronology concepts and be introduced to its rich interdisciplinary nature. In addition, they will hone their skills in track-specific techniques. All tracks will include a fieldwork component and cover sample collection, sample processing, data analysis and will culminate in a project presentation. Ample opportunities to network and interact with participants in other tracks, as well as Invited speakers, are an important and integral part of DISC.
This year, the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research (LTRR) is offering three dendrochronology tracks and two modes of instruction for its intensive summer course. The Dendroarchaeology track will be conducted in-person and will be led by Drs. Ron Towner and Nick Kessler. The Dendroecology track will also be conducted in-person and will be led by Dr. Paul Sheppard. And finally, the Dendroclimatology track will have two options this year allowing participation in-person or live-online and will be led by Drs. David Frank, Kiyomi Morino and Alex Nolin.
Read on for more details about each of the tracks!
Dendroarchaeology
This track will emphasize the process of conducting Dendroarchaeological research from start to finish. During this course, participants will collect, analyze and interpret archaeological tree-rings. Participants (undergrads, grads, professionals) will learn the most accurate and precise dating method used by archaeologists via lectures, laboratory exercises, and field work. The centerpiece of this track is the field trip – a tour through multiple archaeological sites in Arizona. Participants will embark into the field after first receiving instruction in the basics of dendrochronological method and theory. Upon returning from the field, participants will prepare, crossdate and interpret dendroarcheological samples collected during the field trip. Lectures will be presented by course instructors as well as leading tree-ring scientists, including Jeffrey S. Dean and Charlotte Pearson.
The Dendroarchaeology section meets in-person beginning May 13th and ending May 31st. The field work for this track will involve camping for a few days, so bring your tent, sleeping bag and other camping gear if you have it (gear can be rented if you don’t have it).
Dendroecology
In this track, the field instruction will include site and tree selection criteria for dendro projects (fire history, stand dynamics), learning how to collect high-quality tree cores and possibly cross sections from fallen logs, and proper care and maintenance of the equipment. Samples collected in the field will be processed in the wood shop and lab and further analyzed during the remainder of DISC.
The Dendroecology section meets in-person beginning May 13th and ending May 31st. The field work for this track will involve camping for a few days, so bring your tent, sleeping bag and other camping gear if you have it (gear can be rented if you don’t have it).
Dendroclimatology
This track will emphasize the application of tree-ring data to the reconstruction of climatic and hydrologic time series. With guidance, students will design and conduct a mini-research project that includes 1) assembly and quality control of data, 2) tree-ring standardization, 3) climate signal identification, 4) climate or streamflow reconstruction, and 5) climatological interpretation of reconstructions with the aid of time series and statistical methods.
This track has TWO options for participation: in-person and live online. The in-person option will include both field and lab work. For the field portion, we will update classic precipitation-sensitive tree-ring sites in the Southwest. In the lab, we will mount and prepare cores for measuring. In-person participants will work with these tree-ring samples for their mini-research project. Live-online participants will be encouraged to bring their own tree-ring data or use data from the International Tree-Ring Databank (ITRDB).
The Dendroclimatology IN-PERSON track runs from May 13 and ending May 31. The field work for this track will involve camping for a few days, so bring your tent, sleeping bag and other camping gear if you have it (gear can be rented if you don’t have it).
The Dendroclimatology LIVE-ONLINE track runs from May 22 and ends on May 31 and will focus on analysis and reconstruction methods. The portion from May 22nd to May 31st will be run in a hybrid mode to allow in-person or remote live online participation.
Preservation Archaeology Field School in Southwest New Mexico: A collaborative field school with Archaeology Southwest, Western New Mexico University, and the University of Arizona
Program Dates: June 10 – July 21, 2025Applications due March 15, 2025;
Join Archaeology Southwest, Western New Mexico University, and the University of Arizona this summer for our Preservation Archaeology Museum Curation and Survey Field School. Learn collections-based research, museum curation, experimental archaeology, and archaeological survey while investigating how households cooperated in 11th-century southwest New Mexico. Field trips to archaeological sites, contemporary Native American communities, and public outreach events in our project area emphasize communication with diverse audiences and reinforce the principles of Preservation Archaeology as we focus on recovering maximum information with limited impacts on the archaeological record. Our staff’s backgrounds include CRM, academic, and nonprofit work.
About the Field School
This archaeology course is focused on learning from archaeological museum collections and survey data, using information from both approaches to answer research questions. Our approach combines elements of a traditional archaeological field school and a museum studies course, and everyone spends time on both course components.
Our curriculum highlights the practice of Preservation Archaeology, which integrates research, education, preservation, and engagement with Indigenous and local communities. We share what we learn throughout the project with the public via local events, blog posts, and other venues. Together, students and staff explore ethically responsible and scientifically rigorous field and research methods while investigating compelling questions about our shared past.
Students will research and catalog collections from the NAN Ranch, a large Classic Mimbres period pueblo in the Mimbres Valley excavated by the Texas A&M University summer archaeological field school from 1978 to 1989 and now housed at the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Museum. Archaeological survey experience on the NAN Ranch provides essential field training in locating and recording archaeological sites and contextualizes our museum collections research. Experimental archaeology gives us insights into how the items we see in the field and in museum collections were made and used.
The field school begins in Tucson, Arizona, where students take part in a three-day orientation to the principles of Preservation Archaeology at Archaeology Southwest and the University of Arizona. The remainder of the program takes place at WNMU in Silver City, New Mexico.
This project is committed to increasing the diversity of views represented in archaeology, including improving communication between archaeologists and nonprofessionals and between researchers with different backgrounds and training. Students from backgrounds and institutions traditionally underrepresented in archaeology (including small colleges and community colleges) are especially encouraged to apply.
Project Faculty:
Karen Gust Schollmeyer is a Preservation Archaeologist at Archaeology Southwest. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from Arizona State University in 2009. Her interests include long-term human-environment interactions; food security and landscape use; and how archaeologists’ long-term insights can be applied to modern issues in conservation and development. Her research has been published in American Antiquity, the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Kiva, and various book chapters. She has directed numerous field schools in southwest New Mexico.
Jeffery J. Clark is also a Preservation Archaeologist at Archaeology Southwest. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 1997. Dr. Clark has worked extensively in Southwest Asia and the southern U.S. Southwest. His primary research interest is assessing the scale and impact of ancient migration using archaeological data. He has written extensively on the topic, including one monograph, an edited book, several book chapters, and articles in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, American Antiquity, Kiva, Journal of Field Archaeology, and Journal of Archaeological Research.
Allen Denoyer is a Preservation Archaeologist and Ancient Technologies Expert at Archaeology Southwest. He has been working as a professional archaeologist since the early 1990s, with field experience spanning the Paleoindian through historic time periods. He is also an expert in ancient technologies, and guides students in replicating and using traditional tools for the experimental archaeology component of the field school.
Danielle Romero is Director of the WNMU Museum. She received her PhD at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2024. She has 10 years of field experience in the southwest, and her research has focused on Mimbres archaeology and archaeological ceramic analysis. Prior to her current position, she worked at the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office as a database manager and Section 106 reviewer.
Rebecca Harkness is a PhD candidate at the University of Arizona. She studies identity, trade, and social connections, particularly through pottery analysis and museum collections research. She has conducted archaeological research in the US Southwest, Cyprus, and Oman, and taught English in Tokyo.
CALIFORNIA
ZOOARCHAEOLOGY IN THEORY & PRACTICE: ANALYZING MATERIALS FROM LOS ANGELES NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM AND CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA (US)
Project dates: June 17 to July 12, 2024 Tuition payment deadline: April 5, 2024; Orientation date: April 14, 2024
INSTRUCTORS: Dr. Aharon Sasson, San Diego Natural History Museum, Co-director, San Diego Zooarchaeology Laboratory asasson@sdnhm.organd Dr. Amy Gusick, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Associate Curator of Anthropology, <agusick@nhm.org>
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This is a laboratory program, focused on the identification and interpretation of archaeological faunal materials. In addition to covering theoretical approaches to faunal remain interpretations, laboratory course work will concentrate on developing proficiency in identifying mammal, fish, bird, and herptile specimens. In addition to learning species identification, students will study taphonomic processes, assemblage formation, and the use of bone data to investigate archaeological research questions.
Students will learn how to use comparative collections for actual research of materials excavated archaeologically. Using the Natural History Museum comparative collections, students will archaeological materials from the Channel Islands (including remains from Daisy Cave and the Big Dog Cave as well as 19th century historic material recovered from the area surrounding the museum. The course is design to develop experienced and capable researchers in zooarcheology, a first step to a possible career in academia or the Cultural Resource Management sector. Students will be shown the many career pathways available to anthropology majors and will prepare application materials for a job in their preferred pathway. Students will be trained in both academic writing and public interpretation of faunal materials. Honors thesis and graduate level research work with the collections is possible and encouraged.
This is a college research and service leadership program of study focused on the people of the Clear Lake, California region through time, beginning specifically when the first colonizers arrived from Spain and the East Coast. In uncovering unremembered stories of the past and working to incorporate the research ideas and goals of the local population of the region, we hope to gain a richer understanding of the past.
The field class runs from August 8-17 in Lake County, California. This allows working students to take one week off and complete a full field school.
The field school will integrate training and direct field experience in Lake County. Most students will be camping at Clear Lake State Park. Options abound for hotels and AirBnB.
The program fees are limited to costs for camping reservations for ten days in the Clear Lake basin on a research and service learning program of study. Course credits are offered for Anth 52 – Archaeological Field Methods. All other costs will be directly incurred by the students, to include food and transport. We will provide options for group dining; fees are arranged directly with the provider.
Foothill College’s Department of Anthropology is excited to be offering a low-cost field program in California. Led by Dr Samuel Connell and colleagues, we are studying the remarkable history of the Clear Lake region through time. In 2025 survey of the lake side will continue, and the excavation component will be at a locally important site that is to be determined. In 2024 we were at the Kelsey Creek Schoolhouse, the last standing original one room schoolhouse in Lake County. In 2021 summer student survey and excavations focused on the historically significant site of the Ely Stage Stop, which was used as a stage coach stop, public house, hotel and a school for boys. Students will be learning all aspects of fieldwork from survey, ground-penetrating radar, excavation techniques and laboratory work. The work involves defining foundations of the main building, finding the privies and excavating the outbuildings. Each student is required to carry out individual research on a topic of their choice and prepare a Student Independent Pilot Project final paper. Lastly, every student will be heavily involved in community development projects with various stakeholders, to include the Lake County Historical Society.
Cost estimation for students, staff, and volunteers: This will be one of the lowest, if not the lowest, priced field experiences in the country. We are doing this because we firmly believe equity in education. In addition, the Foothill student body, the Department of Anthropology, and the college President, are offering scholarships to help defer costs.
Program Fees & Tuition:
Program Fees: $400 camp sites and rental of transport
The Amache Archaeology and Heritage Management Field School is part of a long-term community collaborative project at Amache, a World War II-era Japanese American confinement camp in southeastern Colorado. This project provides a rare opportunity for students to work with survivors in synergistic investigations of the past and its meaning in the present at a National Historic Landmark. Working on-site and in the Amache museum, participants in the field school, gain hands-on experience in intensive site survey, historic artifact analysis, ground penetrating radar, landscape archaeology, collections management, public interpretation and outreach, and community-based research.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTORS: Dr. Bonnie Clark, University of Denver (bclark@du.edu) Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker, California State University, Chico (akamp-whittaker@csuchico.edu) MUSEUM COORDINATOR: Anne Amati, University of Denver (anne.amati@du.edu) SENIOR FIELD CREW CHIEFS: Dr. Annie Danis, Cal Poly Pomona (aedanis@cpp.edu) and Salvador Valdez-Ono (svaldezo@umd.edu)
OVERVIEW This field class will take place at Amache National Historic Site, a former World War II-era Japanese American confinement camp located in southeastern Colorado, and its associated museum. It is particularly appropriate for students who are interested in community-based research and are prepared to engage with sensitive issues around a difficult heritage. With remnant landscaping, largely intact building foundations, scattered surface artifacts, and both formal and informal trash dumps, the site retains significant archaeological integrity. That integrity and its important role in global history is reflected in its new status within the US National Park system.
Since 2008, Dr. Bonnie Clark has led a community-collaborative biennial field school at Amache in both archaeology and museum studies. The field school works closely with the former incarceree and Japanese American community and the Amache Preservation Society, a volunteer organization associated with the Granada High School, to preserve and document the site and associated museum collections. Students will work with volunteers and high school interns who have a personal or family tie to Amache, as well as members of the local community.
Each year work conducted by the field school helps answer central research questions about daily life in Amache, place-making by those forced to live there, and heritage management. To answer these research questions, students participate in archaeological survey, targeted excavations, and work in the Amache museum which maintains a collection of objects and primary materials associated with Amache. During the four-week 2024 field school, crews will spend half of their mornings surveying the site and the other half conducting targeted excavations of gardens and landscape features constructed by incarcerees. Students in the field school will also have the opportunity to develop an individual project.
ACADEMIC CREDIT UNITS & TRANSCRIPTS Credit Units: Attending students will be awarded 8 semester credit units (equivalent to 9 quarter credit units) through our academic partner, Connecticut College. Connecticut College is a highly ranked liberal arts institution with a deep commitment to undergraduate education. Students will receive a letter grade for attending this field school (see assessment, below). This field school provides a minimum of 360 hours of experiential education. Students are encouraged to discuss the transferability of credit units with faculty and registrars at their home institution prior to attending this field school.
Transcripts: An official copy of transcripts will be mailed to the permanent address listed by students on their online application. One more transcript may be sent to the student’s home institution at no cost. Additional transcripts may be ordered at any time through the National Student Clearinghouse.
PREREQUISITES Students in this field school will be embedded in two communities; the survivor and descendants of Amache and the local town of Granada. Your participation is precipitated on their good will and your respect. Thus, we ask that all students prepare with readings about the history of Japanese American incarceration and the site of Amache and participate in a zoom discussion of those readings. However, to succeed in a field situation you should be able to work well with a team in outdoor and changing conditions.
COLORADO
EXPLORING ANCIENT COMMUNITIES THROUGH ARCHAEOLOGY: CROW CANYON COLLEGE FIELD SCHOOL (Northern Chaco region, Colorado)
A National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program
Program dates: May 19 to July 7, 2025 Application deadline: March 7, 2025
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens and currently enrolled in an undergraduate program.
Fee: $2,130.00 due Friday, April 16, 2025
The field school fee covers in-field transportation, field equipment rental, housing, meals, instructor fees, evening lectures, and field trips to ancestral sites in the Mesa Verde and middle San Juan regions.
Transportation to and from Cortez and your personal gear are your responsibility. Weekends are yours to explore the cultural and natural attractions in the area.
Earn college credit at Crow Canyon during College Field School! Tuition for six credit hours: Undergraduate students may enroll in Anthropology 379 through Adams State University.
Stipends Accepted students will receive a stipend to support their attendance through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program (NSF REU 1851763).
OVERVIEW
This project is funded in part by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences directorate. It has broader scientific and societal impacts in addition to integrating undergraduate research and education. This REU Sites award to the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center supports authentic archaeological research for 10 undergraduate students from underrepresented populations over the course of seven weeks spanning three years (30 total students).
Students actively engage in research alongside professional mentors within the framework of a long-term research project, the Northern Chaco Outliers Project. Students receive extensive preparation in STEM-based learning objectives that are necessary for future success within the discipline. This program provides students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to secure future employment within archaeology and to pursue advanced degrees, emerging as the next generation of professionals, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, educators, and leaders within the sciences. Inferences generated about past human behavior are utilized to create a better understanding of the principles that govern culture change worldwide and to address issues relevant to today’s societies, providing critical information to guide future policy making.
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center initiated the Northern Chaco Outliers Project in 2017 with the goals of addressing important regional questions surrounding the expansion of ancient communities in the Mesa Verde region, as well as broader anthropological research questions concerning human-environment interactions, the development of inequality/equality, the political role of community centers, and identity formation/dissolution. Although this project has a regional focus, its results have national and global impacts. By engaging in scientific research focused on broader anthropological questions, REU students advance and share knowledge of the human past and contribute to cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary research surrounding human actions in the past, present, and future.
This award (#2348945) reflects NSF’s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Under the direction of Dr. Susan C. Ryan, the Center’s Executive Vice President of the Research Institute, undergraduate students may, but are not required to, enroll for 6 credit hours in Anthropology 379, through Adams State University in Colorado that can be transferred to their home institution.
Crow Canyon’s College Field School is certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists
COLORADO
CROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER 2025 INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Crow Canyon offers paid internships to undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology, anthropology, education, and related fields.
The application deadline for all internships is March 3, 2025.
Internships Build your resume, expand your transferable skills, and develop professional connections that advance your career pathways. Crow Canyon typically offers internships in various fields of Research, Education, and American Indian Initiatives:
Field Archaeology: Build experience in survey, excavation, and mapping techniques along with artifact documentation. Lab Archaeology: Engage in the cataloging and analysis of archaeological collections, particularly pottery and stone artifacts. American Indian Initiatives: Collaborate with Native American partners and advisor to support cultural continuity initiatives and educational outreach. Dendrochronology: Gain analytical skills in the application of tree-ring dating techniques, sampling strategies, analytical methodologies, climate research, and educational outreach. Zooarchaeology: Develop specialized skills in faunal analysis that aid in you development as archaeologists and paleozoologists. Education: Help students build cultural competencies and learn about the rich cultural heritage of Southwest Colorado through traditional and distance learning programs.
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center maintains high standards of research and scholarship. Students participating in the Center’s programs are closely supervised by staff members, ensuring a positive learning experience, as well as high-quality contributions for the profession. In addition, American Indians—many of them descendants of Ancestral Pueblo people—consult and collaborate on all facets of the Center’s research, and colleagues from many other disciplines lend their expertise to advance mission initiatives. In such an environment, interns have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in working with, and learning from, a wide variety of people.
Crow Canyon’s research focuses on the Ancestral Pueblo occupation of the Mesa Verde region. In 2017, Crow Canyon launched the Northern Chaco Outliers Project, an investigation of an Ancestral Pueblo village with two Pueblo II period (A.D. 950–1150) great houses.
Benefits
Interns are paid $14.81 per hour (five-day week, Monday through Friday)
Lodging is available at no cost
Meals included when the kitchen open, stipend provided when the kitchen is closed
A travel allowance (up to $350) is available to help defray travel expenses
Interns will be eligible for sick pay at one hour for every 30 hours worked
Course Credit Crow Canyon does not offer course credit for internships, but will gladly certify work/study performed and provide evaluations if students wish to arrange for credit through another institution.
Campus Amenities
The following on-campus facilities are available to interns at no cost:
Lodging provided in rustic hogans on campus. A shared restroom with running water is nearby for convenience.
Washers and dryers are also available in the Lodge
Meals provided when the kitchen is staffed; stipend provided and cooking facilities available when the kitchen is not staffed
Crow Canyon provides Wi-Fi Internet service in campus buildings
5,000-volume research library and desk space
Access to Crow Canyon’s 170-acre campus, which includes a large meadow, pinyon- and juniper-covered hillsides, and short nature trail
The Zooarchaeology Internship is designed to provide valuable experience to students in the fields of zooarchaeology and environmental archaeology by working with and learning from our research staff in the lab and field on zooarchaeology related projects and topics. Working with research staff at Crow Canyon, this internship will provide valuable on-the-job training related to faunal analysis. The zooarchaeology intern will develop a broad range of skills that will aid in their development as archaeologists and paleozoologists. The intern will advance their non-human osteological identification skills with fauna from the U.S. Southwest and learn new quantitative methods/interpretative frameworks related to zooarchaeological data. The intern will apply these analytical skills to enhance Crow Canyon’s research interpretations, educational outreach, and overall understanding of the culture history of the greater Mesa Verde region.
Education and/or Experience:Advanced undergraduate or graduate course work in education, museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, or a related field is required.
The Archaeology Field Internship is an entry level position designed to provide valuable hands-on experience working with and learning from Crow Canyon’s field staff.
Education and/or Experience:Advanced undergraduate or graduate course work in education, museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, or a related field is required.
The Archaeology Laboratory Internship is an entry level position designed to provide valuable hands-on experience working with and learning from our staff in Crow Canyon’s laboratory.
Education and/or Experience:Advanced undergraduate or graduate course work in education, museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, or a related field is required.
The Education Internship is designed to provide experience in developing and delivering education programs and products for all learners with an emphasis on public archaeology, American Indian engagement, and outreach. Interns will gain valuable experience working with, and learning from, Crow Canyon’s education, field, lab, and American Indian initiatives staff, and they will engage with members of the public (in person or remotely). The Crow Canyon Education department specializes in the fields of Southwestern archaeology, anthropology, and American Indian studies. Responsibilities include developing interpretive materials and displays for sensitive material culture, teaching and supervising participants in Crow Canyon programs, curricula development, and preparing educational materials.
Education and/or Experience: Advanced undergraduate or graduate course work in education, museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, or a related field is required.
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
23390 Road K, Cortez, CO 81321
COLORADO
FORT LEWIS COLLEGE 2024 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL AT BLM CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL MONUMENT (SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO)
Project Dates: May 13 to June 21, 2024 Application deadline: March 1, 2024
Immerse yourself in past landscapes
Learn professional field methods while working on archaeological sites during this 6-week summer course. Specific project locations may change yearly, but research focuses on the Four Corners region. You will be trained in and gain experience with:
Archaeological survey and documentation methods
Manual and digital mapping techniques
Artifact recovery and processing and collections management
You will also take field trips to significant archaeological sites to broaden your knowledge of our region’s history and pre-history.
Field School projects
Archaeological Field School dates: May 13 to June 21, 2024
Continuation of the Paleoindian survey and land use study in Southwest Colorado.
Excavation at the Pueblo I / Pueblo II Bowthorpe site in Southwest Colorado
Survey and excavation at Petrified Forest National Park
Cultural Resource Management project at three Pueblo I sites in the Durango area
Archaeological testing and historic preservation at Los Ojitos, a 19th/20th Century Hispanic village in eastern New Mexico
Excavation at the Pueblo III Pigg site near Lowry Ruins in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
Students will have additional opportunities to work with data and material from the field school in subsequent lab classes or through independent research projects.
Our Archaeology Field School, which has operated since 1969, brings students each summer to sites in Colorado and beyond. The Summer 2025 session will take place at sites across Colorado, and offer opportunities to learn and apply archaeological field methods.
Dates: May 27-July 5, 2025
Six-week field school exploring and researching the Mountains and Plains of Colorado
Learn archaeological methods and theory related to survey and excavation
Gain valuable field training in archaeology and cultural resource management
Earn credit for ANTH 260 (2 cr.) and ANTH 460/660 (6 cr.)
Financial Aid
Anthropology and Geography Field School Scholarship
The Department of Anthropology and Geography will provide modest financial support for Colorado State University undergraduate and graduate students to supportArchaeology, Ethnographic (not currently offered),Land Change Science (Geography), orPaleontologyField School endeavors. Funds shall be used to help cover necessary expenses associated with field school costs including tuition and supplies. Scholarships are made on a competitive basis.
To be eligible for the scholarship, you must:
be a full-timegraduateorundergraduatestudent enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts,
have an overall and in major 3.0 GPA,
be enrolled in one of the department’s field school courses (**see more details below)
complete a 500-word essay describing the chosen program of study, your interest in the specific program, how the completion of the program will further your career goals, and how you expect to be affected by participation in such work.
** To enroll in field school courses, students must apply to an individual field school and then be accepted into the program and course. More information on the field schools are available on our website, including contact information for field school directors.
Field school courses include:
Archaeology Field School: ANTH 260, ANTH 460/660 (summer course)
Ethnographic Field School for Risk and Disaster: ANTH 442 (Not Currently Offered)
Land Change Science Field School: GR 382A (summer course)
Paleontology Field School: ANTH 470 (summer course)
To apply, click the button below and complete the form and upload your materials. Applications are due April 20 by 11:59 p.m. MST. A committee appointed by the Department of Anthropology and Geography Chair shall select the recipient(s). Applicants will be informed of the selection by April 30.
The University of Connecticut Anthropology Department and the Office of State Archaeology are excited to announce that we will once again be offering an archaeological field school at the John Hollister Site in Glastonbury, CT.The field school will take place in the summer of 2025 and is a 4-week, 4 credit intensive program.The Hollister Site was occupied between 1651 – 1711 and consists of several English domestic structures that have yielded thousands of seventeenth-century Euro-American and Native artifacts and food remains. The focus of field excavations during the summer of 2025 will be to investigate several of the English domestic structures, identify the military aspects of the site, and delineate the Native occupation.This field school will include:
Training in archaeological field survey and excavation
Artifact conservation, cataloguing, identification and analysis of 17th Century Euro-American and Indigenous material culture and analysis of primary sources
Battlefield archaeology research and methods training including use of military terrain models, metal detection survey, and GPS/GIS applications
Working on a nationally significant collaborative research project
Participating in training workshops in laboratory and research methods
Ground Penetrating Radar
Attending guest lectures by experts in the field
Opportunities to obtain employment with local Cultural Resource Management firms who will be seeking field technicians for an anticipated busy field season
Fees: Summer Session courses are paid on a per-credit basis at a rate of $756 per credit hour. The four-week program will cost $3,024. In addition, there is a $75 lab fee, payable on the first day of class.Application and Registration:All students must fill out an application in order to be considered for the field school and receive a permission number so that they can register. Contact Dr. Kevin McBride (kevin.mcbride@uconn.edu) via e-mail for an application and more information on the field school. For information on the registration process, go to the summer session website.
CONNECTICUT
MOHEGAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL 2025 (Uncasville, CT)
Project Dates: June 9 to July 11, 2025 Application Deadline: Feb. 26, 2025
The Mohegan archaeological field school teaches archaeology using an innovative collaborative approach. Students learn archaeological method and theory while surveying and excavating colonial-era sites on the Mohegan Reservation in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Mohegan field school operates as an equal partnership between the Mohegan Tribe and Tufts Anthropology. The project is designed to respect the sensitivities, interests, and needs of the Mohegan Tribe while conducting rigorous archaeological research. The field school brings together students and staff of diverse backgrounds to learn about colonial history, Mohegan history and heritage, the history of North American archaeology, and not least important—the often-troubled relationship between archaeologists and Indigenous communities. While taking the field school, students stay on the Connecticut College campus.
The field school will begin reviewing applications on February 26 and will continue accepting applications until the field school is full.
Last day to register: April 30, 2025; Last day to withdraw: April 30, 2025; Last day to withdraw with a refund: April 30, 2025
For questions regarding the program, please contact Dr. Craig Cipolla.
CONNECTICUT
The Eastern Pequot Archaeological Summer Field School (Stonington, CT)
Information about a possible Summer 2024 archaeological field school is forthcoming. For more information, contact project director Dr. Stephen Silliman, University of Massachusetts Boston <Stephen.Silliman@umb.edu>
Project Overview (from summer 2022 field season):
The Eastern Pequot Archaeological Field School offers lots of great archaeology and Indigenous-centered community collaboration. The Department of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, is offering a five-week, six-credit archaeological field course on the Eastern Pequot reservation, located in southeastern Connecticut. In close collaboration with the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation,the Summer 2022 field school represents the 12th field season of intensive study of tribal lands since 2003 to identify and document archaeological sites dating to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in an effort to study the persistence and survivance of Indigenous people in colonial New England. The Eastern Pequot community has occupied this historic reservation since 1683. Read more about results of years of work with this community.
Field school students will receive training in techniques such as subsurface surveying, excavation, artifact processing, material culture identification, and archival research. These will prepare students for subsequent archaeological work inacademic, cultural resource management, and public archaeology contexts. In addition, students will be engaged directly with issues of decolonizing and anti-racist practice, critical heritage, cultural representation, and community work in contemporary archaeology. To complement the field archaeology, the field school will also work on developing and augmenting heritage products that meet Indigenous community needs. Through this well-established educational and community-oriented program, students will have the unique opportunity to participate in collaborative and engaged archaeology and heritage work alongside Native American leaders, elders, adults, and youth in a joint effort to recover aspects of Pequot history in southern New England and to keep charting the future for amore inclusive, decolonized, and socially responsible anthropology.
The course fee for the undergraduate and graduate sections covers six credit hours, instruction, field activities, visits to museums and nearby projects, housing, food, and travel between the field house and reservation. The fee does NOT cover basic student supplies, required health insurance, or transportation to/from the field school.
This field school is affiliated with the University of Massachusetts, Boston and Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation.
Project Director: Dr. Stephen Silliman, University of Massachusetts Boston <Stephen.Silliman@umb.edu>
At the following link you will find a short film highlighting Eastern Pequot voices about their heritage, culture, and the longstanding indigenous archaeology project done in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. As a state-recognized tribe, the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation has a reservation in North Stonington, Connecticut, that its community has occupied since 1683. For more information on this Indigenous community, visit http://easternpequottribalnation.org/, or find them on social media at https://www.facebook.com/EasternPequo…. For those who are not familiar with this area, the Eastern Pequot are cousins of the Mashantucket (Western) Pequot, and their respective reservation boundaries sit less than a mile apart. However, unlike the Mashantucket who own Foxwoods Casino and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, the Eastern Pequot do not currently have federal recognition (as noted in the film) or its benefits such as economic development, community buildings, or a museum.
Clickhere for a project field school video, produced and directed by Stephen W. Silliman, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, copyright 2021. Video and audio editing by Stephen W. Silliman and Brian Schools. With special gratitude to the Institute for New England Native American Studies, especially Dr. Cedric Woods, and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston for additional support and collaboration.
FLORIDA
Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, St. Augustine, FL
Nation’s Oldest Port® Underwater Archaeology Field School
At the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, we provide professional and educational maritime archaeology training every summer through ourNation’s Oldest Port® Field School.
Field school is an irreplaceable component in the education of any student pursuing a career in archaeology. Each year, the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) oversees an intense, four-week accredited educational program allowing both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in active maritime archaeological research along the First Coast, here in St. Augustine and the surrounding region.
In addition to methodological training and academic lectures, students get valuable real-world experience in all aspects of archaeological fieldwork, scientific diving, seamanship, and laboratory analysis. LAMP has partnered with a variety of universities, including Flinders University, Florida State University, Syracuse University, and Plymouth State University to organize and implement this four-credit course.Please see below for information on the upcoming 2024 field school.
Applications for 2024 are CLOSED. Unfortunately, due to the delayed timeline in the construction of our new Field House Facility, we will not be holding a 2024 Field School.
2024 Summer Interns for Current Undergraduate and Graduate Students
If you are an undergraduate or graduate student and would like some internship experience, we will be accepting one or two either underwater or terrestrial LAMP Interns in 2024. Please note that there is no compensation for this position, and housing is not provided.
For questions, please email LAMP at the contact information below.
HAWAII INDIGENOUS ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL: BRIDGING PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE Foothill College and Stanford University Hawai’i Program Program dates: August 1-21, 2024
Program website:https://sites.google.com/view/hawaiifieldschool/home
Aloha and E Komo Mai to the Hawaii Indigenous Archaeology Field School. Our anthropology studies begin during the summer quarter. If you want more information contact either Sam or Mike at Foothill College or Stanford University. A more complete website can be found here. Interested? Fill out the Prelim Application here.
Discover with us the beauty of Hawaii as we start our community based research project.
Live with us and other project members in Hawaiian communities.
Work on all aspects of the research project.
Project Directors
Dr. Michael Wilcox (Stanford University) Dr. Samuel Connell (Foothill College)
Field School Application: You can download the application from the project website and there should be a link provided in a drop down menu on this page.
Field School Description
Come to Hawaii and experience a field school like none other. You will live on the Big Island for three weeks. You will be exposed to a new way of thinking mixing an applied anthropological and an archaeological field school. Join us on the ground for the first of many years in Hawaii, beginning with the program at Kaloko Fishpond which is jointly administered by the National Park Service and native Hawaiian cultural groups. Check out the website here. And here is a cool article from the NPS about the park.
This is a project that practices indigenous archaeology and community based participatory research meaning that we shift the traditional model for research, asking native people who live in Hawaii what they want us and you (the students) to do. If it’s helping to map archaeology sites by surveying, then we do it, if it’s also cleaning and rebuilding a royal Hawaiian fishpond, then we do it; if it’s organizing an exhibit at the school, then we are working at the school; and if it means spending even more time cleaning and repairing the fishpond, then yes it’ll be the case!
We are professors Mike Wilcox and Sam Connell, and we are just as excited as our students to get this program off and running in Hawaii. The idea here is to do research in a pono or Hawaiian way, meaning we will live and breathe local thinking as we learn about the life and history of these amazing islands. The team of people from whom you will learn is going to be growing over the next months, but let us start by introducing our two main contributors, Ruth Luka Aloua and No‘eau Peralto, both of whom are expert cultural practitioners who have thought long and hard about the best way to teach about Hawaii and also study her history and people. We are so excited to be working with them and bringing you along for the ride.
What does this all mean for you the student? Well you get over 60 years of field experience working on field projects with over 500 students in Ecuador, Belize, Ireland, California and New Mexico. The move to Hawaii will be exciting. The aloha spirit is truly special and we can’t wait for you to become a part of it. Come to the islands, earn credits, and begin helping us study the culture and society of Hawaii over time.
Students will live in two places on the Big Island of Hawaii. First we will be staying in coffee plantation country near the town of Holualoa. Kona is 15 minutes away. The last we will be Honokaa another great town on the Hamakua coast. Check out this small guide from the Hawaii magazine. We think it is important to base in a community and meet the people as we begin to understand the local life. We are taking as a model what we have been doing in Ireland and Ecuador, so check the links for past examples.
ILLINOIS
CENTER FOR AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY (CAA) ADULT FIELD SCHOOL (KAMPSVILLE, ILLINOIS)
Date: Adult Field School July 14 to August 10, 2024
OurAdult Field School is your opportunity to be an archaeologist. Undergraduates, graduate students, and adults of all ages are welcome! Join our field crew and participate in real archaeological research alongside professional archaeologists. With our staff, you will learn how to do fieldwork, laboratory work, identify artifacts, and more as we investigate the German site.
The German Site is a Late Woodland / Jersey Bluff Phase habitation site located on a colluvial slope in the Crawford Creek valley. The site was occupied approximately 800-1200 CE. Remote sensing results indicate several possible structures and associated features. Since 2019, we have identified three house basins and several associated storage and refuse pits. A fourth possible house basin was identified in 2023. Field school students and CAA archaeologists have recovered domestic artifacts, including chert tools, pottery, animal bone, and botanical remains during the 2019-2023 field seasons. In 2024 we will continue to excavate house basins and associated features in order to better understand Late Woodland people of the Lower Illinois Valley.
Program
Enrollment is open to anyone 18 years or older. You may enroll for 1-4 weeks. Enrolled weeks need not be consecutive.
Week 1: July 14-20, 2024 Week 2: July 21-27, 2024 Week 3: July 28-August 3, 2024 Week 4: August 4-10, 2024
While in Kampsville, participants engage in field and laboratory work with CAA archaeologists. Students learn excavation techniques, including shoveling, troweling, mapping, measuring, soil description, and flotation sampling. Lab work includes artifact washing, identification, and flotation. These activities are supplemented by occasional evening lectures on by CAA archaeologists and guest archaeologists on various archaeological topics. The day usually begins at 7 am with breakfast and ends by 9 pm.
Please see the 2024 Adult Field School Schedule and Gear List for program details.
This program does not carry academic credit; however, we will work with you if you petition your university/college for credit. We can supply supporting documentation and evaluation of your participation. Many of our previous students have earned credit for their participation.
Questions: If you have any questions, please contact the CAA at education@caa-archeology.org or 618-653-4316 for more information.
ILLINOIS
CENTER FOR AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY (CAA) UNIVERSITY FIELD SCHOOLS (KAMPSVILLE, ILLINOIS)
The CAA’s University Field School is a six-week program for undergraduate and graduate students ready for an immersive, experience in Field Archaeology in the Lower Illinois Valley.
We are offer two enrollment options for University Field School. Students may apply for credits through Illinois State University or they may apply directly to the CAA. Details on how to apply for each program are below. The application for ISU enrollment and credits will open in February 2025.
The University Field School track offers a unique, intensive archaeological experience for undergraduate and graduate students of all skill levels. Stationed at the Center for American Archeology in Kampsville, students gain experience in field and laboratory methods, theory and research design while engaging in problem-oriented research at the German site (11C377), a Late Woodland (ca 800-1200 CE) Jersey Bluff habitation site. Students work closely with professional archaeologists from a variety of backgrounds and institutions to help them master techniques and strategies for successful archaeological field and lab work in a variety of contexts. Field Methods students gain hands-on experience in geophysical testing, total station use, excavation and laboratory methods, including mapping, soil description, artifact and debris processing, water flotation collection and processing and curation. Practical experiences are supplemented by reading assignments and lectures by field school staff and guest lecturers.
The German Site is a Late Woodland / Jersey Bluff Phase habitation site located on a colluvial slope in the Crawford Creek valley. The site was occupied approximately 800-1200 CE. Remote sensing results indicate several possible structures and associated features. Since 2019, we have identified three house basins and several associated storage and refuse pits. A fourth possible house basin was identified in 2023. Field school students and CAA archaeologists have recovered domestic artifacts, including chert tools, pottery, animal bone, and botanical remains during the 2019-2025 field seasons. In 2025 we will continue to excavate house basins and associated features in order to better understand Late Woodland people of the Lower Illinois Valley.
Questions: If you have any questions, please contact the CAA at education@caa-archeology.org or 618-653-4316 for more information.
ILLINOIS
APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY FOR CAREERS IN CRM (CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT) (Kampsville, Illinois)
Dates:Session I: May 4 to May 31, 2025 Application deadline: March 21, 2025
Session II: Sept 21 to Oct 18, 2025
Students may enroll in one of the two sessions for 8 academic credits.
NOTE: This program is designed to train students in Cultural Resource Management (CRM) careers. Students seeking academic careers are welcomed but should be aware that this program strongly emphasis survey and legal compliance of CRM work.
OVERVIEW
This program is a four-week, intensive field school experience designed to provide students with job-ready skills to enter the workforce as archaeological field technicians in the Cultural Resource Management (CRM) archaeology industry. Students will learn key skills necessary for CRM archaeology jobs, including survey, surface collection, shovel testing, excavation, laboratory techniques, relevant laws, and reporting. Students will learn the entire process of CRM archaeology practices, from data collection to data reporting and mitigation. Practical field and laboratory activities are supplemented by relevant readings and formal lectures.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This program is a four-week, intensive field school experience designed to provide students with jobready skills to enter the workforce as archaeological field technicians at the Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
industry. Students will learn key skills necessary for CRM jobs, including survey, surface collection, shovel testing, excavation, laboratory techniques, relevant laws, and reporting. Students will learn the entire process of CRM practices, from data collection to data reporting and mitigation. Practical field and laboratory activities are supplemented by relevant readings and formal lectures.
This program takes place in rural Illinois, where CRM work must take into consideration vegetation, farming cycles, seasons and stakeholder sensitivities. Knowledge acquired in this program can be used for CRM work across the U.S. but will be of primary relevance for CRM work in similar landscapes and environmental conditions. proper techniques to investigate similar landscapes.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objective of this program is to prepare students to enter the archaeological workforce in field technician positions in public and private CRM crews. This objective is accomplished by providing students with (1) practical experience in field and laboratory methods necessary for detecting and documenting archaeological sites, (2) instruction in the legal and consultation requirements of cultural resource management, and (3) experience in reporting of archaeological fieldwork.
Students will engage in surface survey, shovel testing, and excavation at archaeological sites in the Lower Illinois River valley, documenting their fieldwork in preparation for interpretation and reporting. Students also participate in the cleaning, tabulation, and curation of archaeological material collected during their field experiences.
DIRECTORSDr. Jason L. King, Executive Director, Center for American Archeology (jking@caa-archeology.org) Mr. Don Booth, Field School Director, Center for American Archeology (dbooth@caa-archeology.org)
KANSAS
ETZANOA ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL, Arkansas City, Kansas
Dates: June 2 to June 27, 2025 Application Deadline: Feb. 14, 2025
Located near the mouth of the Walnut River at Arkansas City, Kansas, Etzanoa is a pericolonial Ancestral Wichita town, likely visited by the Spanish Onate expedition in 1601 AD. This site is an active research locale with promise to answer questions about ancestral Wichita lifeways and exchange systems right before and during early European colonization. Students will gain the basic skills necessary for employment in cultural resource management fields and archaeology broadly.
Etzanoa is the focus of a major public archaeology project that involves a local conservancy, the town, a local community college, the local school district, Wichita State University, and of course the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. As a result, and students will participate in a public event at the end of the season.
Digital Archaeology Workshop
In addition to the traditional archaeological field school, we are excited to host an additional workshop in digital archaeological recording and analysis, taught by Dr. Matthew Howland. Students taking this one-credit option for the field school will develop skills in digital archaeological recording and analysis, in addition to the regular field school curriculum. Students will learn to design digital GIS field recording forms and use them to collect and analyze spatial data. Students will also be trained in the application of 3D technologies in archaeology. This will include practical experience in recording 3D models of archaeological features using ground-based 3D techniques and aerial photography with a UAV. This one credit course will culminate in an independent digital archaeology project based on data collected in the field.
Logistics
The Field School will run from Monday, June 2nd through Friday, June 27th, 2025. Students should plan to be in Arkansas City, Kansas, by noon for orientation. Excavation days will be Mondays-Fridays, with weekends off. Students will be housed in single-occupancy dormitories on the Cowley Community College campus. Parking is safe and free. Students will need to bring linens, toiletries, and clothing; all excavation tools will be provided. The Paris Park Pool is within easy walking distance of the dormitory. Transportation to/from the site will be provided and we can arrange for airport pick-up from Wichita for students travelling from out-of-state.
Costs
Students are required to register for field school under ANTH690 under Dr. Dozier for 4 credit hours. Those enrolling in the Digital Archaeology Workshop will enroll for an additional 1 credit hour of ANTH690 under Dr. Howland.
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees (Resident): ~$1,100 ($1,375 including Workshop)
GraduateTuition & Fees (Resident): ~$1,440 ($1,805 including Workshop)
Room & Board: ~$855
Excavation equipment is provided. Rooms are provided over the weekend. Meals are provided from Monday breakfast to Friday lunch. Students have free weekends, and many go to Wichita on Friday evenings.
*Do note that these are in-state estimates. Many neighboring states and states along the I-35 corridor are considered in-state and have reduced tuition, but check your exact rates here. Field school costs are subject to change. Scholarships may be available but will not be confirmed until May.
To Apply
Review of applications will be bein after Friday, February 14, 2025, after which all applicants will be emailed for further information. Registration will be filled by priority first to WSU students by seniority and interest in the Workshop, and then first-come first-serve to guest students. Accepted students will have until April 15 to register for the course, at which time we will open for students on the waitlist.
Non-WSU (Wichita State University) students will have to be accepted to either the College of Liberal Arts (undergraduate) or the Graduate School (graduate) prior to registration. We will walk you through the process of registration once you have been accepted into the field school. Only the first 20 students to confirm registration will be admitted.
MAINE
“ARCHAEOLOGY OF MAINE’S FIRST PEOPLE,” Salve Regina Summer Archaeology Program
Program dates: May 13th OR 20th-June 14, 2024 Apply by February 1st, 2024
Program Min: 4, Max 15. Faculty Leaders: Dr. Heather M. Rockwell and Dr. Nathaniel R. Kitchel
Courses Offered SOA/CHP 332 : Archaeological Field School (3 credits) • Fulfills elective in major/minor for Cultural and Historical Preservation and Sociology and Anthropology. Fulfills free elective credit (if available) for all other majors. All course fulfillments are subject to approval by an advisor.
Program Highlights • Receive training in archaeological survey and site discovery techniques in the vast North Maine Woods • Learn excavation techniques while working at archaeological sites from the Ice Age belonging to the first peoples of New England • Work with experts in the fields of archaeology and cultural preservation while exploring the Munsungun Quarries project
Academic Focus The Cultural and Historic Preservation program is pleased to offer an archaeological field school this summer at the PPE’s Site. This site is part larger cultural landscape of the Munsungun Quarries project within the North Maine Woods. This area was occupied by Indigenous people for thousands of years including those from the earliest people in the region; Paleoindians. This project will employ archaeological methods of survey and reconnaissance to identify new sites in the complex as well as continue excavations on the Stevens site.
Course Expectations Faculty leaders may schedule pre-departure meetings as needed prior to program departure. During the program students should expect to be in program-related activities everyday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. Work schedules will be 7 days on with 3 day breaks.
Accommodations/Meals All camping and housing accommodations will be organized by Salve Regina University and are included in the program fee. Students will be camping within the North Maine Woods for much of the field project (https://www.northmainewoods.org/information/ fees.html) . When not camping students will be housed at the University of Maine Presque Isle and in dorms on the Salve Regina University Campus. The program fee includes all camping and housing fees. Students must supply their own camping gear including tents, sleeping bags, cots, and outdoor clothing. The program fee includes all meals while in Maine. Students are responsible for their own snacks and their own meals while at Salve Regina University.
How to Apply Complete the short-time online application and submit all required supplemental materials by the application deadline. Application opens October 15.Visit ViaTRM, our online program search and application tool to begin the application and view program updates.
Eligibility Requirements • Consent of instructor • Minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA • Availability of academic credits to fulfill degree requirements • Good disciplinary, financial and academic standing at the time of program departure. • Participation in mandatory pre-departure orientation sessions
Program Fee with housing: Approximately $3000 –3750 (to be confirmed Nov) Included in this fee: 3 credits Salve Regina University tuition Ground transportation as needed by group itinerary Camping fees at North Maine Woods 3 meals daily, plus snacks! Housing and Accommodations at University of Maine Presque Isle and Salve Regina University in double occupancy rooms with a shared kitchen. *The fee for students who do not require accommodations can be adjusted. Not Included in this fee: Transportation to and from Rhode Island Meals while at Salve Regina University Personal Expenses (recreation, tips, laundry, snacks, other personal items/services) Personal transportation in free time
MARYLAND
2025 HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY AT ST. MARY’S CITY, MARYLAND
Program Dates: May 12 to June 20, 2025 , with an option for a four-week paid internship to follow.
Explore America’s Past at Historic St. Mary’s City
Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland
Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC), in association with St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), announces its 2024 Field School in Historical Archaeology. The 2024 field season will be focused on St. Mary’s Fort, the site of Maryland’s founding. St. Mary’s Fort was a large, palisaded fort constructed by the first wave of European colonists who arrived in Maryland in the spring of 1634. St. Mary’s Fort represented the first major foothold of European settlement in Maryland. Its discovery and interpretation are critical to understanding the early period of indigenous-colonial relations, a period that is not well-documented historically or archaeologically. This project also offers the opportunity to reflect on the nature of historical colonialism in Maryland and its continuing effects in today’s world.
Excavations during the 2024 season will be focused on the western bastion and nearby palisade walls in an effort to learn more about the fort’s architecture.
About the Program (note: all of the following information is from the 2024 field season and might change for 2025)
HSMC is a state-supported, outdoor museum located at the site of Maryland’s first capital (1634–1694). The HSMC field school one of the longest-running historical archaeology field schools in the United States. Participants engage in an immersive six-week program that teaches the foundational principles of historical archaeology through hands-on excavation, laboratory work, and artifact analysis. Students learn artifact identification by working with one of the best archaeological collections of indigenous, colonial, and post-colonial material in the country.
The Field School in Historical Archaeology is an ideal experience for undergraduate or graduate students concentrating in Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Museum Studies, or American Studies, or for any student with an interest in learning about the past through archaeology.
Requirements No prior archaeological experience is required for acceptance into the field school. An introductory course in anthropology, archaeology, and/or colonial history will be helpful, but is not mandatory. Archaeological fieldwork is physically demanding and requires strong communication skills; the ability to engage in sustained, strenuous teamwork is essential.
Tuition and Fees Although the HSMC Historical Archaeology Field School is accredited through St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), a state honors college dedicated to the Liberal Arts, the field school program is open to students from any institution that accepts transferable credit. Undergraduate students may register for either Anthropology or History credits. Tuition for the four-credit program is as follows:
MD/DC Tuition 4 credits @ $350 per credit = $1,400 Non-MD Tuition 4 credits @ $500 per credit = $2000
An additional fee of $25 is assessed to cover the costs of materials and a commemorative T-shirt for each participating student. Graduate students should contact Director of Research and Collections Travis Parno (travis.parno@maryland.gov) to discuss accreditation options.
The Pathways to Archaeology Field School Scholarship (PTAFSS) is available for students from historically underrepresented groups in archaeology. Contact travis.parno@maryland.gov for more information.
Room and Board Housing in SMCM dormitories is available to students at a reduced rate on a first-come-first-served basis. Housing includes access to free wi-fi and laundry facilities. Students housed on campus may also enroll in one of several meal plan options available on SMCM’s campus. HSMC is within walking distance from SMCM’s campus. Transportation assistance is available for out-of-state students. Students seeking housing are encouraged to apply early. Contact travis.parno@maryland.gov for information about reserving a room or enrolling in a meal plan.
How to Apply To apply, please submit an application that includes the following components to the email address listed below: 1. A one-page personal statement that describes your interest in the course and your academic background, including your expected graduation date and any previous courses, experiences, or special skills relevant to your participation in the field school. 2. A resume or curriculum vitae that includes your contact information (both mailing addresses and phone numbers) for your university and permanent residences. 3. Contact information (including professional title, mailing address, and email address) of two academic references.
Application documents should be submitted electronically in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format to travis.parno@maryland.gov.
The field course introduces students to the role of the biological anthropologist, archaeologist and forensic scientist in the excavation of human remains (we use plastic skeletons to practice excavation techniques).
The program is particularly unique because we work in collaboration with the UMass Chan Medical School’s Division of Translational Anatomy and Anatomical Gift Program. Students also receive lectures from experts in political science, federal Indian law, historical archaeology, the US State Department, and law enforcement.
This field school is particularly unique because we work in collaboration with the UMass Chan Medical School’s Division of Translational Anatomy and Anatomical Gift Program. Students will also receive lectures from experts in political science, federal Indian law, historical archaeology, the US State Department, and law enforcement.
The course is divided into three sections. The first introduces students to field and laboratory techniques. Students will participate in lectures and lab exercises at both UMass Amherst and at the UMass Chan Medical School. Topics include:
understanding the human skeletal system
pathology and taphonomic analysis
discussion of what constitutes bioarchaeological or forensic data
the role of violence theory in these fields.
The second section consists of the students entering the field to gain hands-on experience. Excavations are of a pseudo-crime scene and pseudo-archaeological burial, and helps the students develop knowledge through the “Low Stakes, High Impact” learning model.
The final section focuses on the laboratory techniques used to analyze the data generated from these two pseudo-excavation sites. Throughout the course we explore key concepts in ethics, repatriation, public outreach, medico-legal death investigation, and regulations regarding unmarked burials.
Through excavation and lab analysis this field school addresses three major questions in the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology:
What constitutes data in these fields?
How are excavations and fieldwork done?
How do you analyze field data in the laboratory?
In addition, students will learn how professionals work in the field, examine ethical issues and guidelines, and explore questions of what constitutes violence and how we recognize evidence of violence on human remains and material objects.
For further inquiries about the field school, email us at bioarch@umass.edu.
MASSACHUSETTS
MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE NORTH SHORE (Salem, MA)
Dates: TBA (July 2025) Registration opens in Spring 2025
Be part of the dig! Join us for our summer field school in July 2025. SEAMAHP will be running a hands-on archaeological dig of a foreshore shipwreck, as an accredited course through Salem State University (SSU) in Massachusetts.
Previous field schools occurred on a steamship wreck believed to be the City of Rockland on Little Misery Island and the schooner Ada K. Damon on a beach of the Crane Estate. This year’s site will be announced soon!
SEAMAHP directors, Dr. Calvin Mires (of Bridgewater State University), and Capt. Laurel Seaborn, along with Victor Mastone, retired from MBUAR (Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources) are the program instructors. They all have extensive experience in maritime archaeological field methods, archival research, and site documentation.
The course will be an intensive, mainly outdoors and hands-on experiential program on the shores north of Boston. Salem State University (SSU) is now accepting registration from both college students and the public, and all students will receive three credits for the course.
Course description:
Maritime Archaeology Field School(HST 305)
Research Focus – “The life cycle of ships” from design and building to sailing and life aboard, to the shipwreck on the shore. The focus is on what this can tell us of the people who lived and worked in the maritime industries and ports of Mass. Students will work with maritime archaeologists to document the site through recording and surveying of the wreck.
Skills, Procedures & Lectures: Students will receive instruction in planning and safety, theory and methodology, procedures, archaeological recording and excavation, artifact documentation and in situ conservation, analysis of findings and publication of results.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will receive three credits through Salem State University (SSU).
Students will receive internationally recognized certification from the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS)
Students will be involved in one or more products to convey their research to the public, such as creating a webpage or signage.
Requirements:
No prerequisite courses are required!
General level of fitness. Participants must be able to do physical work on site.
All field work will be conducted on beach or shore front, so participants do NOT require dive certification. But students should anticipate getting wet during field operations!
Fees and costs:
Course tuition will be posted in Spring 2025 and includes all lab fees along with transportation to the site. Room and board is not included in this cost, so if you need lodging locally, see below.
A good textbook for info is Underwater Archaeology: The NAS Guide to Principles and Practice by Amanda Bowens (approx. cost = $30, check online for used copies), but it is not mandatory!
Students must provide their own transportation to and from Salem State University Campus, MA. Nearby sites may require carpooling, but all on-water transport will be provided to and from the field work.
On-campus Housing:
If required, on-campus housing can be arranged in advance through SSU. Please contact them directly to inquire about what is included.
Participants are responsible for their own meals, and a fully operational kitchen is available for those staying in the dorms.
For information on costs per night for 2025, contact housing@salemstate.edu or call 978.542.6416
Michigan Technological University’s 2025 Archaeology Field School continues archaeological research examining 10,000 years of human history on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan, USA. Evolving study is demonstrating that these are the first places in the Americas (and perhaps the world) where humans developed a unique practice of metallurgy. Student teams will work on a multi-sited study, examining archaeological sites and landscapes that document more than ten millennia of human-landscape entanglement. Focused on copper extraction and metallurgy, students will survey and excavate to understand how people have managed extractive and other activities over time, from the ice age through the industrial and post-industrial periods. Students will be primarily based at the Delaware Mine historic site, a partnership site of the Keweenaw National Historical Park. The Delaware Mine site includes industrial historic features and structures and many ancient and precontact mining pits. From this location, student teams will spend time on terrestrial and maritime sites located throughout the Keweenaw peninsula, reconstructing the deep time view of changing landscapes. Every team will work in survey and excavation, using remote sensing and geospatial survey technologies, and ethical research design for terrestrial and maritime sites.
Course includes field trips and guest lectures.
Along with work at Delaware, the crew will undertake archaeological survey and testing work at other nearby sites in the Keweenaw Peninsula, including places like the Redridge Dam on the Salmon Trout River and a maritime survey of the Keweenaw’s now-underwater ice age landscapes. All students will have opportunities to participate in all aspects of the work: survey – both instrumental and pedestrian – site lay-out, excavation, remote sensing, field lab work, and public education. No archaeological experience is necessary.
Contact Information:
Timothy Scarlett, Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931 United States
The Mississippi State Asylum (originally called the Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum) opened in 1855 in Jackson, the capital city. This institution operated from its original buildings until 1935, when it moved to a new location. During its 80 years of operation, the institution housed patients from all areas of Mississippi, and many came with physical maladies in addition to mental conditions. Approximately one third of the 30,000 patients who were admitted to the institution died at the Asylum. More than 4,000 were buried in the cemetery on site, now known as the Asylum Hill Cemetery. Wooden grave markers were used, but they have long-since deteriorated and no longer exist.
The former Asylum lands are currently home to the ever-growing University of Mississippi Medical Center (opened in 1955). To make way for an expansion of vital healthcare services and structures, the Asylum Hill Cemetery is now being excavated. This presents a research opportunity at a scale rarely seen in the U.S. (see this recent article). This field school is part of the larger research and relocation effort.
Students of this program focus on bioarchaeological methods, including burial excavation, human osteology, and mortuary artifact identification. Students also learn basic archaeological methods, such as mapping, soil sample collection, and creation of field sketches. This program’s scale and scope benefits students who seek careers in both Cultural Resource Management and academia.
Previous coursework in human osteology is not required but will be beneficial to participants.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), in conjunction with Millsaps College, invites anthropology students to participate in the bioarchaeological field school at the cemetery of the original Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum (ca. 1855-1935). This unique opportunity is available to a limited number [20] of students in 2025.
The cemetery, which is located on the UMMC campus, contains the unmarked graves of over 4,000 individuals who will be removed to make way for vital medical center expansion. Students will spend five weeks in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, working alongside a professional archaeological crew on the excavation as well as laboratory tasks. Training will focus on bioarchaeological methods, including burial excavation, human osteology, and mortuary artifact identification. Students will also receive instruction in basic archaeological methods, such as mapping, soil sample collection, and the creation of field sketches. Previous coursework in human osteology is not required but will be beneficial to participants. All students should have completed an introductory course in archaeology or anthropology and should come prepared to work in the extreme heat and humidity of a Mississippi summer.
The Asylum Hill Cemetery field school will provide students the rare opportunity to gain experience in human burial excavation without the expense of traveling abroad. Participants will contribute to a greater understanding of the African American and Euro American population that lived and died at the asylum and will gather data that allow the stories of deceased patients to be told. The Asylum Hill Project plans to permanently memorialize the interred individuals during a later phase of the work.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, students will be familiar with human skeletal terminology, burial excavation techniques, and methods for recognizing and recording pertinent data in the field and lab. They will gain experience in the interpretation of soil stratigraphy, soil sampling, artifact identification, field photography, Total Station mapping, Planview drawing, excavation form completion, water-screening, artifact cleaning, human remains cleaning, and laboratory tracking procedures. While the focus of the field school is the acquisition of practical skills, through this project students will also learn about the ethical issues surrounding the excavation and analysis of human remains, and the nuanced story of the Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum and its patients.
Note: This program requires Health & Criminal background screening. Admitted students MUST begin the process by mid-April as the submission and review of such background screenings is a lengthy, multi-step process. Students who have not begun the process by May 5, 2025 will forfeit their slots at the field school and will not receive a refund of tuition. All materials and steps for background screening MUST be submitted and completed by June 9, 2025.
DIRECTOR: Dr. Jennifer E. Mack – Lead Bioarchaeologist, Asylum Hill Project; Assistant Professor, School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center (jmack@umc.edu)
NEW MEXICO
COTTONWOOD SPRING PUEBLO NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL (in Southern New Mexico)
The NMSU’s 2024 Field School will return to Cottonwood Spring Pueblo (LA 175) on the western flanks of the San Andres Mountains just north of Las Cruces, NM. This 14th-century village dwarfs most other El Paso phase sites (AD 1300-1450). Students live in town and commute to the site Monday through Thursday. We devote Fridays to guest lectures and cleaning, sorting, typing, and cataloguing artifacts in the lab on campus. We will also be taking an extended field trip to Chaco Canyon National Historic Park.
Learn more about previous field schools at Cottonwood Spring Pueblo in the video below! https://youtu.be/GHmXCQLorMU
Students will receive 6 weeks of training in archaeological field methods, including excavation, feature documentation, and artifact processing/analysis. Participants must be prepared for rigorous outdoor activity.
Course Options: The field school is an intensive 6-week field-based course, for which all students will earn 6 credit hours. Students can apply for admission to the field school through one of the following course options:
ANTH 388: Archaeological Field School. No prerequisites.
ANTH 488: Advanced Archaeological Field School. Prerequisite: previous field school training.
ANTH 522: Archaeological Field School. Prerequisite: graduate student status.
Cost: Students will be charged tuition for 6 credits, and there will also be a $850 course fee to cover the cost of transportation and essential supplies. Tuition rates vary depending on the semester, resident or non-resident status, and graduate or undergraduate status, and summer tuition rates are typically published in April of each year. Once the summer rates are published, you will be able to find them here: https://uar.nmsu.edu/tuition_fees/index.html.
How to Apply: Please complete the application form attached below and e-mail it to Dr. Walker (wiwalker@nmsu.edu). Applications are due by March 17.
Syracuse University Crown Point Archaeological Field-School 2025
COME CAMP WITH US! Study life on the 18th century frontier and the impacts of 20th century archaeology on heritage-sites. Admission is open to non-major students with an interest in history, policy, or other related fields.
Crown Point State Historic Site, the “last great unexcavated military site in North America,” sits within the Adirondack State Forest and includes two imposing colonial fortifications – French Fort St. Frédéric and Britain’s His Majesty’s Fort at Crown Point.
This field-school is in cooperation with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation and provides a unique opportunity to work at an active historic site.
Additional points of interest include the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the capture of Crown Point & Ft. Ticonderoga by Revolutionary forces, including 18th century civil and military reenactment.
MAYMESTER ANT-443 (6 credits)
ACCOMODATIONS: Participants will camp at the Crown Point Reservation campground. Basic camp facilitates (showers, bathrooms) available. Campsite fees & camp food are included. Participants are expected to bring their own tents (let us know ASAP if this is a problem).
SCHEDULE: Workday from 7am until 2pm, Monday-Saturday; afternoon programs in archaeology, local history, & public interpretation. Sunday excursions to other local historical sites.
APPLICATION: For information contact Professor Christopher DeCorse (crdecors@syr.edu) or Matthew O’Leary (molear03@syr.edu). This is a six-credit course, non-Syracuse University students are welcome to enroll via online registration.
NORTH CAROLINA
UNCW Archaeological Field School in the Cape Fear Region
University of North Carolina Wilmington will offer a field school in the Wilmington area in Summer 2024.
Our goal is to investigate the archaeological and historical heritage of the Cape Fear region, by excavating the area around the Russelborough area of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site.
The UNCW Archaeological Field School in the Lower Cape Fear region will be offered in Summer Session I, 2024, which is May 20-June 18 2024.
Over the course of the session, students will learn archaeological surface surveying, excavation techniques, record-keeping, mapping, and basic lab techniques, including flotation. We will also go on field trips to some local archaeological sites of interest, depending on availability, including nearby archaeological field schools.
The class will be 6 credit hours and will be intensive. It will basically take place all day Tuesday-Friday, and half-days on Monday. Actual hours of excavation will be decided by vote of the crew.
Laboratory and Project Components
Depending on how much material we find, we will put aside at least one half-day a week for laboratory artifact processing and perhaps more. This will familiarize everyone with standard archaeological lab techniques—washing, inventorying, pottery analysis, etc. We will always have lab days or field trips on our Monday half-days, and will dig Tuesday-Friday, weather permitting.
Each student will also have either a group or individual project that will include an oral and written report, to ensure that everyone is keeping their mind on the larger issues of archaeology, as well as the dirt. More information will be available at the scheduled time.
Where Is the Site?
The site is a well-known state historic site about twenty minutes from downtown Wilmington and about forty minutes from UNCW, depending on traffic. Local students can live in their usual residences, and we will meet at the site (or a designated Wilmington meeting point, such as UNCW) every morning. We can arrange on campus lodging for out-of-town students, if necessary.
Why Choose This Site?
The Cape Fear region is archaeologically important in both the prehistoric and historic periods. Prehistoric occupations began in the Paleoindian period (13,000 BP) and extended up to European Contact. Following the Yamassee War (1715-1716) many indigenous groups were decimated or left the area, although the Waccamaw Siouxan people remain in the Cape Fear region.
The Lower Cape Fear is one of the earliest parts of North Carolina settled in the colonial period, with Brunswick Town formed in 1726.
The area of Russelborough served as the Governor’s mansion in North Carolina for Governors Dobbs and Tryon, and so was the seat of North Carolina government from 1758-1770. Governor Tryon abandoned the area after he was besieged by irate colonists during the Stamp Act crisis. Russelborough was bought by local wealthy merchant William Dry, and burned by the British during the American Revolution. The site of Russelborough is interesting for several different reasons. It was one of the earliest rice plantations in the region. Brunswick Town was built by enslaved African people, as were the house and outbuildings at Russelborough. Excavation in the area will hopefully help us learn more about the lives of enslaved people during the 1700s in the Lower Cape Fear.
Wilmington, upriver of Brunswick Town, became the largest city in North Carolina through the Civil War years and into 1898. Areas from the former Brunswick Town upstream to Wilmington were used as naval stores plantations, and later as rice plantations.
The Lower Cape Fear is the northernmost part of the Gullah-Geechee Heritage Corridor, an area where Black descendants of rice plantation slaves formed their own unique culture. The port of Wilmington was an important blockade runner port during the Confederacy, making the Wilmington area the focus of one of the last military campaigns in the Civil War, in December/January 1865.
Following the Civil War, Wilmington was a multiethnic, bustling port. The coup of 1898 suppressed the multiracial Fusionist coalition that had been elected to run the city and replaced it with a white supremacist city government. A majority of the Black population in Wilmington was forced out of town or left, permanently changing the ethnic makeup of the city.
What Work Will We Do?
Despite this complex history, relatively little archaeology has been performed in the area. We will specifically be focusing on the outbuildings around the Russelborough house. Russelborough itself has been previously excavated, and there is quite a bit of historic information about it. There is practically nothing known about the enslaved people who lived and worked in and around the house. We hope to learn more about them and their way of life by excavating the outbuildings.
What Are the Costs of the Field School?
UNCW has not yet posted summer tuition costs. The field school will not charge fees for lodging or food, but each student will need to buy individual insurance from the university as part of registration, at a cost of about $18. A good estimate would be one 6-credit summer class, plus $18.
How Do I Apply for the Field School?
Cape Fear region and Wilmington area field schools will be offered in Summer 2024. If you’re interested in taking the field school, or even considering it, please send an email to Dr. Eleanora Reber, and she will give you more details. A Zoom or face-to-face meeting will also be arranged, whichever you prefer. There is no formal application form. If you’d like to apply for the field school, please notify Dr. Eleanora Reber. You will hear from her about your acceptance into the field school. This should give you time to plan your summer schedule prior to the opening of summer preregistration. Following acceptance into the field school, a packet of information and other forms will be sent to you. We may schedule one orientation meeting before the field season begins. This will depend on everyone’s schedules. Enrollment is limited to 15 students!
For Non-UNCW Students
We are always interested in hosting non-UNCW students! For academic credit, you will need to register as a Visiting Summer Student at UNCW and then register for the class. You can then transfer it in to your home institution in whatever way is standard there. Please apply to the Field School via email (and receive an acceptance) prior to registering as a Visiting Student! And you may want to check with your home institution on what forms are necessary to transfer in a domestic transient study credit.
I’m Interested! For more information, please contact Dr. Eleanora Reber.
Eleanora Reber Anthropology Department, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington NC 28403 USA
The 2025 OU Archaeological Field School will be conducted in Eastern Oklahoma at Spiro. The project will teach students how to conduct archaeological excavations and students will earn 5 credit hours. This work is part of an effort to learn more about life at Spiro.
The project will investigate several areas of the site determined to be of interest from prior remote sensing. The work is conducted under permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers and agreement from the Caddo and Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Nations.
Class: Fieldwork in Archaeology – ANTH 3930 (5 credit hours). Those with a previous field school can discuss with the instructors enrolling in ANTH 4930 – Advanced Fieldwork in Anthropology (5 credit hours).
Dates: May 12 to June 13. Move in at the dorms in Ft. Smith will happen on May 11.
Prerequisite: Instructor permission and must be 18 years of age or older by May 11, 2025 (as a requirement of the dorms we are staying in).
The application deadline is March 28. Non-OU students will need to apply by early April to complete the application process.
Eligibility: This class is open to any undergraduate students that are 18 years or older as of May 11, 2025. In case we receive more applications than there are spots, preferences will be given to OU students.
Cost: There are two main costs for this program plus an application fee for non-OU students.
OU Tuition and Fees. Cost for tuition and fees for OU students will vary between depending on the student. See this site on Summer Enrollment for more information on cost. OU’s flat rate tuition policy means that OU students that have not enrolled in 30 credit hours during the fall and spring will be discounted the tuition and some fees during the summer. Please work with the bursar to calculate your exact expense.
According the Bursar, the tuition and fees for undergraduates for the 5 credit hours for students without banked hours will be:
In-state: $2266.50
Out-of-state: $5196.50
Room and Board. All students will be required to pay a room and board fee of around $400-550. This amount may change somewhat as we know final enrollment, and will be finalized when acceptance notices go out.
Application Feefor non-OU students. Non-OU students will need to pay an application fee to become non-degree undergraduate visitors at OU. (Do not start this process until I email you an acceptance to the field school.) The application fee is $40 for domestic students and $90 for international students.
Skills: Students will learn to excavate archaeological sites and to recognize and interpret archaeological features.
Work schedule: Field work will take place Monday through Friday during the field portion of the project. Students will be free during the weekends.
Lodging and Food: We will be staying at dorms at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith during the field school portion of the project. During this time, Room and Board fee will pay for dinners Monday through Thursday. Students will provide their own breakfasts and lunches and other meals.
Instructors: The class has three instructors: Patrick Livingood, Scott Hammerstedt, and Amanda Regnier.
Support: The class is being generously sponsored by the OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences and its Department of Anthropology, and the Oklahoma Archeological Survey.
Questions? Please direct any questions to Patrick Livingood at patrickl@ou.edu.
PENNSYLVANIA
LAKE ERIE UNDERWATER CRM (Cultural Resource Management) PROGRAM
Cultural Resource Management, the legally required management and protection of our shared heritage, requires archaeologists to do more than just archaeology. CRM requires an understanding of legal frameworks, professional ethics, consultation, and project management. Conducting CRM in an underwater environment also requires specialized skills in marine remote sensing, landscape reconstruction, and, occasionally, SCUBA diving. This field school teaches the skills of underwater Cultural Resource Management through research on the submerged landscapes of Lake Erie. This program will not focus on shipwrecks (the more academic side of marine archaeology) but on understanding submerged landscape as this is the mainstay of Marine CRM work and where the greatest need for trained marine CRM professionals is. The skills taught in this course are similar to those employed in CRM to identify sites prior to offshore energy (wind, oil, and gas) development. This course is appropriate for students interested in both Cultural Resource Management and traditional academic archaeology in an underwater environment.
Until approximately 4,000 years ago, Lake Erie was lower than it is today, leaving large swaths of the modern lake bottom open for habitation. During earlier times, the lake basin contained two smaller lakes connected by a wetland and stream. This mixture of environments would have been attractive to humans, and the quick filling of the basin likely preserved sites in situ. By combining marine remote sensing, geoarchaeology, and Indigenous knowledge, we will identify areas on the lake floor that likely contain submerged habitation sites.
COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of this course students will have an understanding of the Cultural Resource Management process and underwater archaeology. Students will be able to describe the US laws that pertain to submerged cultural resources and explain how those laws are applied in a CRM context. Students will also have a working knowledge of the practical skills necessary to conduct archaeological research underwater.
To achieve these objectives, this course has three primary goals: (1) to provide students a practical working knowledge of archaeological field methods, including marine remote sensing, geoarchaeological coring, underwater science while SCUBA diving, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operation, and recording sites underwater, (2) to introduce students to the intellectual challenges presented by archaeological research, including research design, data analysis and interpretation, and need to bring together multiple lines of evidence to address heritage preservation; and (3) to train students in consultation and reporting to ensure that the products of their work serve future generations.
The course will be based in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the shores of Lake Erie. Portions of the course will take place on Lake Erie, as well as at local facilities, including the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Accommodation will be in the Gannon University dormitories. Students are responsible for their own meals. Student will participate in the following research activities:
Remote sensing: Students will collect, process, and interpret marine remote sensing data, including side-scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler data. Coring: Students will collect cores of submerged sediments and learn to process and analyze these cores to identify potential living surfaces and sites. Underwater Recordation: Students will practice recording sites in an underwater environment. Ethnography: Students will work with local partners to record oral histories and traditional knowledge. Reporting: Students will co-author the annual project report.
Note: A SCUBA certification course will be offered the week prior to the field school for students who do not possess a certification. Contact Dr. Ben Ford, Program Director, for more information.
DIRECTORS: Dr. Ben Ford (Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania ben.ford@iup.edu) Dr. Jessi Halligan (Associate Professor of Anthropology, Texas A&M University jessihalligan@gmail.com) Dr. Joe Stahlman (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Seneca Nation of Indians Joe.Stahlman@sni.org)
PENNSYLVANIA
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION SUMMER KEYSTONE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Description
Internships participating in this year’s program will focus on several disciplines and be available in 8 counties across the Commonwealth. Please check back soon for internship posting links!
PHMC’s Summer Keystone Internship Program
Our Keystone Summer Internship Program is designed to provide preprofessional training to students interested in pursuing a
career in history, historic preservation, or museums. We created this program to be an integral part of our interns’ academic training, and students are encouraged to seek credit. Each Keystone Summer Intern will work directly with a Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) staff mentor on a specific project or projects and will also learn about PHMC’s multiple functions though educational and networking opportunities. Interns will also have regular opportunities to reflect on their own experiences within the broader context of the challenges and possibilities of public history. Keystone interns will receive a formal evaluation at the conclusion of the internship and will be asked to provide feedback to PHMC on their experience.
Requirements
All applicants must be enrolled at a college or university in an undergraduate or graduate program at the time of their internship. Additional requirements, such as a required field of study, may be applicable to some internships. This information will be listed on the posting. Selected interns must pass all required background checks. Applications are accepted from students throughout the United States; however, PHMC is unable to provide housing or transportation stipends to our interns.
An unofficial transcript must be uploaded as part of the application process. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants will be notified if selected for a virtual interview. Questions regarding the Keystone Summer Internship Program may be directed to MegAnn Carey at mecarey@pa.gov.
Areas of Study
Internship opportunities are available in a wide variety of disciplines and professions included within PHMC’s programs, such as archival studies, archaeology, architecture, collections care and management, cultural resource management, curation, exhibition development, geographic information systems (GIS), graphic arts, historic preservation, historical research and programming, museum education, museum studies and zoology.
Internship Locations
Keystone Summer Internships are in-person internships available in a variety of locations, including PHMC’s headquarters in downtown Harrisburg and at PHMC sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History(opens in a new tab).
Dates and Internship Hours
The Keystone Summer Internship Program will take place during a 10-week program period during the summer of 2025. Final program dates and work schedules will be decided between interns and their mentors. Interns must work a minimum of 225 hours and are eligible to work up to 300 hours, within the program timeframe, at a rate of $17 per hour.
Selection Criteria
Primary criteria for selection are the overall quality of the application responses and interview; match between the applicant’s educational and career goals and the goals of the Keystone Internship Program; and the fit between the applicant’s skills, interests, and experience and the specific project or position in which they apply.
To Apply
An unofficial transcript must be uploaded as part of the application process. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants will be notified if selected for a virtual interview. Questions regarding the Keystone Summer Internship Program may be directed to MegAnn Carey atmecarey@pa.gov
First Session: June 2nd – July 14th Second Session: July 7th – August 18th
Work with the professional staff of the Lubbock Lake Landmark Regional Research Program. Join an ongoing field research program of international volunteer crews and conduct surveys, geoarchaeological prospecting, mapping, and excavations at the Post research areas and at the Lubbock Lake Landmark.
Although not a field school, volunteers for the Lubbock Lake Landmark regional research program gain practical experience in field methodologies using the latest in field recording technology, proper field conservation of materials, and laboratory experience in processing materials from the field.
Interested? Read the Landmark Volunteer Information Guidehere.
Then, fill out a Volunteer Application Formhere.
Upon review of the application form and two letters of recommendation, volunteers are provisionally accepted into the Landmark’s regional research program. Following provisional acceptance, volunteers must email the Landmark’s medical history form filled out by a licensed physician, proof of current tetanus vaccination, and proof of adequate and appropriate health insurance during their stay at Lubbock Lake Landmark to Dr. Johnson ateileen.johnson@ttu.edu.
Lubbock Lake Landmark – July 8-August 18, 2024
Lubbock Lake is located on the Southern High Plains in a meander of an ancient valley (Yellowhouse Draw) near ancient springs. People used the water resources in the draw for thousands of years until those resources went dry in the early 1930s. In 1936, the city of Lubbock dredged the meander in an effort to revitalize the underground springs. That activity revealed the long-occupied site.
The first explorations of the site were conducted in 1939 by the West Texas Museum (now the Museum of Texas Tech University). By the late 1940s, several Folsom Period (10,800-10,300 years ago) bison kills were discovered. Charred bison bones from an ancient bison kill from a then unidentified Paleoindian group produced the first ever radiocarbon date (currently the most accurate form of dating) for Paleoindian material (9,800 years old). The Landmark currently serves as a field laboratory for geology, soils, and radiocarbon dating studies, as well as being an active archaeological and natural history preserve.
Physiographic Setting
The Lubbock Lake Landmark is located on the southeastern portion of the Southern High Plains (Llano Estacado) of western Texas. The ca. 300 acre (121 hectare) site encompasses both upland and lowland settings. The Southern High Plains today has a continental climate. The region experiences a large temperature range. Rainfall occurs throughout the year, but highs are in the spring and fall. Summer droughts are common due to high pressure that dominates the region during this time.
2024 Fieldwork
For the 2024 Field Season, the Landmark research team will renew investigations of Protohistoric-age (1450-1650) Apache hunter-gatherers. Excavation will focus on exposing more of the Protohistoric living surface and features preserved at Area 8.
The Landmark is developing research to examine the territorial identity of these hunter-gatherers. Information learned from this field work will help to address the following research questions: 1. What is the relationship between material culture, identity, and territories? 2. Did the Apache develop a territorial identity on the landscape that distinguished themselves from other hunter-gatherer groups?
A territory is defined as a landscape spatial unit controlled by a society that share a social identity and tie to the landscape and distinguish themselves from other societies in adjacent territories. From this perspective, identity is equivalent to a territory. Territories are defined and infused with multiple layers of socially constructed meaning through daily interactions with the landscape.
The Protohistoric on the Southern High Plains is a culturally dynamic period marked by the migration of the Apache into the region, and the development of an intensive Southwest Puebloan trade network. Pedro de Castañeda, the chronicler of the Coronado expedition (1540-1542 AD), documented two culturally distinct nomadic bison hunting groups. This research will explore the formation of Apache territorial identity in relationship to other hunter-gatherer groups in the region.
UTAH
ZOOARCHAEOLOGY AND FIELD ECOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
Zooarchaeology is an interdisciplinary subfield of archaeology focused on the analysis of animal remains from archaeological contexts to address questions involving past
human foraging behavior, paleoecology, and paleoclimate. The foundation of this research is the identification of archaeological vertebrate bones and teeth but much of the meaning of those data resides in knowledge about the behavior, ecology, and natural history of the identified species. This novel, hands-on, laboratory- and field-based course is designed not only to train students in the identification and analysis of fragmentary vertebrate remains but to provide them with a rich background in the natural history of vertebrate animals that is essential to conducting zooarchaeological research. Unlike any other archaeological field experience, students will gain expertise in the identification of fragmentary vertebrate remains from archaeological contexts in the western U.S. and at the same time be immersed through daily field trips in the natural history and ecology of local vertebrate animals in a remote and scenic setting in Range Creek Canyon, Utah. Topics that will be covered include foraging theory, prey choice, the nature of the archaeofaunal record, units of quantification, taphonomy, ecological concepts and theory, vertebrate taxonomy and natural history, and skeletal preparation. Students gain additional experience in archaeological vertebrate identification and analysis through the completion of a problem-oriented research project based on the analysis of one of several provided faunal assemblages from sites in western North America. Students attend and present their research at the 19th Annual Zooarchaeology Conference held at the Range Creek Field Station the last day of the field school and thus attain invaluable experience in delivering professional conference presentations as well as the opportunity to network with prominent zooarchaeologists.
Course Structure and Organization:
The course will begin (May 5-9) with five-day intensive introduction to zooarchaeology, vertebrate osteology, and natural history by zoom. Students will then meet in Salt Lake City (May 12) and we will proceed from there on a 6-day camping field trip across the state of Utah. We will explore many of the most important archaeological sites in the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau (e.g., Danger Cave, Hogup Cave, Lakeside Cave, Homestead Cave, Cowboy Cave, Sudden Shelter, Bonneville Estates Rockshelter) and study the different habitats and vertebrate faunas of the regions. We will then stay for the remainder of the course (May 18-30) at the remote and scenic Range Creek Field Station in eastern Utah with continued field and lab studies and lectures on various topics in zooarchaeology. Students will complete a problem-oriented research project at the field station and present an oral presentation on that work at a conference on May 30. We depart on May 31.
Enrollment limited. Application (see below) is required. Students enroll in University of Utah, Anthropology 5712-section 2; (Field Methods: North America). 6 semester credit hours. Click here for course syllabus.
Jack M. Broughton (Ph.D. University of Washington, 1995) is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah where he teaches archaeology, osteology, and zooarchaeology. His research focuses on hunter-gatherer zooarchaeology and prehistory in western North America and the application of behavioral ecology to archaeological issues. Jack is passionate about zooarchaeology and natural history and has been involved in developing and teaching this course since its inception in 1988. He is also the author of Zooarchaeology and Field Ecology: A Photographic Atlas, a publication that was created specifically as a text for this unique course.
Course Instructors:
Jack M. Broughton (Ph.D. University of Washington, 1995) is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah where he teaches archaeology, osteology, and zooarchaeology. His research focuses on hunter-gatherer zooarchaeology and prehistory in western North America and the application of behavioral ecology to archaeological issues. Jack is passionate about zooarchaeology and natural history and has been involved in developing and teaching this course since its inception in 1988. He is also the author of Zooarchaeology and Field Ecology: A Photographic Atlas, a publication that was created specifically as a text for this unique course.
Isaac A. Hart (Ph.D. University of Utah, 2017) is a Post-Doctoral Zooarchaeological Research Fellow at the Department of Anthropology, University of Utah. His research focuses on the archaeology of western North America and Mongolia and paleoenvironmental reconstruction and prehistoric human subsistence based on the analysis of archaeological vertebrates, geological sediments, and fossil pollen. Isaac has been with the field school program for over a decade.
VERMONT
GREEN MOUNTAIN & FINGER LAKES NATIONAL FORESTS– INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Program Dates: Summer 2024 (16 weeks) Application deadline: February 15, 2024
The USDA Forest Service, Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests is hiring a summer archaeological technician intern at $20/hour for 640 hours (16 weeks) with a flexible start date in May or June 2024. The position is based out of Mendon, Vermont and is being advertised through preservenet.org as a National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) internship in partnership with the National Park Service. The completion of 640 hours in an NCPE internship will earn the individual a 2-year Public Land Corps non-competitive hiring authority to apply for permanent federal positions, if eligibility requirements are met (preservenet.org/ncpe-internships/).
Housing will be waivered and provided for at the Mount Tabor Work Center seasonal housing facility in Mt Tabor, Vermont. The government facility offers a single occupancy room, with a shared bathroom, kitchen, laundry, and living area.
Contact: Sarah Skinner, M.S., Archaeologist, Forest Service, Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Sarah.Skinner@usda.gov 4387 U.S. Route 4 East, Mendon, VT 05701 (802) 747-6709 www.fs.usda.gov/gmfl
The 2025 Field School will be held from June 2nd through July 3, with virtual sessions on May 28th-30th.
If you are interested in learning more about the field school please register for the information meeting. We will be holding an informational Zoom meeting about the next Field School on January 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST. If you will not be able to attend the interest meeting, please still register, and we will send you a recording. The field school application will go live after the Interest Meeting.
About The Field School
Five Week Training Course in Archaeological Methods and Techniques
The Montpelier Archaeology Department has hosted field school since 1987. Over the past thirty-seven years, the program has grown to include students from a variety of universities, spanning the US and abroad.
The field school is a five-week intensive course designed to give students training in field and laboratory techniques. Students will be introduced to excavation and survey methods, cutting edge archaeological recordation and digital data collection techniques (using ESRI’s Field Maps, digital mapping, and mobile photogrammetry), artifact processing and basic curation practices. Students will also be introduced to the principals of Public Archaeology and will be expected to engage with visitors to the site, members of the descendant community, and online. Students will also be expected to engage in discussions around contemporary museum practice with a focus on community-based work and restorative justice.
Where will we be working?
The 2025 season is focused on obtaining a better understanding of Walnut Hollow, a site located near the Temple and Ice House, where metal detector survey identified several structures believed to be homes for enslaved families, potentially dating from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. Read more about the Walnut Hollow site.
Cost and Accreditation
The Montpelier Archaeology Field School is accredited through James Madison University and SUNY Plattsburgh. However, we also offer a non-credit option. Undergraduate, graduate, and new professionals are welcome to apply to the field school!
The base cost for the field school in 2024 is $800. Students not taking it for credit, will owe an additional $200 fee.
Accepted students will need to pay an additional $100 deposit (or the full fee) in order to secure their spot. This fee will be refunded to scholarship recipients.
The total cost for non-credit students is $1,100.00 USD.
Housing
Accepted students will have the option of staying on property, within our intern residence. The fee for the field school includes on-site housing.
Scholarships
The Montpelier Foundation offers scholarships for African American students attending the Field School. For more details, please e-mail dig@montpelier.org and ask about scholarship opportunities for African American students. Scholarship application materials are provided when applying for the Field School!
Archaeology Paid Internships
Students who have participated in and completed the Archaeology Field School will also be provided an opportunity to apply for the ten-month long internship program.
The Montpelier Internship is a ten-month position that begins on July 1st and typically ends on April 30th.
In order to qualify for an internship, you MUST attend the Montpelier Archaeology Field School. These paid internships include full employee benefits and free housing on the property. Up to five, long-term interns (3 or 4 field interns and 1 or 2 lab interns) will be selected near the end of the Field School. Current and past Field School students are welcome to apply to the internship.
For those who have not previously attended our field school, you MUST apply, be accepted, attend, and successfully complete the Montpelier Field School in order to be considered for the long-term internship. For those who have previously attended the Montpelier Field School and want to apply for year-long internships, please email us at dig@montpelier.org for details.
VIRGINIA
MONTICELLO-UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL: ARCHAEOLOGY OF CHESAPEAKE LANDSCAPE AND SLAVERY
Date: June 2 to July 11, 2025(Application deadline: April 4, 2025)
Monticello’s Department of Archaeology and the University of Virginia offer a six-week archaeological field school at Monticello. The field school provides six credits through the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences. The Monticello-UVA Field School accepts applications from undergraduate students as well as postgraduates. A current or previous affiliation with UVA is not required to attend.
Space is limited to ten students. Please be sure to have all application materials submitted by deadline: April 4, 2025.
The Program
The Monticello-UVA Field School offers a hands-on introduction to basic excavation, recording, and laboratory techniques in archaeology. The course emphasizes a scientific, multidisciplinary approach to doing landscape archaeology. It also provides the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research into the ecological and social dynamics that unfolded on Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Plantation in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Technical topics covered include survey and excavation strategies as well as the analytical possibilities for ceramics, faunal remains, plant phytoliths and pollen, deposits and the sediments they contain, soils, and spatial distributions of artifacts across sites and larger landscapes.
Guest lecturers are drawn from a variety of disciplines including archaeology, geology, ecology, paleoethnobotany, zooarchaeology, and history based on documents and oral testimony. On-site instruction, lectures, and discussion sessions at Monticello will be complemented by field trips to related sites. Students will attend classes forty hours per week, with the bulk of that time spent working in the field and the lab. Reading assignments, lectures, and discussion sessions will cover both technical and historical issues.
Research Focus
Our fieldwork addresses changing patterns of land use and settlement on Thomas Jefferson’s, Monticello Plantation from c. 1750 to 1860, along with their ecological and social causes and consequences. Toward the end of the 18th century, spurred by shifts in the Atlantic economy, Thomas Jefferson and planters across the Chesapeake region replaced tobacco cultivation with a more diversified agricultural regime, based around wheat. Our research is revealing the enormous implications of this shift for what the landscape looked like and how enslaved African-Americans worked and lived on it. Significant questions remain about the ecological processes that were unleashed, how they were experienced by slaves and slave owners, and the importance of changing slave work routines in explaining social dynamics among enslaved and free people.
Requirements
The course does not assume students have previous archaeological field experience. An introductory course in archaeology will be helpful but is not mandatory. Archaeological fieldwork is very demanding. Students should be in good physical condition and enjoy sustained, strenuous teamwork.
All students accepted into the field school will receive a tuition subsidy from Monticello worth half the UVA-mandated tuition. Taking into account this subsidy, tuition for 6 credits is $1,410 for undergraduates and $1,653 for graduate students who are Virginia residents. For non-residents, tuition is $5,208 for undergraduates and $3,351 for graduate students.
In addition to the tuition subsidy, each student will receive a $1,000 stipend to help with the remaining tuition and expenses.
Room and Board
Air-conditioned housing at the University of Virginia is available to Students at an estimated cost of $43 per night or roughly $301 per week for a single room. Meals are available at an additional cost through University dining services, or students can choose to prepare their own meals. Numerous summer sublets are also available in Charlottesville, but students will need to make their own arrangements.
To Apply
Send a one-page cover letter that outlines your interest in archaeology and a CV or resume that contains the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. The application deadline is April 4, 2025. Please email your application to fieldschool@monticello.org.
For further information about archaeological research at Monticello, visit our website or visit us on Facebook or contact Fraser Neiman at (434) 984-9812 or fneiman@monticello.org.
Faculty
Field School Director: Fraser D. Neiman
Field Research Manager: Crystal O’Connor
Research Archaeologist: Derek Wheeler
Curator of Archaeological Collections: Corey Sattes
VIRGINIA
THOMAS JEFFERSON’S POPLAR FOREST ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL (Lynchburg, VA)
Field School Dates: June 2- July 11, 2025 Application deadline: April 1, 2025
A Unique Learning Experience at Thomas Jefferson’s Retreat
Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest and the University of Virginia are pleased to offer the 34th annual Summer Field School in Historical Archaeology. The field school provides a foundation in current methods and th
eories of historical archaeology, and offers a solid introduction to the practical skills of site survey, excavation, recording, and laboratory procedures. Students will also actively participate in our ongoing interpretation of archaeology to the public. In the summer of 2025, field school participants will excavate sites associated with Poplar Forest’s enslaved residents and the plantation’s early infrastructure. Sites that will be investigated will include searching for the location of a stable, slave quarter, and other structures associated with Jefferson’s retreat home and plantation as well as later residents. This includes the opportunity to explore the archaeology of a standing brick quarter, which was built in the 1850s and continued to house African American residents in the years following emancipation. Students will work with the professional staff to better understand the lives of the individuals living and working at these sites by studying the material remains recovered from the summer’s excavations. These sites will reveal new data about the daily lives of people who labored on this plantation. This data can be compared with multiple sites that have already been excavated at Poplar Forest, allowing us to trace the plantation layout and the ways it changed at Poplar Forest over time. The study of this site will also provide new information for Poplar Forest’s interpretive efforts that can be included in signage and tours that help our visitors better understand the landscapes and lives of the many people, both free and enslaved, that lived on this plantation.
What Would I Do at the Poplar Forest Field School?
Students will spend 40 hours a week at Poplar Forest, with most of the time split between the excavation site and the archaeology laboratory. Strenuous daily activity will require physical endurance and good health. Participants will have the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment and software, including a total station for recording field information, GPS receivers for collecting spatial data over large areas, a database system containing both the archaeological artifact and context records, and a complete inventory of over 3,000 historical documents relating to Poplar Forest.
Field School Schedule
The program includes weekly readings on topics in historical archaeology; lectures by staff and noted authorities covering such topics as landscape history, plantation life, and nineteenth-century material culture; the archaeology of the African Diaspora in America and beyond; environmental archaeology; professional opportunities in historical archaeology; and the role of public archaeology in our world today. As part of the program, students will also participate in a half-day workshop on architectural restoration and preservation philosophy. On-site work is supplemented by field trips to sites where historical archaeology is underway. Students will be asked to observe and evaluate strategies used by these sites to incorporate archaeology into their public interpretation.
Week 1 Orientation to Poplar Forest, instruction, initial excavation, guest lecture, discussion of readings
Week 2 Field and lab work at Poplar Forest, field trip, guest lecture, discussion of readings
Week 3 Field and lab work at Poplar Forest, guest lecture, discussion of readings
Week 4 Field and lab work at Poplar Forest, field trip, guest lecture, discussion of readings
Week 5 Field and lab work at Poplar Forest, overnight field trip, discussion of readings
Week 6 Conclusion of field work, presentations, summation of activities
What if I’ve Never Studied Archaeology or Been on a “Dig”?
The Poplar Forest Field School is designed for the beginner. While some will bring previous experience, for most participants, this will be their first archaeological field school.
Who Should Attend?
Graduate and undergraduate students in anthropology, archaeology, history, or historic preservation; museum volunteers and staff; public and private school teachers in social studies and related subjects; individuals interested in pursuing archaeology as a career; individuals interested in archaeology, history, and early American Southern culture; students of Jefferson, African-American and early American history. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have finished high school.
University Credit
This field school in historical archaeology carries six credits from the University of Virginia’s School of Arts and Sciences. Students who do not attend the University of Virginia should check with their degree-granting institution to verify transferability of credits.
Tuition & Scholarship Assistance
All participants accepted into the field school will receive a scholarship from Poplar Forest. This is a tuition grant that covers half of the tuition charge for six credit hours. With this scholarship assistance, Virginia resident undergraduates will pay $1,410 and Virginia resident graduate students will pay $1,631. Out-of-state undergraduate students will pay $5,208 and out of state graduate students will pay $3,351. The university also charges a $60 off-grounds administrative fee to all students.
Accommodations
Air-conditioned accommodations are available at the University of Lynchburg. Estimated cost is $39 per day. Students are responsible for their own meals and transportation to the site each day. Students are free to make other housing arrangements as well.
Eric Proebsting, Ph.D., Director of Archaeology and Landscapes. Dr. Proebsting’s research interests include historical archaeology, agricultural communities, landscape archaeology, historical ecology, plantation studies, the archaeology of slavery, public outreach, and the archaeological applications of GIS and other techniques for collaborative research projects.
Steve Lenik, Ph.D., Research Archaeologist. Dr. Lenik’s research interests include the archaeology of the African Diaspora, the archaeology of missions, the Atlantic World, plantation landscapes, and community engagement.
Karen McIlvoy, M.A., Archaeology Laboratory Supervisor. Ms. McIlvoy’s research interests include the material culture of slavery and the African Diaspora, social dynamics within plantation communities, the archaeology of spirituality and folk beliefs, and the interactions between people and material culture.
Erin Schwartz, M.A., Assistant Archaeologist. Ms. Schwartz’s research interests include historical archaeology, Southern Appalachia, industrialism and capitalism, gender and identity, architectural history, ceramics, (geo)spatial analysis, and public outreach.
Apply Now! Please submit your application by filling out the form and attaching your résumé. A statement of personal and professional reasons for participating is required. Application deadline is April 1, 2025.
VIRGINIA
JAMESTOWNE REDISCOVERY: HISTORIC JAMESTOWNE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL (Jamestown, Virginia)
Program Dates: May 28 – July 5, 2024 [Awaiting updated information for Summer 2025]
Be part of the Jamestown Rediscovery Project’s ongoing mission to excavate, interpret, preserve, conserve, and research findings from the site of England’s first successful colony in North America by participating in Jamestown Rediscovery’s annual Archaeological Field School from May 28 to July 5, 2024!
The Program
Jamestown’s Field School provides a unique opportunity for students to contribute to the research and interpretation of early 17th-century English America. The Field School, jointly offered by the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation and the University of Virginia, introduces participants to the methods and theories of American historical archaeology through hands-on fieldwork. Students will be helping to expand our understanding of the site of James Fort (1607-1624). Throughout the Field School, students will learn excavation and recording procedures and identify and interpret 17th-century European and First People’s artifacts. In addition, the Field School will include field trips and weekly seminars exploring recent contributions of historical archaeology to colonial history, new field recording and interpretation methods, and a survey of the recent literature in the discipline. Both novice and experienced students will learn practical archaeological skills and the course is also an excellent educational opportunity for teachers seeking recertification in the social studies content area.
Course Requirements
Field School Director: David M. Givens, MA.
Students will be required to attend classes 40 hours a week (Monday-Friday), with most of that time spent on-site working on the excavation. Strenuous daily activities will require physical endurance and excellent health. Students also will spend time processing and learning to identify artifacts from the early Anglo-American settlement period in the Jamestown Rediscovery laboratory. Students will be required to keep a journal of their field, lab, and seminar work.
Upon completing this course, participants will receive six graduate credits (Anthropology 5589) from the University of Virginia. Students who transfer credits must make arrangements directly with their college or university. Educators wishing to apply this course toward recertification must obtain prior approval from their school systems. See below for 2024 tuition rates and fees as well as information on housing.
Application and Selection Process
To apply, please submit an application form (download application form); a résumé; a statement of personal and professional reasons for wanting to participate in the Jamestown Archaeological Field School; any other evidence of a well-rounded personality, the ability to work with others, and physical fitness; and two recommendation letters (download recommendation form). Current or previous affiliation with the University of Virginia is not required to attend the Field School. Completed applications must be received by April 5, 2024 (if you cannot make this deadline, please contact the staff).
Applicants will be selected based upon a review of their résumé, application form, statement of personal and professional reasons for wanting to attend the school, and recommendations. Applicants will be notified no later than April 26, 2024 (In some cases, early acceptance may be granted if required by the applicant).
2024 Tuition Rates and Fees
In-State Tuition (*Virginia Residents)
Undergraduate Students: $2,736 ($456 per credit hour)
Graduate Students: $3,210 ($535 per credit hour)
Out-of-State Tuition (Non-Virginia Residents)
Undergraduate Students: $5,055 ($842.50 per credit hour)**
Graduate Students: $3,252 ($542 per credit hour)**
* Must be a US Citizen ** Tuition rates reflect a scholarship of 50% provided by the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation for out-of-state students accepted into the Field School. The University of Virginia’s current tuition is $1,685 per credit hour for out-of-state undergrad students and $1,084 per credit hour for out-of-state graduate students.
The University requires an additional off-site fee for both in-state and out-of-state students.
The University of Virginia’s tuition rates and fees list can be viewed here.
Room and Board
Jamestown Rediscovery is working with the College of William & Mary to secure local housing for interested students. Please note on your application if you would like to rent local housing through Jamestown Rediscovery, so the proper number of rooms may be secured.
Each year the Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School (PNWPFS) attracts a range of participants, from practicing cultural resource professionals to undergraduate and graduate students, to novices with little background in the field. They all share a love for heritage and a desire to learn.
The University of Oregon’s Historic Preservation Program developed the PNWPFS to provide you with the opportunity to experience preservation firsthand.
Incoming UO Historic Preservation graduate students are required to enroll for at least one session as part of their graduation requirements.
The field school is intended for anyone interested in:
Working in a hands-on environment
Learning about preservation by doing it
Seeing a spectacular part of the United States
The typical class varies in age, skill-background, and interest, but the common thread is always fun and learning.
Many of our participants have used the field school to launch into historic preservation, and many graduates of the University of Oregon’s program got their start at the Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School.
The 2024 Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School will be held at a Washington State Park.
The exact location will be announced soon. Parks under consideration include log and stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Projects may include stone masonry repair and repointing, window assessment, repair, and reglazing, and log repair and replacement. Historic landscape survey and maintenance workshops, interpretation workshops, field trips, and evening presentations will fill out the three one-week sessions. Tentative dates are the last week of August and the first two weeks of September.
The Field School is an inclusive learning opportunity open to all, whether you have previous preservation experience or not, whatever your age or skill level. You do not need to be a student or affiliated with the University of Oregon.
If you would like to be notified when more information becomes available email us at pnwfs@uoregon.edu
Internships at the Smithsonian! The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. We are a community of learning and the opener of doors. Smithsonian Internships are workplace-based guided learning opportunities that provide participants with hands-on experience in a wide range of fields.
Application opens: January 6, 2025 Deadline to apply: March 7, 2025 at 11:59PM (EST)
Program length: 10 weeks
Start Date: 6/2/25
End Date: 8/8/25
*This is a cohort internship so all interns should be able to start and end on these dates and be actively engaged in the internship at least 36 hours/week
Stipend Amount: $10,000 ($7,000 stipend + $3,000 housing allowance)
This is a need-based program supporting internships for undergraduates in research and collections projects related to art history
The Benjamin Lawless Internship Program will not be accepting applications for the 2025 cycle. We encourage interested parties to explore other internship opportunities throughout the Smithsonian.
This internship honors Benjamin Lawless and his legacy as an internationally recognized exhibition planner, designer, Emmy winning filmmaker and writer. The Benjamin Lawless Internship is an opportunity for a high school student to learn about audience engagement,
exhibition design, and research stories associated with objects of all kinds and the people who used and created them.
Application opens: January 27, 2025
Deadline to apply: February 28, 2025 at 11:59PM (EST)
Program length: 10 weeks
Start Date: 5/27/25
End Date: 8/4/25
*This is a cohort internship so all interns should be able to start and end on these dates and be actively engaged in the internship at least 36 hours/week
Stipend (amount forthcoming) and housing provided
Focused on individuals from communities currently underrepresented in the museum conservation field, the Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA) offers opportunities for current or recent undergraduates to learn about museum conservation.
The Archives of American Art offers internships year-round to students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs who wish to learn and gain professional experience in various fields including archival science, information management, museum studies, art administration, art history, and cultural studies.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) believes that a great 21st-century museum is more than a building. We must engage communities in surprising and innovative ways, transcending boundaries and barriers. We are a migratory museum that brings Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander history, art, and culture to you through innovative museum experiences online and throughout the United States.
Every year, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage involves over a hundred interns in our various activities. We offer internships year-round in various fields, including folklore, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, linguistics, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, videography, marketing, social media, and library science. Internships can take place remotely or in Washington, D.C.
The application period for the 2024 Krueger Summer Internship Program is now closed. Look for details for next year’s program to be announced in late fall 2024.
The Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain professional skills and learn about museum practices at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Interns will acquire in-depth knowledge and develop an enriched understanding of how the museum fulfills its mission to educate, inspire, and empower people through design.
The National Air and Space Museum’s structured summer internship program provides firsthand experience working in a museum. This program offers a one-of-a-kind introduction to museum work or a rich opportunity to expand on previous experience. Lasting from early-June through early-August, our 10-week summer program provides unique professional development opportunities and enrichment activities. We offer internships in a wide array of disciplines.
The Robert Frederick Smith Internship Program seeks to reverse the trend of underrepresentation of African Americans and other minorities in museum professions through well-paid internships at NMAAHC as well as at select cultural institutions across the country. Now accepting applications for Summer 2024 opportunities.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Internships at the National Museum of African American History and Culture offer undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates’ opportunities to work closely with professionals and scholars in the museum field. The museum provides a dynamic learning environment and access to supportive mentors that help interns reach their academic and professional goals. Interns receive a stipend while they gain practical museum skills and program development experience in a variety of positions!
Are you interested in US history? Do you want to learn more about the inner workings of history museums–either as an introduction or a deeper dive into an aspect of the museum field? The Smithsonian’s National Museum
of American History (NMAH) offers internships to folks who are excited to engage in professional learning experiences!
Application deadline: February 24, 2025 at 11:59Pm ET
Cheng Graduate Internship
Paid, Part-time (20 hrs/week)
Academic Year 2025-26: September 8 – December 19, 2025 (Fall semester) and January 19 – May 1, 2026 (Spring semester)
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is seeking a biology intern to assist in creating a digital database of black coral imagery. This internship offers a unique opportunity to learn coral imaging techniques using both digital photography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resulting images will be uploaded to the public page of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology Collections and used in ongoing taxonomic research.
Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) is a 10-week summer internship program hosted at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. NHRE interns work closely with scientific mentors to complete independent research projects in Earth Science, Biology, and Anthropology.
The internship is full time, 40 hours per week. Starting in early June through early August. For exact dates, visit the NHRE website(link is external).
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History seeks a science writing intern interested in developing science communication skills in an active communications and public affairs office. The intern will help create original content to be published on the Ocean Portal website (https://ocean.si.edu(link is external)), and participate in other communication activities, including social media campaigns.
The Summer Institute in Museum Anthropology (SIMA) at the Smithsonian seeks to promote broader and more effective use of museum collections – artifacts, audio recordings, art works, still and moving images – in anthropological research by providing graduate students with an immersive, four-week training program and research experience at the Smithsonian Institution. The SIMA Research Internship is a residential program held at the National Museum of Natural History.
The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) offers internships during the Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer terms at the museum in Washington, D.C.; at the Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, MD; and at the museum (George Gustav Heye Center) in New York City. The NMAI internship program provides educational opportunities focusing on cultural transmission; professional development; meaningful departmental projects; and networking with museum professionals.
The Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) Undergraduate Internship is a museum career pathway program designed to increase hands-on training opportunities for Latina, Latino, and Latinx-identifying undergraduate students interested in art museum careers. The program focuses in non-curatorial museum roles including the areas of conservation, museum education, interpretation, digital culture, collections management, and exhibition design, fabrication and production.
The Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a national college preparatory and leadership program for graduating high school seniors that fosters the next generation of community-conscious Latino leaders in the arts, sciences, and humanities via the Smithsonian Institution and its resources. Selected applicants will participate in a weeklong pre-professional and pre-collegiate seminar in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian focusing on Latino perspectives with peers from all over the nation.
Are you seeking a creative and exciting museum internship? The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery offers formal internships to qualified applicants. A Smithsonian internship is a prearranged, structured learning experience that takes place during the fall, spring, or summer semester. The experience should be relevant both to the intern’s academic and professional goals and to the professional disciplines represented at the Portrait Gallery.
The National Zoo offers a variety of internship opportunities from animal care, veterinary medicine, IT, communications, animal enrichment, animal behavior, conservation, GIS One Health, nutrition, genetics, and more. We have opportunities at the Zoo in Washington, DC and our Conservation Biology Center in Front Royal, Virginia as well as Hawaii.
The Office of Advancement is pleased to offer internship opportunities for candidates interested in fundraising and development-oriented careers. Through these internships the Office of Advancement seeks to: – Provide interns with meaningful professional learning experiences. – Ensure interns supportive opportunities for growth and inclusive access to the advancement field through mentorship.
Michelle Knovic Smith (1950–2021), as an educator, mentor, and leader, in her more than three decades at the Smithsonian, pioneered innovative and effective approaches to the Smithsonian’s mission of the “diffusion of knowledge.” First, as Publications Director for the Institution’s teacher magazines, Art to Zoo and Smithsonian in Your Classroom, Michelle developed publications and distribution strategies that reached every school in the country.
Legal interns in the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) work closely with attorneys whose work covers such diverse topics as tax, employment discrimination, ethics, imports/exports, federal appropriations, intellectual property, and environmental law. Interns will gain exposure to the Office’s diverse law practice through litigation and transactional work, client counseling, case law research, preparing legal memoranda, reviewing agreements, surveying state law, and researching legislative history.
In a part-time capacity (3 workdays per week, Tuesday through Thursday), the incumbent will learn the practical methods and principles of collections management in an offsite collection storage environment.
The central Office of Public Affairs (in the Office of Communications and External Affairs) supports all of the Smithsonian museums, research centers and internal offices, including the Office of the Secretary, with public relations. In the Office of Public Affairs, selected applicants will gain a variety of hands-on experience with internal communications, web management, social media content creation and media relations.
The Spring 2025 internship is a part-time, paid opportunity.
The primary purpose of the Fire Protection Division (FPD) internship is to provide a practical learning experience in the areas of life safety and fire protection engineering. Interested students should be enrolled in an engineering related major, from an accredited college or university, and willing to learn how to conduct facility assessments, perform design reviews, and provide construction oversight for fire protection and life safety systems.
Interns with the Office of Sponsored Projects are unpaid internships. Interns participate in projects that directly or indirectly help Smithsonian research, curatorial, and educational staffs prepare proposals and administer grants and contracts. Emphasis is placed on developing special short and long-term projects that will be beneficial and of mutual interest to both the office and the intern.
Thank you for your interest in the work of the Smithsonian’s Digitization Program Office (DPO) which is an office within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). OCIO provides the Smithsonian’s central computing and telecommunications services; provides leadership in information technology throughout the Institution in support of systems planning and development, communications, and computer-related training; and provides policy and guidance to ensure the integrity and security of Institutional automated data.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) provides the Smithsonian’s central computing and telecommunications services; provides leadership in information technology throughout the Institution in support of systems planning and development, communications, and computer-related training; and provides policy and guidance to ensure the integrity and security of Institutional automated data.
The Leadership for Change internship is an eight-week, paid program providing interns with meaningful and enriching experiences to strengthen their understanding of the role museums and arts and cultural organizations play in advocating for change in communities across the U.S. Interns become museum advocates and explore new ways to bring museum content, resources, and expertise to communities near and far.
Smithsonian American Art Museum has two internship programs: 1.) The Advanced Level Program: a two-semester (fall/spring) museum operations program for graduate students, exceptional college seniors and individuals with a four-year college degree, with previous museum or art institution experience. All participants receive stipends.
Interns with Smithsonian Associates are offered unique opportunities to learn about all aspects of educational programming for both adults and children, while contributing extensively to one of the world’s great cultural institutions. Intern projects are designed to benefit both the Institution and complement the intern’s own interests, skills, and experience.
Intern Duties: Promotional and programmatic support for the large-scale public events, with a special focus on after-hours, Smithsonian-wide programs for young professionals.
Interns with Smithsonian Associates are offered unique opportunities to learn about all aspects of educational programming for both adults and children, while contributing extensively to one of the world’s great cultural institutions. Intern projects are designed to benefit both the Institution and complement the intern’s own interests, skills, and experience.
This internship offers the unique opportunity to immerse in all the Summer children’s’ program offered by Associates. Looking for a team of interns both on in person and virtual. Duties will vary based on location.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Summer Intern Program is a 10-week NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship where students take on an astrophysics research project with an SAO or Harvard scientist. Students are expected to work at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics for the full duration of the program. We house our interns in Harvard’s graduate student dormitory facilities.
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) provides science-based knowledge to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century. SERC leads research on coastal ecosystems to inform real-world decisions for wise policies, best business practices, and a sustainable planet.
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) provides science-based knowledge to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century. SERC leads research on coastal ecosystems to inform real-world decisions for wise policies, best business practices, and a sustainable planet.
This internship provides the opportunity to learn various components related to developing education and outreach materials for curators, staff, and the general public. As both a public garden and open-air museum, Smithsonian Gardens’ educational programming encompasses art, history, science, and culture. Interns acquire hands-on experience, complete meaningful projects with lasting value to the Smithsonian, and get an inside view of the Smithsonian Institution.
Smithsonian Gardens (SG) designs, manages, and maintains the gardens and landscapes of the many Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., which attract over twenty million visitors each year. SG also develops horticultural displays and exhibitions for exterior and interior museum spaces.
The internship is ideal for students majoring in Landscape Architecture who are looking forward to a career in a public or private design organization. The internship is an in-person opportunity to assist the Landscape Architects with various projects that develop out of current design needs or multi-year projects. Intern projects typically involve the development of designs, presentations, and/or planning reports. All assignments require effective project management skills.
Internships at Smithsonian Gardens are designed for students who seek a valuable learning experience in a public garden with a diverse workforce. Interns will work closely with horticultural professionals to acquire hands-on experience and complete meaningful projects with lasting value to SG.
For Summer 2023, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Education department is seeking an intern to help relaunch and expand our resource-lending kit, Traveling Trunks. These tactile multimedia kits are packed full of resources from across the Smithsonian Institution and deliver immersive educational experiences for a middle school audience. Through touch, tech, sight, and sound, Traveling Trunks creates a screen-free sensory rich environment.
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives welcomes current or recent undergraduate and graduate students who wish to gain experience in archives, museum libraries, or related fields. Internships are typically eight weeks in length, often hosted during the summer. Part-time options, practicums and for-credit internships may be available. Opportunities vary and are based on available programs and projects.
This long-standing internship program offers a unique opportunity for aspiring librarians and archivists to work alongside Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff. Interns in this program acquire crucial skills, knowledge, and experience to prepare them for their future careers. This program is geared towards graduate students in a Master of Information Science program or similar.
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives provides students in library, archival, information science, and related disciplines a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with expert libraries and Archives staff to acquire the latest skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience needed for today’s information and cultural heritage workplace. Through this program, we aim to help diversify the library, archive, and museum fields by providing guided learning opportunities to students and other qualified candidates from varied economic, cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.
Competitive program funded by the Smithsonian and generous donors open to all nationalities.
The purpose of the STRI General Internship Program is to provide a place for internship applicants who are generally interested in STRI’s science to pursue a research experience with one of our scientific mentors based on their interests. Interns are selected based on merit and potential for achievement. Function STEMZoologyEcology, Evolution, & BiologyAccessibility, Diversity & InclusionEnvironmental Conservation
Panama’s science and technology secretariat (SENACYT) provides internships to Panamanian students at local universities (undergraduates, recent graduates, and Master’s students) so they can work alongside STRI scientists.
This program is designed to enhance intellectual development and give students real world experience working alongside professionals here at STRI.
2025 Information Sheet ANTH 399: Archaeological Field School Washington State University Hell Gap National Historic Landmark, Wyoming
Instructor/Co-PI: Dr. Mackenzie J. Cory Mackenzie.cory@wsu.edu
Instructor/Co-PI: Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover Carlton.shieldchief@ku.edu
Archaeological Field School (ANTH 399) is designed to teach students the skillset that many CRM firms need. Students can expect to spend a lot of time on foot doing pedestrian surveys, recording features using digital and physical techniques, and compiling the results of their work into a site report. A maximum of 10 WSU students will be selected to participate in the class as we will be joined by 10 students from the University of Kansas.
Students will be an active part of the team investigating the greater landscape surrounding Hell Gap using a multipronged approach. The team will question the temporal and geographic extent of occupations at the site, how these data inform broader understandings of Indigenous lifeways within the local area, and how the total landscape of Hell Gap is unique in its ability to describe the diversity of human experience from the late Pleistocene through the historic era. The 2025 field season’s investigations will largely be dedicated to the survey and recording of archaeological features located outside of the site’s previous research areas with some excavation.
We will spend a month at the Hell Gap National Historic Landmark, about 20 minutes northeast of Guernsey, Wyoming. The site will serve as our home and workspace for the course. Students can expect to camp on the property with access to a shared field house used for communally cooking and eating our meals.
Field School Schedule Meet in City Park, Guernsey, Wyoming: May 26 th Session 1: May 27 th -June 5 th Session 2: June 8 th -June 17th Session 3: June 20 th -June 29th Camp Closed: Morning June 30th
Cost Approximate WSU Summer credit hour cost (6 credits) $~577.75/credit, this may change depending on the Board of Trustees Field School Fees (Covers food and camp expenses during sessions) $750 Approximate Total Undergraduate Tuition and Fees $4216.50
Note: The fees for this class are non-refundable. If you withdraw from the class or are dismissed for misconduct, you will not receive reimbursement of the course fees.
WYOMING
OF MAMMOTHS AND MOUNTAINS: UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING 2025 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL
DATES: May 27 to July 3, 2025Application deadline: Jan. 7, 2025 or until filled
The University of Wyoming Archaeology Field school provides professional training in field research methods toward a career in archaeology. Students learn basic and advanced methods in archaeological fieldwork including how to identify chipped stone tools and debris, ceramic sherds, historical artifacts, faunal remains, fire-cracked rock, stone circles and fire hearths; collect sediment, radiocarbon, and flotation samples; read stratigraphic profiles; excavate; record data; read maps; use high-precision total stations, GNSS, and drones for mapping; conduct surface survey; and fill out site forms. All students receive the in-state tuition rate to earn six university credits. This year’s field program is located at the following three scenic sites in Wyoming:
Session 1 (May 27–June 5): Colby Mammoth Site
Near Worland, WY, students will excavate at the Colby Mammoth site where archaeologists have discovered stone-tool artifacts in possible association with at least seven mammoths that died over 12,000 years ago.
Session 2 (June 10–19): Willow Springs stage stop
Willow Springs is a rich spring site and trading nexus near Laramie, WY. The spring appears to have been an important node in trade networks that traversed the Rocky Mountains for some 12,000 years. This year’s effort will focus on finding a lost stage stop along the historic Overland Trail. Students will be staying at the University dorm rooms during this session. This effort is being conducted in collaboration with Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist. Students will stay at the University dorms during this session.
Session 3 (June 24–July 3): Grand Teton survey
Conduct archaeological survey in one of the nation’s most scenic landscapes–Grand Teton National Park. Students will gain training in archaeological discovery and documentation, collaborative community research, and high-altitude anthropology.
All students will live in a field camp and must provide their own basic camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, etc.; the field school provides all kitchen and excavation gear). Participants will assist in regular camp chores (cooking, cleaning up, etc.). The work is physically demanding and takes place regardless of Wyoming’s fickle weather (which can include rain, snow and/or freezing temperatures even in summer). Students should be in good physical shape, ready to hike steep mountains under arid conditions at elevations over 5280 feet and prepared to eat and live in remote locations away from town, Internet access and cell phone connections.
We teach the field school in three 10-day sessions, separated by two, four-day intervals. Students are responsible for themselves during those four days. A 6-credit, 30-day field school is the minimal accepted standard to qualify for entry-level employment on research or Cultural Resource Management projects. Credit from the University of Wyoming field school should be transferable to any academic institution and fulfill the field school requirement of any CRM company.
We accept 15 students for the field school and welcome applications from students at any educational level or from any background. We do, however, give preference to those students majoring in anthropology, who seek a career in archaeology, and who have taken at least one archaeology course. The field school is a good place to discover if a career in archaeology is the right place for you.
The Anthropology Department offers multiple archaeological field schools to students with different levels of archaeological expertise so please explore our other offerings as well.
Note: There will be an orientation on the morning of May 27 in the Frison Anthropology Building at the University of Wyoming. Non-UW students should plan to arrive in Laramie no later than May 26. Out of town students will have the option of staying the UW dorms for the second session.
Please fill out an Application Form and forward it to Dr. Randy Haas: whaas@uwyo.edu. Once decisions are made, we will forward the information needed for admission to UW and for registration for the field school.
Dr. Haas investigates forager (aka, hunter-gatherer) behavior of the past to better understand human behavior in the present. He leads archaeological excavations and survey projects in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Rocky Mountain Grand Tetons. His research explores topics of cooperation, diet, inequality, technology, and social organization in high-altitude environments.
Dr. Doering conducts her field research primarily in central Alaska and Wyoming but has also worked in Australia, Egypt, Georgia, Michigan, Madagascar, and Kodiak, Alaska. She undertakes multiscalar research projects with mixed methods that draw on traditional knowledge, zooarchaeology, isotopic dietary reconstruction, and geospatial modeling to reconstruct past adaptations to social and natural environments.
Tuition and Fees
We offer In-State Resident Tuition rates to out-of-state students.
Many additional paid archaeology field staff, CRM, and historic preservation positions are listed here https://archaeologyfieldwork.com/
Interested in a career in law enforcement, antiquities investigations and the international stolen art and antiquities trade?
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a separate Cultural Property, Art, and Antiquities Programhttps://www.ice.gov/investigations/cultural-property-art-and-antiquities
“U.S. federal customs laws provide HSI special agents the authority, jurisdiction and responsibility to take the leading role in criminal investigations that involve the illicit importation and distribution of stolen or looted cultural property. Through the Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities program (CPAA), HSI distributes investigative leads to special agents who work alongside international, federal, state and local partners, in addition to private institutions, to pursue individuals and networks who smuggle cultural property, art and antiquities.
HSI’s cases have included, but are not limited to, investigating and returning stolen modern art, looted sarcophagi and dinosaur fossils, and smuggled coins and ancient clay tablets.
HSI agents are trained in a partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Heritage Center and the Smithsonian Institution on the identification, authentication and handling of these objects and artifacts, which supports their return to their rightful owners through cultural repatriation. Since 2009, this collaboration has resulted in the training of more than 500 law enforcement personnel including customs officers and prosecutors.
Once a cultural property investigation is complete, HSI coordinates the return of smuggled objects or artifacts to their rightful owners. Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 20,000 objects to more than 40 countries.”
You can see some really interesting “success stories” here https://www.ice.gov/features/cpaa which will give you a good idea of the range of their investigations.
ICE Unpaid Internships (Note: the following information is from this link https://www.ice.gov/factsheets/student-volunteer which is several years old, so the details are likely different now. See the USAJOBS website for constantly updated information on student internships in federal agencies)
“The Student Volunteer Programoffers unpaid, professional training opportunities to undergraduate and graduate college students. These opportunities provide work experience related to the students’ academic programs and provide them an opportunity to explore career options, as well as develop their personal and professional skills. These are uncompensated positions and do not have to be announced nor do they count towards existing vacancies.
Student Volunteer service will vary by agency/office but can enrich the students’ futures by:
Allowing career exploration early in their academic studies,
Exposing them to new and emerging occupations,
Giving academic credit for work they perform(this will be determined by the school), and
Providing an experience, which will enhance their ability to obtain paying jobs in the future.
This program requires a written agreement signed by all parties, ICE, the school and the student. Presently, our student volunteer opportunities have been in the Washington, D.C. commuting area, however, there may be opportunities available in our ICE field offices. Students interested in pursuing a volunteer opportunity with ICE should coordinate with their Career Services office and the ICE Program Manager. Students must also meet the security requirements for the volunteer assignment. The minimum requirement for ICE is a pre-appointment National Agency Check with Written Inquiries for those volunteers performing “non-sensitive” duties.
If your Career Service Center does not have contact information regarding the ICE Student Volunteer Program, please e-mailjames.e.cooley@dhs.gov. We invite you to visit theUSAJOBS websitefor more detailed information regarding Federal agencies that may have current student employment opportunities. ”
INTERNATIONAL FIELD SCHOOLS
ARMENIA
Tavush Excavation & Survey: Pleistocene behavioral landscape of northern Armenia
Investigate the roots of hominin occupation and behavior in the Armenian Highlands and southern Caucasus during the Late Pleistocene. Nestled in the scenic Debed Gorge of northern Armenia, this archaeology field school focuses on two pivotal Middle Palaeolithic sites, offering a unique opportunity to participate in research that aims to bridge significant gaps in our understanding of this period. Throughout the program, you’ll engage in a variety of hands-on activities, from excavation and survey work to lab analysis. Both in and out of the field, you’ll be immersed in the rich cultural traditions of the Tavush Province, a rural area along the Georgian-Armenian border. This region, where Palaeolithic research is still emerging, provides a unique backdrop for gaining first hand archaeological experience. Join us in exploring the profound history of the Armenian Highlands and contribute to transformative research that could redefine our understanding of hominin adaptation and technological evolution.
Field school highlights:
Gain skills in essential archaeological techniques, including excavation, surveying, digital geospatial recording, stratigraphic interpretation, and the use of a total station
Work alongside a team of international experts to reconstruct past environments and analyze changes in hominin technology and site use over time
Connect with rural Armenian life! Participate in cultural festivals and visit historical landmarks in the Tavush Province and nearby Georgia as part of your program
OVERVIEW
The goal of this field project is to expand our understanding of hominin occupation and behavior in the Armenian Highlands and southern Caucasus during the Late Pleistocene via geological and archaeological research in the Debed Gorge in the Tavush Province of northern Armenia. We aim to a) produce a regional chronological sequence of Middle Palaeolithic (MP) sites in the Debed Gorge, b) correlate the sedimentary sequences exposed at these sites, c) reconstruct local Pleistocene environments and climates, especially during the understudied Marine Isotope Stage 5, d) clarify technological sequences during the Late Pleistocene of this region, and e) reconstruct site level spatial behaviors. These objectives will be accomplished by a) continuing geoarchaeological excavations and dating work at Ptghavan-4 (PTV-4), b) redating and reanalysis of the site of Bagratashen-1 (BGN-1), and c) survey for and testing of new sites.
PTV-4 is a stratified, open-air Middle to Late Pleistocene site with in situ high-density MP archaeological assemblages overlain by mixed Chalcolithic/Upper Palaeolithic (UP) deposits and underlain by older archaeological deposits that currently are not diagnostic of any particular chrono-cultural period. While PTV-4 was originally test excavated in 2010, we began our work at the site in 2019 and continued excavating in 2022 and 2024. BGN-1 is a stratified open-air Late Pleistocene site with in situ MP archaeological assemblages overlain by mixed Medieval/Chalcolithic/UP deposits. BGN-1 was originally excavated in 2010 and published in 2016. Our work on BGN-1 began with geological testing in 2022 and we further tested the site for redating in 2024. These sites are located roughly five kilometers from each other, both situated on the northern side of the Debed River Valley in the Tavush province of northern Armenia. Initial OSL dating of the sediments at PTV-4 places the upper stratigraphic layers (those containing MP archaeological horizons) in the later stages of Marine Isotope Stage 5 (107 ± 6 ka), with lower archaeological deposits in signal saturation suggesting an age in the deep Middle Pleistocene. PTV-4 is currently the only high-density archaeological site from this period with the potential for large horizontal spatial analyses in the Armenian Highlands and southern Caucasus. The MP deposits at BGN-1 have OSL dates of 37.9–30.5 ka. However, the technology at the site, our work on landscape formation in the area, and technical issues with published dating methods at BGN-1 suggest that these dates are underestimates. Continued work in this area has great potential to yield important data on changes in hominin technological and land-use behaviors, and environmental/climate change in understudied periods.
This project is an international collaboration with specialists from the United States (Wesleyan University, University of Connecticut, Yale, Desert Research Institute), The United Kingdom (Kings College, London, University of Winchester), and Armenia (Institute of Archaeology and ethnography, Yerevan State University). Palaeolithic research in the region is still in its infancy with many gaps in our understanding relative to other areas and this field school offers a unique opportunity to participate in exciting research into a largely unknown part of the Middle Palaeolithic in the Armenian Highlands. Students will participate in general survey work, excavation at the sites of PTV-4 and BGN-1, and lab work. Students will gain experience in the basics of excavation, digital geospatial recording methods, stratigraphic interpretation, paleoenvironmental and dating sample collection, artefact identification, 3D scanning, and much more as they work side by side with a team of international specialists.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course aims to introduce students to the practice of field research in Pleistocene geoarchaeology. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in the application of best practices in geoarchaeological research. This will be achieved through:
Introducing students to archaeological research design through discussions on the scientific method, adaptive decision making in the field, and data interpretation.
Providing students with hands on experience with basic field methods, including, but not limited to, establishing a grid, hand excavation techniques, sample collection, and sieving (wet/dry).
Training students in field documentation techniques, including, but not limited to, written records (field journals, labels, etc.), field photography, field illustration, hand measurements, GPS, and total stations.
Exposing students to the importance of stratigraphy, sedimentology, and context through training in basic sediment and soil identification, geospatial data collection, and geological sampling techniques.
Training students in basic field lab procedures, including, but not limited to, find processing, cleaning, organizing, technical artefact drawing, basic artefact analysis, long term storage solutions, 3D scanning, data conservation, and artefact conservation.
Providing opportunities for students to become more actively involved in the research of specialists both in the field and after the conclusion of the season. This includes projects on lithic analysis, 3D scanning, bulk sedimentology, geoarchaeology, zooarchaeology, dating, micromorphology, phytoliths, palynology, plant waxes, and more.
Introducing students to the Middle Palaeolithic of the Armenian Highlands and southern Caucasus through readings, lectures, and field discussions.
Introducing students to the culture and history of Armenia and Georgia through direct experience living and working with Armenians and visits to various sites and cultural locations.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTOR: Dr. Jayson P. Gill, Archaeology Program, Wesleyan University (jgill@wesleyan.edu)
ARMENIA
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL IN ARMENIAN PREHISTORY (Debed Gorge, Armenia)
Dates: July 1 to August 1, 2025Application deadline: Feb. 2, 2025
Experience UConn’s Archaeological Field School in Armenian Prehistory, running from July 1st-August 1st, 2025! Apply now through UConn Experiential Global Learning. Applications are due February 1st, 2025.
Students will participate in geoarchaeological excavations and environmental reconstruction work at several Stone Age sites in Armenia that document a variety of important milestones in human biological, cognitive, and cultural evolution. Fieldwork will focus on excavations at Ptghavan-4, a Late Pleistocene open-air site in northern Armenia dated to roughly 100,000 years ago. In addition, students will participate in archaeological survey of the Debed Gorge, testing of other sites, and basic lab work.
Students will be trained in a variety of field and laboratory methods, including geoarchaeological excavation, digital geospatial recording, stratigraphic interpretation, environmental sampling, and artifact processing and curation.
Through this program, you will gain an exciting hands-on perspective on human evolution and archaeology, and the chance to experience a rich and vibrant culture, while working side by side with a team of international experts and Armenian scholars.
How to Apply
Please read all information on this brochure carefully, including all of the information in the tabs above. When you are ready, meet with your Experiential Global Learning Advisor to discuss what questions you may have and learn more about the application process. You may find your advisor using the Our Team page.
Students will receive six (6) honors credits and students from any major are welcome to apply. For any questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Gill at jayson.gill@uconn.edu or jgill@wesleyan.edu.
AUSTRIA
AGUNTUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL 2025: Excavations of an Alpine Roman Town (Aguntum, Römerstraße, Dölsach, Austria)
Dates: July 6 to August 2, 2025 Application Deadline: April 4, 2025
The Roman town of Aguntum was rediscovered in the early 20th century. Through decades of research, a Roman domus (private family residence of palatial proportions), impressive thermal baths, city walls, and numerous residential buildings were identified and excavated. Since 2006, ongoing excavations have been focused on the heart of the town—the forum area. The latest findings and analysis of artifacts suggest a flourishing Mediterranean city nestled amidst the Alpine landscape.
A large number of fragmented rock crystals were recovered from the city center. These findings offer insights into an extensive trade network, showcasing Aguntum as the sole known Roman hub for this coveted, high value resource material that were highly desired in ancient times. The presence of these artifacts indicates Aguntum’s status as a pivotal transshipment center, where commerce and cultural exchange converged.
From the 3rd century CE onwards, significant transformations in the urban layout of the town took place, as the former administrative hub transitioned into a residential and commercial zone. Throughout the 4th century CE, archaeological evidence indicates the emergence of various workshops and modest dwellings, reflecting a shift in the town’s function. By the end of the 4th and early in the 5th centuries CE, evidence of residences and workshops decrease, hinting at a decline in activity and importance of Aguntum.
By the 6th century CE, Aguntum is in ruins. The area now serves as burial grounds, suggesting a substantial abandonment of the settlement. These funerary discoveries shed light on the dwindling population and the gradual abandonment of Aguntum during this era.
Our research is focused on the social and economic mechanisms that powered this small Alpine town during the years of its existence. What motivated its establishment? How did Aguntum thrived and prospered during the first three centuries CE? Why did Aguntum’s power, trade and commerce declined and what brought to its final demise?
Director: MARTIN AUERmartin.auer@uibk.ac.at Senior Scientist & Aguntum Site Director, University of Innsbruck (Austria)
THE BALKANS
BALKAN HERITAGE FIELD SCHOOL:
Field School Programs in Archaeology and Historic Preservation
Date: Summer 2025 information about a wide variety of excavation and conservation projects can be found at https://www.bhfieldschool.org/
(Note: various excavation and conservation projects organized by the Balkan Heritage Field School are listed under their individual country locations below)
Balkan Heritage Field School (BHFS)is a program of the Balkan Heritage Foundation(BHF) intended for education in the field of archaeology and historic preservation and is targeted towards students and specialists, but also for anyone (18+) interested in cultural heritage study and preservation. BHF is а Bulgarian public, non-profit, non-governmental organization. It was established in 2008 by Ivan Vassilev, Nayden Prahov and Angela Pencheva with the mission of supporting the study, preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of Southeastern Europe. In the period 2008 – 2019, BHF conducted and supported numerous projects related to archaeological research and excavations, conservation and recording of cultural monuments and artifacts, training and education in the field of cultural heritage, volunteer workcamps, exhibitions, conferences, public lectures, fundraising campaigns, and design of strategic plans for utilization of cultural heritage by municipalities.
BHFS first started in 2003 and resumed as the BHF program in 2008. It includes field school programs, taught in English, in four Balkan countries:Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegroandthe Republic of North Macedonia. All the field schools are affiliated with ongoing research and/or conservation projects: archaeological excavations, art historical expeditions, conservation of artifacts and monuments, thus contributing to the study and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Balkans. Since 2008, BHFS has implemented116 field school projects(with durations ranging from 1 to 8 weeks) attended byapprox. 2000 studentsfromover 60 countries* and involved a great number of academic and research institutions, museums, and heritage specialists from Bulgaria, the Republic of North Macedonia, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Belgium, Greece, France, Montenegro and Japan.
The BHFS overall goal has been the development and enhancement of accessible practice-based education in the fields of archaeology and heritage conservation with an emphasis on Balkan cultural heritage. It aims to:
supplement the academic education, volunteer training, and pre- and early career training through short-term practice-based field schools;
encourage the involvement of students, scholars and volunteers in studies, preservation and promotion of Balkan cultural heritage;
support research and conservation projects related to cultural heritage in SE Europe;
promote and present Balkan cultural heritage worldwide;
contribute to the sustainable development through utilization of cultural heritage for education and enhancement of cultural tourism in SE Europe; and
foster the sensibilisation of local communities towards cultural heritage.
Each BHFS project combines 3 basic educational modules: theoretical (lectures, presentations and field training), practical (participation in excavations, lab work, conservation workshops, field trips) and excursions to attractive archaeological and cultural sites & behind-the-scene visits.
Currently there are three types of field school programs offered by BHFS:
Archaeological field schoolstake place at different excavation sites (including underwater) related to all major cultures and civilizations that once existed in the Balkans, starting with the first Neolithic farmers in Europe and Europe’s first civilization in the Chalcolithic, followed by the Ancient Greek, Thracian, Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Ottoman civilizations.
The emphasis in theworkshops on historic preservation/heritage conservationis on ancient Greek pottery, Roman pottery and glassware, mosaics and wall-paintings, historic metal, paper and textiles.
In addition, an expedition introduces students to Late and Post Medieval (Byzantine) ecclesiastical architecture and wall-paintings.
Since 2014, BHFS has offered a thematic combination of certain projects as BHFS project packs providing more comprehensive educational opportunities, broader experience, extra excursions and tempting admission fee discounts.
Three universities award academic credits to students who participate in BHFS projects: New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria; Queen’s University, Canada and Connecticut College, through Institute for Field Research, USA. Participants who are not interested in academic credits are not expected to pay any tuition fee nor to take part in any activities related to academic curriculum (exams, academic reports etc.).
Our Mission
BHFS is not only a school but also a platform for solidarity in benefit of cultural heritage. Based on this, BHFS students, heritage specialists, partnering institutions and local communities interact and collaborate with each other benefiting as follows:
BHFS students learn from professionals while taking part in real ongoing cultural heritage projects, travel to many historical & archaeological sites in the Balkans, gain intercultural experience and new friends, establish contacts receive academic credits.
Heritage specialists (archaeologists, conservators, architects, art historians, etc.)and partner institutions (museums, research institutes, municipalities, NGOs, etc.) involved with BHFS receive additional funding & support for their work.
Local communities, where BHFS projects take place, obtain new income, seasonal jobs, new perspectives about the local heritage, and increased promotion of the local tourist potential worldwide.
Considering this, we are always happy to inform each participant in any of our projects that joining the BHFS s/he becomes not only a student, but also:
Volunteer in either a scientific research or a conservation-restoration project;
Maya Archaeology Field School in Belize (La Milpa Archaeological Site, Belize)
Dates: June 12-July 6, 2025 Application deadline: Jan. 29, 2025
Cost: $3,630.00 Total Cost-Includes Program cost and Tuition for 6 credits
Course Offerings:
ANTH 497 Maya Archaeology Filed School in Belize (Must have completed ANTH 107), 6 credits at $180/credit $1,080.00 Total for Credits.
Project Description:
The Tzaman Acropolis Research Project (TARP) at La Milpa is located within the Programme for Belize conservation area, a 260,000-acre nature reserve in northwestern Belize. The research area is home to over 80 known ancient Maya sites, many rare birds, two species of monkeys, jaguars, and other fauna and flora of the tropics.
This is a 6 credit-hour course designed to introduce students to the methods used to collect and analyze archaeological data in a hands-on field setting. The course will take place over the span of 4 weeks at a remote archaeological field camp in Belize, Central America. Students will receive instruction in archaeological excavations, making technical drawings, survey and instrument mapping, and basic field laboratory procedures at the ancient Maya urban center of La Milpa. In addition, students will have the opportunity to learn about the Prehispanic Maya through lectures and field trips.
During this unique program you will spend four weeks living and working in a professional archaeological camp in northwestern Belize. This is an intense program, during which you will spend 6 days/week excavating and participating in related activities at the ancient Maya city of La Milpa. The program is an experience you will remember for years as it provides not only a tremendous learning experience but also an opportunity for personal growth and exposure to the culture of the Latin American/Caribbean area.
Through hands on experience, you will learn the general aspects of field archaeology: excavation, survey, mapping, artifact processing, and artifact analysis.
Education is through a hands-on practical course that will require strenuous physical activity and manual dexterity. Field and lab training will be supplemented by occasional lectures, but most of the course is practical. All project participants will have the opportunity to participate in various aspects of archaeological fieldwork.
TARP operates under a permit issued through the Institute of Archaeology to Dr. Rissa Trachman, Director of the Programme for Belize Archaeology Project (PfBAP).
The field school dates are June 12-July 6, 2025.
Program fees cover the cost of room & board, and the group will be staying in the R.E.W. Adams Research Station. We will be sharing the camp with field schools from across the United States providing participants the opportunity to meet and interact with students and researchers from a wide range of backgrounds.
The Adams Research Station includes a lab, kitchen & dining hall, dorm building and platforms for tents. Students will have the option of sharing a tent with one person, or a dorm room with 3 other individuals.
The cost of the program is $2550 which includes:
Room and board while in camp.
Project-related ground transportation
Laundry service once per week
Use of necessary field equipment and supplies
Operational and administrative costs and fees
Weekend field trips to archaeological sites
For more information, contact:
Project Director:
Dr. David M. Hyde, 1 Western Way, Western Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado 81231 dhyde@western.eduPhone: (970) 943-2222
Room and Board Arrangements:
Program fees cover the cost of room and board, and the group will be staying in the R.E.W. Adams Research Station. We will be sharing the camp with field schools from across the United States providing participants the opportunity to meet and interact with students and researchers from a wide range of backgrounds. The Adams Research Station includes a lab, kitchen & dining hall, dorm building and platforms for tents. Students will have the option of sharing a tent with one person, or a dorm room with 3 other individuals. The cost of the program is $2550 which includes: • Room and board while in camp. • Project-related ground transportation • Laundry service once per week • Use of necessary field equipment and supplies • Operational and administrative costs and fees • Weekend field trips to archaeological sites
Academic Credit:
6-Credit course offered through Western Colorado University. Course Offered: ANTH 497
BELIZE
Maya Archaeology, Belize: Dos Hombres Archaeological Project (Blue Creek, Orange Walk, Belize)
Dates: May 15 to June 8, 2025, with an optional 4-day trip at end (June 8-12, 2025).
The Summer Archaeology Field School takes place at the site of Dos Hombres in northwestern Belize, Central America. It is an exciting and fun way to get involved with original, archaeological discovery and research while learning field methods. You may earn credit at Elon University (for Elon students) or at your home institution. Students will have the opportunity to learn archaeological methods including mapping and excavation techniques, artifact analysis, and soils identification, as well as studying ancient Maya culture, Belizean culture, and tropical forest ecology. Students will also have the opportunity to visit a few of the nearby archaeological sites, including one that has been excavated and restored for tourism, the third largest Maya site in Belize, the site of Lamanai. The field school hosts students from across every discipline and from all over the world allowing for a diverse learning experience. Movie nights, lectures, and group meals add to the atmosphere of learning but also create an opportunity for fun and making new friends.
About the field school
Students will be participating in original archaeological field research with Dr. Trachman from Elon University at the site of Dos Hombres, Belize. The field school format ensures students will have the academic rigor of learning about archaeological field methods, and ancient Maya culture, along with the experience and excitement of real archaeological discovery.
Field school students will stay in the R.E.W. Adams Research Facility (the archaeology camp) situated in a conservation and management area that is somewhat remote. The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA) is located in northwestern Belize and is comprised of 250,000 acres of protected tropical forest. As a result, students have a very unique opportunity to experience life in a communal/cooperative camp setting. Water, electricity, and the usual comforts of home are limited at best and many of them, such as TV and internet, are not available in camp.
Physical Requirements: Students will be required to participate in every aspect of the archaeological fieldwork conducted during the research of the archaeological site, both in the field and in the field laboratory. In order to participate in the daily fieldwork, students will need to be physically able to hike one hour each day in order to access the site. Also, many of the site tours will require this same physical ability. Summer in Belize is the rainy season and the climate ranges from hot and humid to cool and rainy. Students should anticipate both kinds of weather and should drink plenty of water at all times. The first day of the field school will be devoted to acclimating (by drinking several liters of water) and orientations.
Room and Board Arrangements:
The archaeology camp is set up to be a communal living situation. All students will be expected to adjust accordingly and will be graded as to their cooperation and conservation. The living situation includes full time camping in either tents or the semi-permanent dorm structure with rooms accommodating 4 persons each. Electricity is generated by a 10,000-watt generator that runs approximately three hours in the morning to provide light for preparing our breakfast and three hours in the evening for reading and study. Additional light or electricity is sometimes available (on sunny days) from electricity generated by solar panels. Local cooks are hired to prepare Belizean-style food for meals. Some special diet needs are difficult to accommodate. However, we have found that in general vegetarians’ diets work okay if you eat eggs and dairy. Please contact Dr. Trachman for questions about special diets. Camp chores will be assigned to each student on a rotating weekly basis. Camp chores include camp clean up, kitchen cleaning duty, washing dinner dishes, sweeping dorm and lab, vehicle maintenance (supervised), recording water storage tank levels, and taking compostable trash to the eco-friendly biodegradable trash pit. Students are expected to be able to cooperate in the carrying out of their camp duties and will be graded accordingly. Cost: $2,000 (includes: room and board, meals, ground transportation from airport, excursion to Lamanai) plus airfare, etc.
The Maya Research Program (MRP) is a non-profit organization (501 C3) that sponsors archaeological and ethnographic research in Middle America. Each summer since 1992, MRP has supported archaeological research in northwestern Belize. The Blue Creek Archaeological Project includes research at the sites of Blue Creek, Grey Fox, Nojol Nah, Tulix Mul, Tz’unun, and Xnoha, (You can read many MRP publicationshere.)
The summer of 2025 marks MRP’s Blue Creek Archaeological Project’s 30th archaeological field season in northwestern Belize. MRP is proud to support a vast range of talented researchers from across the globe under this project’s umbrella. Our research associates include not only archaeologists, but also accomplished professionals in fields such as soil science, geoarchaeology, geography, conservation, bioarchaeology, botany, and anthropology.
From June to July, MRP hosts multiple two-week sessions for students and volunteers at Blue Creek. The MRP general field school provides participants with hands-on training in the fundamentals of archaeological field techniques. Participants will gain training and experience in archaeological excavation methods, manual and digital recording techniques, artifact recovery, processing and analysis.
For more information on what to expect at MRP’s archaeological field school – such as daily activities, housing, what to pack, etc – please review MRP’s participant guide (You can download the guide here.). Scholarships and fellowships are available. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for a MRP scholarship to offset their costs. The submission deadline is March 15, 2025.
2025 Field Season Dates: Enrollment is open for our 2025 field season.
Session 1: June 2rd – June 15th, 2025
Session 2: June 16th – June 29th, 2025
Session 3: June 30th – July 13th, 2025
Enrollment Process:
The maximum number of participants for each 2-week session ranges from 20 to 25 students and volunteers. To enroll, the applicant should forward an enrollment form and deposit to the Maya Research Program. (Please note that you must provide proof that you have received a COVID vaccine (and applicable boosters) to participate in the project.)
You can email these forms to Dr. Thomas Guderjan at mrpinquiries@gmail.com or via postal mail to 1910 East Southeast Loop 323 #296, Tyler, Texas, 75701.
The donation for a single two-week session for non-students is $1850 USD.
If more than one session is desired, the donation is $1450 for each additional session (for both students and non-students).
A non-refundable deposit of $250 per session is required to hold your spot. Participants are responsible for their travel costs to Belize.
If a student wishes to receive academic credit, tuition costs (via the University of Texas at Tyler or their home institution) will apply in addition to the required donation to the Maya Research Program
For more information on what to expect at the MRP field school – such as daily activities, housing, what to pack, etc – please review MRP’s participant guide (you can download the guide here).
Additional Information:
You can read numerous MRP publications are here.
You can also download MRP’s Participant Guide here.
Interested in joining the team? Call 817-831-9011 or email Dr. Tom Guderjan : mrpinquiries@gmail.com
Located along the beautiful Mopan River valley, Actuncan was a major pre-Columbian Maya city. City life took place in five major public plazas delineated by monumental stone platforms, which were once the site of public administration, community rituals, and the homes of the ruling elite. Most dramatically, the southern end of the city is defined by one of the largest pre-Columbian structures in Belize: a massive 32 m tall pyramid complex that served as the center of ritual life at the site. Actuncan did not start as a bustling city, however. The natural ridge under the city was originally settled around 1100 B.C. as a small village and one of the earliest permanent communities in the region. Over the following 2000 years, the site grew from a village to a city. Around 300 B.C., the original village was entirely buried under planned rectangular plazas and newly founded civic infrastructure. For several centuries, Actuncan was the local political capital and perhaps the home of a Maya king. How did Actuncan rulers create and maintain their political power for so long? That’s just one question we’re investigating at the Actuncan Archaeological Project.
During the Classic Maya period, Actuncan’s political standing changed. By 400 A.D., much of Actuncan’s public architecture was burned, covered in broken pieces of ceramic and abandoned. The remaining occupants of the city were poor farmers, craftspeople, and merchants, not the ruling elites of the site’s earlier glory. Actuncan was no longer a local capital, but a small village under the control of the growing capitals of nearby Buenavista del Cayo and Xunantunich. Though texts are uncommon from this section of the Mopan River valley, Classic Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions from Caracol to the South and sites in modern day Guatemala indicate that the subjugation of Actuncan under its growing neighbors resulted from the competition between the rulers of Caracol and Naranjo for control over the river trade route that passes below Actuncan.
After several centuries, Actuncan reemerged as a local community center during the 8 th and 9 th centuries as Maya rulers faltered across the Maya world as part of the Maya Collapse phenomenon. How did Actuncan yet again rise to power? This is something we think we’re beginning to understand at the Actuncan Archaeological Project. Our research indicates that Actuncan forestalled the impacts of the collapse for a time by abandoning the hierarchy of Classic period Maya divine rulers. Instead, the community gathered and reformed its political institutions around collaborative decision making. Community members built a new council house to anchor this new political form and thrived for a time before the site was totally abandoned.
Since 2001, the Actuncan Archaeological Project has completed 13 research seasons at Actuncan. The project has two major research goals. First, through excavations within households and contexts of public ritual we aim to understand the changing nature of political power across Actuncan’s 2000-year history. We now understand that early in time the site was likely controlled by ruling elites living in the site’s three large urban houses who may have claimed to be kings and queens. At the end of the site’s history, political power was likely located in council-based decisions. In the middle, local residents were impoverished as part of a strategy of subjugation by external powers. However, there is much we do not understand about the arrival of divine rulership at Actuncan and the move to participate in broader pan-Maya networks of power beginning with the 300 B.C. urban renewal event.
Second, through archaeological excavation and survey within Actuncan’s urban core, we are interested in investigating the everyday functioning of long occupied urban places. We use excavation coupled with micro-archaeological forensic methods such as soil chemistry, microartifact analysis, and coring to understand the use of open public spaces, such as plazas. We also try to understand the abandonment and reuse of buildings to understand how people lived among the ruined spaces that inevitably were created in Actuncan’s 2000 year history. Finally, we excavate access points and passageways to understand how people moved through the city at different times, and how the control of movement and strategic placement of monuments and infrastructure were used as tools of rulers’ authority. In all, we’re interested in understanding how past people affected the spaces around them and, in turn, how spaces affected past people.
In 2024, research by the field school will focus on two new areas of data collection. Excavations will target Actuncan’s aguada group, a monumental platform located on the edge of Actuncan’s major reservoir. Within Maya sites, water was a major collectively controlled resource. During the dry season, urban reservoirs called aguadas provided convenient sources of water for drinking, cooking, and farming. While Actunan’s proximity to the Mopan River meant that water was not a scarce resource, the site’s reservoir would have allowed for the storage of large quantities of water uphill in the site core. The reservoir is important for understanding the nature of political power for two reasons. First, Maya reservoirs are typically man-made structures that are often clay or plaster-lined with constructed outlets and controlled access points. As such, they are a form of public urban infrastructure that would have required community labor to build and rules controlling access and use. Did local rulers control access to this resource or was it a commonly held good controlled collectively? Second, water sources had cosmological significance to the Maya, and reservoirs were often the site of ritual activities. What role did ritual play in the administration of water in the aguada? Excavations will aim to understand the role the aguada group played in the negotiation of power relations between rulers and ruled as a key collectively-held resource and site of community ritual.
In addition to these excavations, we will begin a new pedestrian survey program to identify archaeological settlements in the modern pastures to the east of the Mopan River. Past research has largely focused on the immediate environs of Actuncan’s core. This new survey effort will aim to identify the extent of hinterland settlement across the river from the site. One finding of our initial work has been that the number of households located in Actuncan’s urban core is quite small. The estimated population from this number of households does not seem sufficient to have constructed architecture of the size present at Actuncan. To understand the nature of early power and authority at Actuncan, we plan to begin a wider survey effort to understand where the site’s population was located and eventually follow with excavations to understand the nature of the relationship between these hinterland settlements and the rulers living in Actuncan’s core.
BELIZE
RIO BRAVO ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL (Orange Walk District, Belize)
Initial application materials can be found here, and a project video here
Session Information
The Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey (RBAS) is a field school that trains students in archaeological methods, such as survey and excavation, within the context of a long-term, cutting-edge academic project focused on deciphering the character and significance of ancient Maya commoner households. RBAS is providing valuable insights into the day-to-day workings of Prehispanic Maya culture and has been attracting motivated students and volunteers for over a decade. With its current focus on ancient Maya commoner settlement, ceremonialism, water management and an emphasis on geo-archaeological research (soils and ancient botanical remains), the project’s excavations and mapping efforts are now reaching their most interesting and dynamic phase. Among other things, the 2025 season will be investigating an extremely unusual ritual ballcourt, built by and for Maya commoners, as well as completing an excavation of a small house stairway where a conch shell cache was found in 2013 and a cyst burial in 2016.
**All students enrolled receive the 200 page Field Manual of the Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey, an annually-updated reference on the field excavation and survey methods used by RBAS.**
Approximate Dates for 2025:
(Pre-Season: May 18- June 14, 2025)
Field school: June 15th to July 12th, 2025
Students who complete a full four-week season are considered Veterans (Junior Staff) and are welcome to stay for the post-season.
Students may wish to travel post-season to Guatemala (the site of Tikal) and/or the Belize Cayes– typically people spend two days at each. For 2025, post-season travel is not included in the schedule or estimated costs. Students wishing to participate in post-season travel need to notify us well beforehand. For liability issues, we cannot allow you to change plans while in-country.
Location: Programme for Belize Conservation and Management Area, Belize, Central America (see Location page)
Costs: The total price for 4-weeks of food and housing is $2300 per student (the amount collected by RBAS). This figure covers food and housing during the field school, transportation to/from the airport (3 hrs each way), field equipment, and daily transportation within the research area. This figure does not include: airfare, inoculations, travel medical insurance, academic credit (if desired), post-season travel, or other personal expenses (e.g., camp “bar” tabs, snacks in town, etc.). See the Approximate Fees section of the 2019 Information Sheet for an estimation of these expenses (n.b. the 2025 Info Sheet will be posted once completed in early 2025).
Students staying beyond four weeks receive slightly pro-rated costs (e.g., $3300 for six-weeks). Please contact the Project Director for more information.
Students at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) may inquire about financial aid using the form on the Contact Page. Students from other universities are encouraged to inquire about in-house funding opportunities at their respective institutions. Those who take the course for academic credit are sometimes able to apply federal financial aid to cover their costs as well.
Academic Credit: Taking the field school for academic credit is not required. Credit students and non-credit volunteers receive the same instruction and have the same general field experiences. However, for those students interested, the course is listed for up to 9 credits through the University of Texas at Austin (there is no credit option from the Community College of Philadelphia for 2025). Costs differ for both the amount of credits taken and in-state and out-of-state tuition, so please contact the Project Director if you are interested in participating in the field school for academic credit.
Accommodations: RBAS shares space at the R.E.W. Adams Research Facility in the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project, administered by the University of Texas at Austin. The facility is situated within a protected rainforest, so facilities are relatively rustic. A large wooden dormitory houses most students, but covered tent stations are also used. Be aware that dormitory spaces are 4-person rooms with bunkbeds. Those not in the dormitory will be given a large tent and one tent-mate. Assignment decisions are made upon arrival at camp and are based on the needs of the field station weighted with the preferences of the student. There are several other projects at the camp, so participants are grouped by their project first, but given the limited space, we ask everyone to be flexible with their placement.
Who is Eligible to Apply? Anyone interested in the ancient Maya and archaeological field methods! Students and volunteers of varied ages from across the US have taken part in the field school. The minimum age for applicants is 18. No experience or prerequisite classes are required.
For more detailed information, please download the 2019 Information Sheet (2025 version forthcoming).
Highlights
Discovery and investigation of the forest-covered remains of an ancient Maya community, including a ritual ballcourt
Mapping and excavating previously unseen, 1200-year-old Maya houses, terraces, reservoirs and other features.
Carrying out archaeological reconnaissance in unexplored sections of a subtropical forest.
Taking part in field investigations with students and volunteers from all over the United States.
Earning optional 3-6 academic credits from UT-Austin or the Community College of Philadelphia.
Living in a modern archaeological research camp with students and staff from several universities and research projects.
Visiting restored and forest-covered temples, palaces, ballcourts and other ancient Maya structures at archaeological sites throughout northern Belize.
Project Staff
Stanley L. Walling, PhD., RPA
Project Director- Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey; Associate Director- Programme for Belize Regional Archaeology Project; Research Fellow- Mesoamerican Archaeological Research Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin; Associate Professor of Anthropology- Community College of Philadelphia.
Jonathan A. Hanna, PhD., RPA
Director of Residential Terrace Investigations, Website Coordinator; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2003-2007, 2013, 2015-16
Christine Taylor
Director of Ballcourt Investigations; Formerly senior staff on the Maax Na Archaeology Project; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2005-2007, 2010, 2012-2019
Chance Coughenour
Director of Mapping; Marie Curie Research Fellow, Institute for Photogrammetry, University of Stuttgart, Germany; PhD. graduate student at University of Seville, Spain; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2007, 2010, 2012-2013
JN Stanley
Junior Staff, Previous RBAS field seasons: 2006-2007, 2010, 2012-2013, 2016-19
James Brady– Cave Investigations, University of California at Los Angeles CL Kieffer– Cave Investigations, PhD. Graduate Student, University of New Mexico Nicholas Brokaw– Botanical Research, University of San Juan, Puerto Rico Sheila Ward– Botanical Research, University of San Juan, Puerto Rico Timothy Beach– Soils and Hydrology Investigations, UT-Austin Sheryl Luzzader-Beach– Soils and Hydrology Investigations, UT-Austin
The Programme for Belize (PfB) is an organization that administers and protects the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA)
Academically Speaking contains photos and information from the 2007 RBAS Field Season Mesoweb is a great starting point for information on ancient Mesoamerica
Recommended Books:
Incoming students are required to read at least one of the following overview texts before arriving in Belize:
The Maya by Michael Coe (now 8th edition, Thames and Hudson, New York, 2011)
The Aguacate Regional Archaeology Project investigates a series of ancient Maya minor centers and their surrounding settlements. The sites are spread across a series of escarpments at the edge of the Yalbac Hills inwestern Belize. The region features an unusually high density of small, monumental sites, with a wide range of structures from elite residences, temples and ball courts to formal plazuela groups and individual house mounds. Current models of ancient Maya settlement distribution are insufficient to explain the density and extent of Maya populations revealed by recent advances in remote sensing. Particularly striking are examples of extensive house mounds and architectural remains located in regions at a distance from major centers. The suite of sites in the Aguacate region are located at an interstice connecting multiple zones of settlement, present a unique opportunity to understand how Maya polities were connected and how settlements were organized in what were previously considered to be fringe, peripheral areas.
The wide variety of site and feature types in the project area allows us to provide training across the whole range of fundamental archaeological field skills. Students will gain experience in both regional and site survey methods, test excavations, exposure of structures, and the identification, recovery and processing of a wide variety of artifact types. Over the course of the program, students will become familiar with several phases of executing an archaeological field project, from establishing the research question, through data recovery and the initial phases of analysis.
DIRECTORS:
Dr. John Morris, Director Emeritus of the Belize Antiquities Authority and Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania (johnmorris8895@gmail.com) Eric Fries, Archaeologist, National Salvage Implementation Team, Bureau of Land Management (ecfries@gmail.com)
RIO BRAVO ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL (Orange Walk District, Belize)
Initial application materials can be found here, and a project video here
The Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey (RBAS) is a summer Maya archaeology field school that trains students in archaeological field methods within the context of a state-of-the-art research project. The program is situated in an unexplored, tropical rainforest in northern Belize, Central America, and can be taken for 3 or 6 college credits through the University of Texas at Austin.*
Non-credit volunteers are also welcome!
Students who are interested in joining us for the 2023 season should review the information provided, including the 2019 Info Sheet (or forthcoming 2023 sheet), and contact us via email or by submitting an application.
*RBAS operates in Belize under a permit issued from the Institute of Archaeology to Dr. Fred Valdez, Director of the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project (PfBAP). Academic credit from the Community College of Philadelphia is not available for the 2023 season.
SESSION INFORMATION
The Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey (RBAS) is a field school that trains students in archaeological methods, such as survey and excavation, within the context of a long-term, cutting-edge academic project focused on deciphering the character and significance of ancient Maya commoner households. RBAS is providing valuable insights into the day-to-day workings of Prehispanic Maya culture and has been attracting motivated students and volunteers for over a decade. With its current focus on ancient Maya commoner settlement, ceremonialism, water management and an emphasis on geo-archaeological research (soils and ancient botanical remains), the project’s excavations and mapping efforts are now reaching their most interesting and dynamic phase. Among other things, the 2024 season will be investigating an extremely unusual ritual ballcourt, built by and for Maya commoners, as well as completing an excavation of a small house stairway where a conch shell cache was found in 2013 and a cyst burial in 2016.
**All students enrolled receive the 200 page Field Manual of the Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey, an annually-updated reference on the field excavation and survey methods used by RBAS.**
Students who complete a full four-week season are considered Veterans (Junior Staff) and are welcome to stay for the post-season.
Students may wish to travel post-season to Guatemala (the site of Tikal) and/or the Belize Cayes– typically people spend two days at each. For 2024, post-season travel is not included in the schedule or estimated costs. Students wishing to participate in post-season travel need to notify us well beforehand. For liability issues, we cannot allow you to change plans while in-country.
Location: Programme for Belize Conservation and Management Area, Belize, Central America (see Location page)
Costs: The total price for 4-weeks of food and housing is $2300 per student (the amount collected by RBAS). This figure covers food and housing during the field school, transportation to/from the airport (3 hrs each way), field equipment, and daily transportation within the research area. This figure does not include: airfare, inoculations, travel medical insurance, academic credit (if desired), post-season travel, or other personal expenses (e.g., camp “bar” tabs, snacks in town, etc.). See the Approximate Fees section of the 2019 Information Sheet for an estimation of these expenses (n.b. the 2024 Info Sheet will be posted once completed in early 2024).
Students staying beyond four weeks receive slightly pro-rated costs (e.g., $3300 for six-weeks). Please contact the Project Director for more information.
Students at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) may inquire about financial aid using the form on the Contact Page. Students from other universities are encouraged to inquire about in-house funding opportunities at their respective institutions. Those who take the course for academic credit are sometimes able to apply federal financial aid to cover their costs as well.
Academic Credit: Taking the field school for academic credit is not required. Credit students and non-credit volunteers receive the same instruction and have the same general field experiences. However, for those students interested, the course is listed for up to 9 credits through the University of Texas at Austin (there is no credit option from the Community College of Philadelphia for 2024). Costs differ for both the amount of credits taken and in-state and out-of-state tuition, so please contact the Project Director if you are interested in participating in the field school for academic credit.
Accommodations: RBAS shares space at the R.E.W. Adams Research Facility in the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project, administered by the University of Texas at Austin. The facility is situated within a protected rainforest, so facilities are relatively rustic. A large wooden dormitory houses most students, but covered tent stations are also used. Be aware that dormitory spaces are 4-person rooms with bunk-beds. Those not in the dormitory will be given a large tent and one tent-mate. Assignment decisions are made upon arrival at camp and are based on the needs of the field station weighted with the preferences of the student. There are several other projects at the camp, so participants are grouped by their project first, but given the limited space, we ask everyone to be flexible with their placement.
Who is Eligible to Apply? Anyone interested in the ancient Maya and archaeological field methods! Students and volunteers of varied ages from across the US have taken part in the field school. The minimum age for applicants is 18. No experience or prerequisite classes are required.
For more detailed information, please download the 2019 Information Sheet (2024 version forthcoming).
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Discovery and investigation of the forest-covered remains of an ancient Maya community, including a ritual ballcourt
• Mapping and excavating previously unseen, 1200-year-old Maya houses, terraces, reservoirs and other features.
• Carrying out archaeological reconnaissance in unexplored sections of a subtropical forest.
• Taking part in field investigations with students and volunteers from all over the United States.
• Earning optional 3-6 academic credits from UT-Austin or the Community College of Philadelphia.
• Living in a modern archaeological research camp with students and staff from several universities and research projects.
• Visiting restored and forest-covered temples, palaces, ballcourts and other ancient Maya structures at archaeological sites throughout northern Belize.
OVERVIEW
The RBAS and the Field School have focused their energies over several seasons on the investigation of the remains of commoners, the “average” members of Maya Culture, who constituted 95% or more of this ancient civilization. What has emerged from our investigations is a view of Maya commoners as living far more multifaceted lives than was previously believed. Sophisticated placement of structures on the landscape, ingenious manipulation of water across our investigative site, as well as evidence for complex ceremonialism, are giving us insight into the complicated nature of the lives of these “everyday” people. The evidence that is emerging from the site of Chawak But’o’ob (the current focus of investigations in our larger survey zone) are helping us see that the lifestyle of Maya commoners was very likely a complex and highly developed component of Classic Maya Civilization.
COMMONER ARCHAEOLOGY
The RBAS and the Field School have focused their energies over several seasons on the investigation of the remains of commoners, the “average” members of Maya Culture, who constituted 95% or more of this ancient civilization. What has emerged from our investigations is a view of Maya commoners as living far more multifaceted lives than was previously believed. Sophisticated placement of structures on the landscape, ingenious manipulation of water across our investigative site, as well as evidence for complex ceremonialism, are giving us insight into the complicated nature of the lives of these “everyday” people. The evidence that is emerging from the site of Chawak But’o’ob (the current focus of investigations in our larger survey zone) are helping us see that the lifestyle of Maya commoners was very likely a complex and highly developed component of Classic Maya Civilization.
COMMONER CEREMONIALISM
One of the most important aspects of our research is the investigation of the ceremonial component of commoner lives. The unexpectedly rich remains of ancient ritual at the site of Chawak But’o’ob include a stone household altar and possible ceremonial mask in one of the residential zones as well as a sweat house and ritual ballcourt, which were situated adjacent to caves, at least one of which was used for ceremonial purposes. Ballcourts, which were typically situated at the center of ancient Mesoamerican cities were the focal points for ritual, politics, and religious belief. Very few ballcourts have been found in commoner contexts. For this reason, the two ballcourt structures and associated buildings at Chawak But’o’ob are a highly unusual building complex. Remarkably, the ballcourt’s ritual sweat house, associated caves, and the ballcourt buildings themselves are set in a distinctive natural landscape and integrated with extensive land modifications and water control features. This placement, among other things, suggests the Maya of this ancient community maintained a sophisticated understanding of the environment and system of religious beliefs. Such sophistication runs counter to the traditional view of Maya commoners as following orders “from above” and not being active agents in their own lives. Our investigations in large part this season will be an effort to decipher the meaning the ballcourt and caves, as well as this water-crossed landscape had to the inhabitants of this ancient site.
The Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey (RBAS) is a summer Maya archaeology field school that trains students in archaeological field methods within the context of a state-of-the-art research project. The program is situated in an unexplored, tropical rainforest in northern Belize, Central America, and can be taken for 3 or 6 college credits through the University of Texas at Austin.*
Non-credit volunteers are also welcome!
Project Director:
Dr. Stanley Walling (swallingccp@gmail.com or swalling@ccp.edu), 1700 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 Social Sciences Dept., Community College of Philadelphia Tel. 215-751-8848
PROJECT STAFF
Stanley L. Walling, PhD., RPA Project Director- Rio Bravo Archaeological Survey; Associate Director- Programme for Belize Regional Archaeology Project; Research Fellow- Mesoamerican Archaeological Research Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin; Associate Professor of Anthropology- Community College of Philadelphia.
Jonathan A. Hanna, PhD., RPA Director of Residential Terrace Investigations, Website Coordinator; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2003-2007, 2013, 2015-16
Christine Taylor Director of Ballcourt Investigations; Formerly senior staff on the Maax Na Archaeology Project; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2005-2007, 2010, 2012-2019
Chance Coughenour Director of Mapping; Marie Curie Research Fellow, Institute for Photogrammetry, University of Stuttgart, Germany; PhD. graduate student at University of Seville, Spain; Previous RBAS Field Seasons: 2007, 2010, 2012-2013
JN Stanley Junior Staff, Previous RBAS field seasons: 2006-2007, 2010, 2012-2013, 2016-19
James Brady– Cave Investigations, University of California at Los Angeles CL Kieffer– Cave Investigations, PhD. Graduate Student, University of New Mexico Nicholas Brokaw– Botanical Research, University of San Juan, Puerto Rico Sheila Ward– Botanical Research, University of San Juan, Puerto Rico Timothy Beach– Soils and Hydrology Investigations, UT-Austin Sheryl Luzzader-Beach– Soils and Hydrology Investigations, UT-Austin
This field experience is led by Archaeology Center faculty member Krish Seetah. The summer fieldwork season will be held within close reach of medieval economic superpowers – Dubrovnik & Venice – that controlled the Adriatic Sea. The fieldwork will be undertaken at two sites, Milavići cemetery, and Baljci, a multiperiod burial ground adjacent to a UNESCO-protected medieval stećci burial ground, both with bioarchaeological evidence of disease, located on a former transportation route for slaves from central Bosnia to the coast.
In-Person: In the field, you will learn fundamental archaeological field research skills, such as tool and equipment handling, principles of archaeological excavation, proper recording of the layers and finds (in paper, photographic, and digital form), and artifact management (cataloging, storing and preparation for analyses). The full extent of the excavations will incorporate the concepts and principles of landscape archaeology, using numerous well-established protocols: landscape digital technologies (geophysics, a series of GIS analyses, UAV rendered maps, 3D models of the tombstones), training in epigraphy, geomorphology, in human and animal osteology and the varieties of sampling for further micro-archaeological analyses.
Remote: The non-contact contingency plan for this project will involve students supporting our work to digitize a large and unique repository of burial archives. Students would help to transcribe this historical dataset – containing evidence of the cause of death, age, place of death, etc., – into a searchable database. This would allow us to correlate ecological conditions and demography with transmission profiles over ~100 years, which could then also form the basis for standalone student projects.
In addition, students will support our team to produce 3-D models of the cemetery locations themselves, which are a rich cultural heritage. This will be based on existing digital imagery and drone aerial footage, which will then be used for virtual reality expositions (we have a VR expert as part of our team). Students may also work on several smaller sub-projects, including digitization of excavation documents, modeling of artifacts and human remains from within the graves themselves, and large-scale GIS mapping of our sites.
What Will You Do
Archaeological Record-Keeping
Disease Modeling
Archaeological Excavation
Cultural Exchange
Requirements for Participation
Students accepted to our field experiences are required to participate in pre-departure meetings with the faculty leader of their program in the quarter prior to departure. Each field experience has different pre-departure requirements that will be communicated by the faculty leader.
Upon their return to Stanford, the Archaeology Center requires that all field experience students participate in SURPS (Symposia for Undergraduate Research and Public Service). Students from each field experience are expected to work together to complete an application, prepare a poster, and present at the SURPS event on the Friday of the reunion homecoming weekend.
Each of our field experiences is part of an ongoing research project led by a Stanford faculty member. While in the field, undergraduates are expected to contribute to the team effort of the archaeological project at the faculty member’s direction. Fieldwork can take the form of a number of different activities, from clearing undergrowth in preparation for excavation to laboratory analysis of archaeological samples. Each day’s activities can look different, and may change depending on the evolving direction of the research. Students participating in a field experience should be prepared to be flexible and responsive to the instructions of the faculty member or other senior project staff.
Application Information
This field experience opportunity is open to all undergraduates except graduating seniors.
Undergraduates from all majors are encouraged to apply.
No prior knowledge of archaeology is required, although we prefer to support students who will pursue an archaeology-centered career. All necessary training will be provided while in the field.
Applicants will need an updated passport by the time of acceptance
Acceptance to the Bosnia and Herzegovina field experience comes with funding for eligible expenses subject to the budget of the project. Housing, daily meals, and materials used on-site will be fully covered by the project. The Archaeology Center will issue a stipend to students to purchase flights based on the real costs of flights to and from their field site. Students will be informed of the stipend limit prior to booking. Per university policy, the Archaeology Center does not pay for personal travel outside the dates or locations of field experiences.
If the Bosnia and Herzegovina archaeology field experience is run remotely, accepted students will receive stipends from VPUE. Stipend amounts will be determined by VPUE and communicated to students when they are accepted to the field experience.
Students who plan to participate in an archaeology field experience cannot receive a major grant or a Chappell-Lougee scholarship within the same academic year as their field experience.
Dates: May 24 to June 7, 2025Project website: https://www.fieldsciences.org/program/2025-bulgaria-serbia-fresco-hunting/2025 course syllabus can be found at https://www.fieldsciences.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Syllabus-Bulgaria-Fresco-Hunting-2025.pdfOVERVIEWBetween the 14th & 17th centuries CE, the Balkans experienced troubling, violent times. The Byzantine Empire, the Second Bulgarian Empire and the Serbian Empire collapsed in the 15th century, and the Ottoman Empire conquered Southeastern Europe. The many wars, and the accompanying social and political upheavals, had a direct impact on the expression of Christian Orthodox practice and iconography. During this Late Medieval period, Christian Orthodox structures were built to attract the least attention, with humble architecture on the outside, but with exquisite frescos inside.In the past 100 years, many of these structures were abandoned and fell into misuse and disrepair. Some have been looted – first during the Ottoman Empire by either Muslim Turks or superstitious local Christians – and then by modern looters and vandals. Many structures are collapsing due to the impact of weather and lack of maintenance. These important cultural heritage monuments are disappearing. This program is part of a long-term project to document these Christian Orthodox structures and preserve their heritage for future generations – in photographic and digital format at a minimum and raise public awareness of state recognition and legal preservation when possible.The Fresco-Hunting Photo Research Expedition systematically documents abandoned medieval churches and chapels – and their frescos – in western Bulgaria and Serbia. Students will take part in this process and will gain context and understanding of Christian Orthodox iconography through visitation to several churches, monasteries, museums, and archaeological sites in these two countries. Thus far, the Fresco-Hunting Photo Research Expedition has been successful in raising public awareness and three sites have now been formally designated as official state monuments and protected under the law – Balsha, Kalotina, and Zimevitsa. In 2017, the Balkan Heritage Foundation issued the first e-book dedicated to one of the churches – the 17th century church St. Thedore Tyro in Zimevitsa. We are now working, and students in this program will take part in collecting more data for the publication of more of these churches and chapels.DIRECTORS: Dr. Vassil Tenekedjiev, Assistant professor at the Department of Archaeology, Varna Regional Museum of History, Bulgaria (balkanheritage@gmail.com)Mr. Ivan Vasilev, President of the Balkan Heritage Foundation, Bulgaria (balkanheritage@gmail.com)
BULGARIA
2025 Bulgaria Apollonia/Messarite: Hellenistic & Roman Period Excavations
Ancient Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria) is one of the oldest towns on the western Black Sea Coast. The city, founded by Miletian colonists around 610 BCE, was named Apollonia Pontica in honor of the patron deity of Miletus – Apollo. Apollonia became an autonomous and strong independent polis, as well as an important trade center between Ancient Greece and Thrace. Thanks to its strong navy and naturally protected harbors, Apollonia kept control of the major maritime and terrestrial merchant routes along the western Black Sea Coast for several centuries. Despite numerous invasions and attacks, the city survived the period of the Great Migration (4th – 7th century CE) and entered the Middle Ages as a focal point of long-lasting Byzantine-Bulgarian conflicts.
The project is focused on the sector of Messarite, located southwest of Sozopol, approx. 2 km from the center of the Old Town. During the initial survey of the area, 29 different features were identified, including walls, buildings and burials. Excavations at the Messarite sector will help in understanding the interaction between city center and its immediate outposts. It will shed light on the economic development of Apollonia Pontica in the Late Classical and Hellenistic periods.
INTRODUCTION
Ancient Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria) is one of the oldest towns on the western Black Sea Coast. The city, founded by Miletian colonists around 610 BCE, was named Apollonia Pontica in honor of the patron deity of Miletus – Apollo. Apollonia became an autonomous and strong independent polis, as well as an important trade center between Ancient Greece and Thrace. Thanks to its strong navy and naturally protected harbors, Apollonia kept control of the major maritime and terrestrial merchant routes along the western Black Sea Coast for several centuries. The city preserved its independence until 72 BCE, when it was conquered, pillaged and burned by the Roman legions of Marcus Lucullus. The city succeeded in restoring its former glory and was known in the Roman world as Apollonia Magna (Great Apollonia). Following the Christian tradition, its name was changed to Sozopol, meaning “town of salvation”, in the 4th century CE. Despite numerous invasions and attacks, the city survived the period of the Great Migration (4th – 7th century CE) and entered the Middle Ages as a focal point of long-lasting Byzantine-Bulgarian conflicts.
The project is focused on the sector of Messarite, located southwest of Sozopol, approx. 2 km from the center of the Old Town. During the initial survey of the area, 29 different features were identified, including walls, buildings and burials. A Franco Bulgarian team excavated the area in 2002-04 and explored six buildings dated between the second half of the 5th century BCE and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE. The team also found parts of an ancient road oriented north-south were also discovered.
Towards the end of the 4th century BCE, the buildings at the Messarite sector were abandoned and destroyed. Shortly thereafter, burials with both inhumations and cremations began appearing in the abandoned ruins. In one area, family plots enclosed with stone walls (periboloi) were identified. The burial structures vary from pits, pithoi, ceramic and limestone sarcophagi, to tile-lined and cist graves while the cremations are in locally made urns. The family plots had indications of traditional funerary rites, including 10 ritual firepits.
These are unique excavations of the broader territory of an ancient Greco-Roman colony in present-day Bulgaria. The results from the excavations along with the traces of mining and metallurgy in the adjacent area will shed light on the economic development of Apollonia Pontica in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the field school, participants will:
Dig at an Ancient Greco-Roman site on the Black Sea Coast.
Understand archaeological methods for studying Classical period material culture
Practice all basic excavation and recording techniques in the field
Develop skills in artifact retrieval and processing with a focus on Classical material culture
Expand knowledge oof the Classical world and the use of interdisciplinary approaches (geology, biology, physics) for its research
Visit significant archaeological and historic sites: Nessebar, ancient Mesambria (UNESCO World Heritage Site), ancient Deultum near Burgas and Sozopol, ancient Apollonia Pontica.
DIRECTORS: Dr Angela Pencheva, PhD in Archaeology, Program Director of the Balkan Heritage Foundation (bhfs.admissions@gmail.com)
Dr. Krastina Panayotova, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Classical Archaeology, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (bhfs.admissions@gmail.com)
Dr. Teodora Bogdanova, Department of Classical Archaeology, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Adjunct Professor, CPCE, New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria (bhfs.admissions@gmail.com)
BULGARIA
Conservation of Ancient Greek Pottery (Debelt, Bulgaria)
Dates: June 7 to June 21, 2025 Application deadline: June 7, 2025
This field school is an introductory workshop for the conservation of ceramics, using ancient Greek pottery recovered from sites in the Western Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. This program guide students through the history of Ancient Greek pottery and the process of pottery conservation, restoration, documentation, and study. Both the theoretical and laboratory elements of this program will be taught at the research center associated with the Roman site of Deultum (see more about the site below).
The course includes three modules: 1) practical work in conservation of ancient pottery, working on ceramic artifacts recovered during excavations at cemetery of Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria); 2) lectures on topics related to the archaeological context of conserved vessels and to conservation process of ancient Greek pottery; 3) excursions to the ancient coastal towns of Nessebar (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and a tour of Sozopol (including study visits to their archaeological museums).
Develton (Thracian: Debelton, “two-swamp area”) was founded as an emporium of Apollonia Pontica in the 7th century BCE. From the 6th century to the 4th century BC, the settlement served as an important place of trade between Thracians and Greeks. Develton was annexed to the Roman Empire in 46 CE and became part of the province of Thrace and its name changed to Deultum. At the Battle of Deultum in the summer of 377 CE (during the Gothic War of 376–382), an Eastern Roman army was defeated by a Gothic raiding party outside Deultum, and the city was sacked. Deultum was later rebuilt on a smaller scale, and, in the second half of the 5th century CE, new walls were constructed, and all unprotected buildings were demolished to ensure hostile forces did not use them as cover. These walls were destroyed by Slavs and Avars at the end of the 6th century CE.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the program the participants will:
Be introduced to basic methods of conservation and documentation of ancient pottery.
Be able to develop basic/further practical skills (depending on participant’s initial level of qualification) in ancient pottery conservation and illustration.
Deepen their knowledge through first-hand experience with ancient Mediterranean/European History and Archaeology.
Meet professionals who work in the areas of Classical Archaeology and Pottery Conservation and Documentation.
DIRECTORS: Dr. Daniela Cherneva, Chief instructor, Balkan Heritage Foundation Affiliate Conservator (daniela.cherneva@gmail.com)
Ms. Biljana J. Peeva, Restorer of Pottery and glass Artefacts at the National Institution Stoby (biljanapeeva@gmail.com)
Dr. Teodora Bogdanova, Assistant Professor in Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences & Adjunct Professor, CPCE, New Bulgarian University (vorbog@gmail.com)
Dr. Margarit Damyanov, Assistant professor at the Department of Thracian Archaeology, Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (mmdamyanov@gmail.com)
Mr. Alexander Manev, PhD Candidate, Department in Classical Archaeology, Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (dodgealeman@gmail.com)
BULGARIA
Conservation of Ancient Roman Glass (Debelt, Bulgaria)
This program is focused on the conservation of Roman glass. The program will begin by understanding the rich history of ancient glass, its origin and the technology needed for its production. The program will then proceed to instruct students in modern techniques of glass conservation, restoration, documentation and study. Both the theoretical and laboratory elements of this program will be taught at the research center associated with the Roman site of Deultum (see more about the site below).
This field school includes three modules. The first is practical work in conservation of glass, initially of replicas and then work on Roman artifacts from the collection of the National Archaeological Reserve at Deultum. The second module covers the theoretical and methodological elements of glass conservation and consists of lectures presenting the archaeological context of glass artifacts and the best methods used for their preservation. conserved vessels and to conservation process of glass vessels. The third module introduces students to the regional context of Roman presence and includes site visits to the ancient coastal towns of Nessebar (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and a sightseeing tour of Sozopol (including study visits to its archaeological museums). An optional two day excursion to Istanbul (Turkey) is possible and interested students should contact Balkan Heritage Foundation directly for details (email bhfs.admissions@gmail.com)
Develton (Thracian: Debelton, “two-swamp area”) was founded as an emporium of Apollonia Pontica in the 7th century BCE. From the 6th century to the 4th century BC, the settlement served as an important place of trade between Thracians and Greeks. Develton was annexed to the Roman Empire in 46 CE and became part of the province of Thrace and its name changed to Deultum. At the Battle of Deultum in the summer of 377 CE (during the Gothic War of 376–382), an Eastern Roman army was defeated by a Gothic raiding party outside Deultum, and the city was sacked. Deultum was later rebuilt on a smaller scale, and, in the second half of the 5th century CE, new walls were constructed, and all unprotected buildings were demolished to ensure hostile forces did not use them as cover. These walls were destroyed by Slavs and Avars at the end of the 6th century CE.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the program the participants will: ➢ Be introduced to the basic methods for conservation and documentation of ancient glass. ➢ Be able to develop basic skills in ancient glass conservation and documentation. ➢ Have first-hand experience with ancient Mediterranean/European History and Archaeology. ➢ Meet professionals, who work in the areas of Classical Archaeology and Glass Conservation and Documentation. ➢ Contribute to the preservation of research of archaeological collection of the National Archaeological Reserve Deultum.
DIRECTORS: Dr. Daniela Cherneva, Chief instructor, Balkan Heritage Foundation Affiliate Conservator (daniela.cherneva@gmail.com)
Ms. Biljana J. Peeva, Restorer of Pottery and glass Artefacts at the National Institution Stoby (biljanapeeva@gmail.com)
BULGARIA
Archaeology of Apollonia Pontica (Sozopol, on Bulgarian Black Sea coast)
Dates: June 1-28, 2025 Application deadline: until filled, or April 10, 2025
Project type: This field school features archaeological excavation at a Classical and Late Hellenistic site. The variety of activities and the team’s professionalism and flexibility make this project suitable for beginners and advanced students in both Anthropology and Classical Archaeology. Individual program and task assignments are available to advanced students.
Field school start date: 2011 – 2019 on St. Kirik island; 2023 start of field school at Messarite
Site: Messarite – located 2 km southwest of Apollonia Pontica (today’s Sozopol on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast) – is part of the ancient city’s broader area where the remains of an ancient road, foundations of buildings and burial structures are located.
Period(s) of occupation: Classical Greek, Hellenistic (5th – 3rd century BCE)
Project venue: Hotel Polina Beach is located in the new part of Sozopol, a 15-minute walk from the town center and the larger beach “Harmanite.” It offers rooms with sea views, a restaurant and a pool. It is also a 15-minute walk from the venue to the excavation site. The first part of the field school will be conducted at the “Archaeological Reserve with Museum – Deutum” in Debelt (approx. 20 km from Burgas) where the facilities provide suitable conditions for lab work.
The project partners: Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), Bulgaria, Apollonia Pontica Excavation Team from National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Archaeological Museum of Sozopol, University of Idaho (US), New Bulgarian University
Dig director: Krastina Panayotova, PhD in Archaeology, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Classical Archaeology, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Deputy dig director and chief instructor: Teodora Bogdanova, Ph.D. in Archaeology, Department of Classical Archaeology, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Adjunct Professor, CPCE, New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria
Field school coordinators: Angela Pencheva, PhD in Archaeology, Program Director of the Balkan Heritage Foundation, Lyuba Manoilova, PhD candidate in Anthropology at the Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; project coordinator at the Balkan Heritage Foundation
Major field school topics/activities: Ancient Greek colonization, culture, and religion; archaeological field techniques and methods; finds and sample processing; trips to significant heritage sites along the western Black Sea Coast.
Number of field school places available: Maximum 20
Project language: English
Academic credits available: Students can receive up to 9 ECTS credits through New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria.
Special requirements: The project is not recommended for individuals with solar allergies or other special illnesses that might be exacerbated during intensive outdoor activities. The average summer temperatures in the area are 25-35° C (77- 95° F) or higher.
The Site and the Excavation Project
Ancient Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria) is one of the oldest towns on the western Black Sea Coast. The city, founded by Miletian colonists around 610 BCE, was named Apollonia Pontica in honor of the patron deity of Miletus – Apollo. The Ancient authors identify the philosopher named Anaximander as the founder of the city. It became an autonomous and strong democratic polis, as well as an important trade center between Ancient Greece and Thrace. Thanks to its strong navy and naturally protected harbors, Apollonia kept control of the major merchant road along the western Black Sea Coast, called Via Pontica, for several centuries. The city preserved its independence during the campaigns of Phillip II of Macedon (342-339 BCE) and Alexander the Great (335 BCE) but in 72 BCE it was conquered, pillaged and burned by the Roman legions of Marcus Lucullus. The city succeeded in restoring its former glory and was known in the Roman world as Apollonia Magna (Great Apollonia). Following the Christian mainstream tradition, its name was changed to Sozopol, meaning “town of salvation”, in the 4th century CE. Despite the invasions, it survived the period of the Great Migration (4th – 7th century CE) and entered the Middle Ages as a focal point of long-lasting Byzantine-Bulgarian conflicts.
The site “Messarite” is located southwest of Sozopol, approx. 2 km from the center of the Old Town. During archaeological field surveys in this area were registered 29 sites – remains of buildings, fortification walls for artificial terraces of the land and three tombs. The site is divided into three sectors on the western slope on the eastern side of a small valley where the small chapel “St. Marina” is located. Dr. Panayotova’s team excavated the remains of six buildings dated between the second half of the 5th century BCE and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE. Parts of an ancient road oriented north-south were also discovered. It is 6,50 m wide and so far over 40 m of its length were uncovered. On both sides, there are remains of buildings.
Towards the end of the 4th century BCE, the buildings in all three sectors were abandoned and destroyed. Shortly after graves with both inhumations and cremations started appearing in the abandoned ruins. In one area there are even family plots enclosed with stone walls (periboloi). Until now a total of 42 graves have been excavated all dated in the first half of the 3rd century BCE. The burial structures vary from pits, pithoi, ceramic and limestone sarcophagi, to tile-lined and cist graves while the cremations are in locally made urns. The funeral gifts are typical for the period – incense vessels (lekithoi and unguentaria), funeral wreaths, strigili, mirrors, scissors, coins and jewelry. In front of the family plots were discovered traces of funerary rites including 10 ritual firepits.
These are the first excavations of the broader territory of an ancient Greek colony in present-day Bulgaria. The results from the excavations along with the traces of mining and metallurgy in the adjacent area shed light on the economic development of Apollonia Pontica in the Classical and Hellenistic periods.
The Field School
This field school provides a unique glimpse into the early stages of the Greek Colonization of the western Black Sea Coast and the development of a small Greek settlement into one of the richest and strongest Greek colonies in the Black Sea region, as well as an amazing opportunity to:
dig at an Ancient Greek site on the Black Sea Coast;
practice all basic excavation techniques in the field plus finds and samples processing;
The Field School Season in 2025 envisions excavations at Messarite in a new sector opened next to the previously conserved area.
The field school offers one four-week session. It includes fieldwork, lectures and instructions in Classical field archaeology, workshops for finds processing and documentation, as well as study visits to significant archaeological and historical sites.
The Site and the Excavation Project
Ancient Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria) is one of the oldest towns on the western Black Sea Coast. The city, founded by Miletian colonists around 610 BCE, was named Apollonia Pontica in honor of the patron deity ofMiletus – Apollo. The Ancient authors identify the philosopher named Anaximander as the founder of the city. It became an autonomous and strong democratic polis, as well as an important trade center between Ancient Greece andThrace. Thanks to its strong navy and naturally protected harbors, Apollonia kept control of the major merchant road along the westernBlack Sea Coast, called Via Pontica, for several centuries. The city preserved its independence during the campaigns of Phillip II of Macedon (342-339 BCE) and Alexander the Great (335 BCE) but in 72 BCE it was conquered, pillaged and burned by the Roman legions of Marcus Lucullus. The city succeeded in restoring its former glory and was known in the Roman world as Apollonia Magna (Great Apollonia). Following the Christian mainstream tradition, its name was changed to Sozopol, meaning “town of salvation”, in the 4thcentury CE. Despite the invasions, it survived the period of the Great Migration (4th – 7th century CE) and entered the Middle Ages as a focal point of long-lasting Byzantine-Bulgarian conflicts.
The site “Messarite” is located southwest of Sozopol, approx. 2 km from the center of the Old Town. During archaeological field surveys in this area were registered 29 sites – remains of buildings, fortification walls for artificial terraces of the land and three tombs. The site is divided into three sectors on the western slope on the eastern side of a small valley where the small chapel “St. Marina” is located. Dr. Panayotova’s team excavated the remains of six buildings dated between the second half of the 5th century BCE and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE. Parts of an ancient road oriented north-south were also discovered. It is 6,50 m wide and so far over 40 m of its length were uncovered. On both sides, there are remains of buildings.
Towards the end of the 4th century BCE, the buildings in all three sectors were abandoned and destroyed. Shortly after graves with both inhumations and cremations started appearing in the abandoned ruins. In one area there are even family plots enclosed with stone walls (periboloi). Until now a total of 42 graves have been excavated all dated in the first half of the 3rd century BCE. The burial structures vary from pits, pithoi, ceramic and limestone sarcophagi, to tile-lined and cist graves while the cremations are in locally made urns. The funeral gifts are typical for the period – incense vessels (lekithoi and unguentaria), funeral wreaths, strigili, mirrors, scissors, coins and jewelry. In front of the family plots were discovered traces of funerary rites including 10 ritual firepits.
These are the first excavations of the broader territory of an ancient Greek colony in present-day Bulgaria. The results from the excavations along with the traces of mining and metallurgy in the adjacent area shed light on the economic development of Apollonia Pontica in the Classical and Hellenistic periods.
BULGARIA
Excavation of Emporion Pistiros, Thrace (Septemvri, Bulgaria)
Dates: July 25 to Aug 22, 2025 Application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
Project type: field school & archaeological excavations. The course is a balanced combination of lectures in the field of Classical Archaeology, with a focus on Thrace and fieldwork on the site of the Greek emporion Pistiros.
The course is designed primarily for students in Classical Archaeology, Anthropology, History, Art History, and other related scientific fields but the variety of activities and the team’s professionalism and flexibility make this project suitable for both beginners and advanced students in Classical Archaeology.
Site is between the small towns of Septemvri and Vetren, Southern Bulgaria.
Project venue: Villa Velis is a tourist complex including a SPA hotel and a winery. It is located in the southern part of the village of Karabunar, 8 km from the motorway exit “Trakia” on the road to Velingrad. During the project work days all participants will be provided with transportation from the hotel to the site (that is located 14 km away) and back.
Period(s) of occupation: Late Classical, Hellenistic (5th – 3rd century BCE)
Major field school topics/activities: Archaeological field techniques and methods for excavation and documentation; Ancient Greek and Thracian archaeology in the light of their trade and religious interaction at the site; RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging) documentation of Late Classical and Hellenistic finds, excursions to significant heritage sites in Thrace, Bulgaria.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTOR(S) Dr. Angela Pencheva, Visiting professor at the Department of Archaeology and Center for Vocational and Continuing Education, New Bulgarian University, Sofia; Balkan Heritage Program Director (angelapbh@gmail.com)
Dig Directors: Ass. Prof. Dr. Alexey Gotsev, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Ass. Prof. Dr. Emil Nankov, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Field school sessions available:
Field school four-week session: 26 July- 22 August, 2025
Application deadlines: until the places are filled or 21 June, 2025
Minimum length of stay for participants: four weeks
Minimum age: 18 (16, if the participant is accompanied by an adult family member)
Number of field school places available: Maximum 20
Project language: English
Academic credits available: 9 ECTS credits are available through New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria.
Experience required: No previous experience is required.
Special requirements: Participation in the project is not recommended for individuals with solar allergies or other special illnesses that might be exacerbated during intensive outdoor activities. The average summer temperatures in the area are 25-38° C (77 – 100° F) or higher. All participants should bring clothes and toiletries suitable for hot and sunny weather but should also prepare for possible rainy, windy and chilly days. Participants are also expected to prepare for the dig by reading at least the BHFS handbook that will be sent by e-mail before the beginning of the project. Participants will use the tools and equipment available at the site and are not expected to bring any additional equipment.
The participants should have medical insurance including repatriation. The participants should inform the project staff about any health issues, allergies, and food preferences.
The Site and the Excavation Project
The ruins of an Ancient Greek trade center (emporion) in the heart of Thrace – on the left bank of Maritsa River (ancient Hebros), between the towns of Vetren and Septemvri, were discovered by Prof. M. Domaradzki in 1988. He started regular excavations and in 1990, his team found a stone inscription (known as “Vetren inscription”) that helped the scholars identify the site as the Ancient Greek emporion named Pistiros. Merchants from Greek coastal cities of Maroneia, Thassos and Apollonia lived and traded there with their Thracian neighbors under the supreme protection of the Thracian Odrysian kings (the biggest and mightiest Thracian Kingdom at that time). Up to the moment Pistiros is the only certainly identified emporion in the heart of Thrace. That is why excavation of the site are significant source of information for the political, economic and cultural history of the Odrysian kingdom and Thrace in this period.
The emporion was also a major metallurgical center and a key harbor for export of metals and metal products from Thrace to Greece in the Classical and Early Hellenistic periods (from the middle of the 5th to the beginning of the 3rd century BCE). The trade contacts of the emporion are evident through finds of numerous imports such as Attic red-figured and black-slip pottery, amphorae (mainly Thassian) and coins (e.g. several hoards of copper, silver and gold coins found during the excavations – they represent the coinage of different Odrysian kings (e.g. Amatokos I, Bergaios, Kotys I, Amatokos II, Teres II, Kersebleptes, Teres II), Greek cities (Thassos, Maroneia, Parion, Thracian Chersonese, Enos, Apollonia, Messabria etc.) and Macedonian rulers (Philip II, Alexander the Great, Kassandros, Demetrios Poliokretes, Lysimachos etc.).
Most of the ancient authors and the majority of the modern scholars consider the cult of Dionysos rooted in Thrace. Apparently, it played a very important role in the emporion’s religious life. For instance, the Vetren inscription informs about the oath taken in the name of Dionysos by the Odrysian king: Kotys I (383-359 BCE) and his successor from the citizens of Pistiros – this is how they guaranteed the integrity of their lives, properties and activities in their town under the sovereignty of the Thracian kings.
Pistiros history in brief:
around 500 BCE – Date of the earliest artifacts found on the territory of Pistiros.
475 – 450 BCE – Date of the earliest Attic pottery found at the site – the foundation of Pistiros (like the foundation of the most Greek apoikias elsewhere) was probably preceded by various previous colonial economic and political activities. Greek economic and cultural penetration in the interior of Thrace was intensified after the Persian withdrawal from the Balkans following the battles of Marathon (490 BCE) and Salamis (480 BCE);
450 – 425 BCE – Foundation of the emporion by colonists from the Aegean cities of Maronia, Thassos and Apollonia. Major structures and features of fortification and drainage system were constructed along with tracing and paving of the streets;
370s BCE – Period of significant reconstructions in the emporion during the reign of the Thracian Odrysian king Kotys I;
359 – 357 BCE – Citizens of Pistiros re-contracted their rights and obligations with the successor of Kotys I;
350/345 BCE – The emporion suffered from the invasion of Philip II Macedon in Thrace;
300 BCE – Devastation of Pistiros by the Celts;
278 BCE – Massive invasion of the Celts in the Balkans: Ultimate devastation of the emporion. Afterwards the settlement lost its trading importance and turned into a metal production centre with local importance.
So far, archaeologists have uncovered the eastern fortification wall of the emporion (having one gate, a tower, and a bastion – all built of stone blocks analogically to the Thassian fortification system), streets paved by stone plates, solid stone foundations of two buildings as well as an efficient drainage system. Buildings of different types are indicating at least two different chronological horizons of the site’s existence. The investigation of their characteristic features and shapes, as well as the emporion’s planning are among the major research questions concerning Pistiros, together with the following others:
what is the dynamic of architectural evolution of the settlement following the disasters such as devastation, earthquakes, fires and floods;
which ancient cults were practiced in Pistiros;
what were the relations and the interactions between the different ethnic groups in Pistiros: Greeks, Thracians, Celts.
The Field School
BHFS field school at Pistiros was concentrated in the southeastern sector, located next to the fortification wall during the in the past 10 years (2013-2023) . The excavations there are focused on defining the chronology of the site’s building phases. The excavations uncovered paved streets, remains of houses, pits, and a well which belong to the latest phase of the site’s existence, dated approx. to the first quarter of the 3rd century BCE before the Celtic invasion in the Balkans which caused serious damage to most cities in Thrace and Macedonia. An earlier building’s phase, located below the street level, is represented by a horizon of so-called “negative features”, dated around the second half of 4th CBC. According to parallels with some similar dugouts, discovered in the Greek apoikias on the Black Sea coast, the team suggests that these are remains of similar structures. Unfortunately, in the past, the biggest part of the emporion has been flooded by the nearby flowing Maritza River which led to serious destruction. This is the reason that makes the reconstruction attempts of the above-ground structures of these buildings very difficult. Presumably, the houses used to have mud brick walls which have completely melted. Their compaction and color are almost the same as the natural soil. Remains of fired plaster with imprints of wooden beams suggest wooden roof construction but we still do not have clear evidence for its exact structure. The discovered wattle and daub pieces were probably parts of some dividing walls. Up to the current moment, there are six partially excavated structures of this kind located in the field school sector. Their fill is very soft soil with a grayish color, presumably a result of the decayed organic materials. The materials discovered in all the above-mentioned features consist of fragments and intact vessels both locally handmade and wheel-made, as well as imported; a large number of loom weights; handmade clay figurines, amphora fragments, animal bones and pieces of wattle and daub. The excavation in the northwestern sector of the site was excavated for the first time in 2023. The goal of the investigations there is to trace the remains of the fortification wall in а NW direction and uncover any additional structures both inside and outside the fortified area. The efforts revealed the foundations of the fortification wall as well as one of the two street levels documented in adjacent squares on the site.
The participants in 2025 in Ancient Greeks in the Land of Dionysos – Excavation of Emporion Pistiros will be included in the further excavation of the same sectors.
The field school in 2025 includes the following three modules:
Fieldwork including excavation, maintaining a field journal on a daily basis, filling context sheets and labels, drawing an elevation plan / a ground plan/ a cross-section, 3D positioning of finds, taking coordinates with a level device, and taking photographs at the site;
Lectures, workshops and field training in Classical and Field Archaeology, finds processing and documentation;
Excursions to various cultural and archaeological sites in the region such as the ancient town of Philippopolis, present day Plovdiv (Please refer to the Course Program on the project website).
BULGARIA
TELL YUNATSITE EXCAVATIONS – EARLY NEOLITHIC AT THE BALKAN PENINSULA
During the 7th-6th millennia BCE, farming and animal husbandry spread from Anatolia and the Near East through the Balkan Peninsula and to Europe. These were not new technologies adopted by local populations but newcomers who brought a completely new way of life and subsistence, initially coexisting and then taking over local populations. By the 6th millennium BCE, the local economy, social organization, trade, and cultural contacts evolved, to reach its peak in the 5th millennium BCE. Even newer technologies came to bear, when locals begin processing – and using –metals such as copper and gold.
Recent excavations at Tell Yunatsite indicate that the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic period settlement at the site covered an area far larger than the tell itself. The site had an uptown (acropolis?) sector and a downtown district. The uptown sector was surrounded by a five meter wide clay wall and a broad and deep ditch. Buildings in this part were placed close to each other, creating an almost unbroken urban fabric that is easy to close and defend.
Despite their defensive resource investment, the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic settlement at Yunatsite experienced a violent event at ca. 4,200-4,100 BCE. Evidence suggests deliberate destruction by outsiders. Skeletons of children, elderly men, and women were found scattered on floors, suggesting a massive massacre. Those who survived returned and resettled at the tell, but soon even they left. At that point, Tell Yunatsite and the area around it were abandoned for more than 1,000 years. During this time, a sterile layer accumulated over the last Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic layer.
To date, approximately one third of the tell has been excavated. This work yielded rich collections of archaeological materials, and the sterile soil has not yet been reached. There is a medieval cemetery at the top of the tell, followed by a Roman period level, two Iron Age levels, another dated to the Early Bronze Age, and finally a Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic level. It is unknown if the cultural history of the tell begins in the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic period or whether older Neolithic occupation layers exist.
The archaeological field school takes place at the Tell Yunatsite lowest excavated layer, which corresponds to the time of Europe’s first prehistoric civilization in the 5th millennium BCE.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project is to provide participants with a theoretical background on the development of Neolithic cultures in Southeastern Europe with a focus on Final Neolithic/Chalcolithic, Europe’s first civilization, and with practical experience in excavating a complex prehistoric tell-site.
This field school provides a unique glimpse into the rise and fall of arguably the earliest European civilization. In 2024, field school students will take part in further excavation of the burned Final Neolithic/Chalcolithic layer buildings. Faculty and students will work together and explore why and how did one of the earliest proto urban centers in Europe emerged in the beginning of the 5th millennium BCE, and what are the reasons that caused its collapse 800 years later.
This field school covers the following three modules:
Fieldwork includes the excavation of the Final Neolithic/Chalcolithic layers and structures, which includes practicing basic excavation techniques as well as screening, sifting and flotation; the development of archaeological field documentation by maintaining a daily field journal, filling context sheets and labels, drawing an elevation plan/ a ground plan/ a cross-section, 3D positioning of finds, taking coordinates with a dumpy level, as well as taking photographs at the site.
Lectures, workshops, and field training in prehistoric (with emphasis on Neolithic, Chalcolithic, prehistoric warfare, and ceramics), and field archaeology, find processing and documentation.
Excursions to the Pazardzhik Regional Museum of History; the ancient town of Plovdiv including the Archaeological Museum, Old Town Quarter, and major Roman monuments; and Stara Zagora including the Regional Museum of History, Roman monuments, and the Museum of Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic (5,600 BCE) dwellings.
DIRECTOR: Prof. Kamen Boyadzhiev, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (kamenyb@abv.bg)
BULGARIA
NESSEBAR UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE BLACK SEA (Nessabar, Bulgaria)
Dates: May 24 to June 14, 2025. Application deadline April 25, 2025
Prerequisites
This program requires participants to have Open Water Diver Certification (any world-wide recognized training organization) and DAN diving insurance (http://www.daneurope.org/insurance) and to complete a Medical Approval Form prior to the beginning of the field school.
Field school highlights:
Contribute to our understanding of coastal landscape changes & human adaptation strategies to sea level fluctuations.
Develop professional skills in underwater archaeology, including reconnaissance surveys, excavations, mapping, photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and more.
Experience the charm of Nessebar & the beauty of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.
OVERVIEW
This field school provides experience and training in underwater archaeology through participation in an ongoing research project – investigating the submerged heritage of ancient Messambria – present day Nessebar – on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Training will include various underwater archaeology and interdisciplinary practices such as underwater reconnaissance surveys and archaeological excavations, underwater photography, photogrammetry and 3D modeling, mapping and recording of submerged archaeological structures and monuments, marine geophysical survey, study of graffiti of ships in Medieval churches, etc. Our research aims to fill the gaps in scientific knowledge of coastal landscape changes and the Black Sea level fluctuation in Antiquity and the Medieval Age, as well as the human reaction and adaptation to such changes. This field school is suitable for beginners in the field and aims to broaden knowledge, refine skills and thus propel students to further their career in Maritime and Underwater Archaeology.
A key component of the project is raising public awareness of the local archaeological heritage in order to facilitate and gain support for its protection, study and presentation. This component will be achieved through developing a project for the establishment of an underwater museum of archaeology (diving sightseeing tour) and showcasing the submerged heritage and landscapes. Students will help with the development of such program think-tank actions, individual idea proposals (student assignments), communication with local people, diving centers, tourists and local archaeologists.
Nessebar and its Cultural Heritage
Founded at the end of the Bronze Age by a Thracian tribe, Nessebar is one of the oldest towns on the western Black Sea Coast. Its name, which was originally Melsambria, originates from the Thracian words “Melsas”, the name of the legendary founder of the settlement and “bria”- the Thracian word for town. It is situated on a small peninsula (today about 0.5 2 km) that is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. According to ancient sources, Nessebar had more than one harbor, which favored the prosperity and the development of the town. Messambria’s first Greek colonizers were of Dorian origin who settled there at the end of the 6 th century BCE. The town grew quickly and became one of the most powerful Greek colonies along the western Black Sea Coast. It had several temples, a gymnasium, a theater, massive administrative buildings and corresponding infrastructure. Messambria was also gradually surrounded by massive fortification walls. It reached the peak of its prosperity in the 3 rd – 2 nd centuries BCE, at which point it even minted its own gold coins. Commercial links connected it to towns from the Black Sea, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts. Numerous imported precious artifacts now displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Nessebar provide material expression of the site’s rich economic, cultural, and spiritual life in this period.
In 72 BCE, the town was conquered by Roman armies without resistance. After a temporary occupation in the beginning of the 1 st century CE, it was included permanently within the borders of the Roman Empire. After the capital was moved to Constantinople in 324 and Christianity was accepted as the official religion of the Empire in 313, favorable conditions arose for the renaissance of the town. New Christian basilicas, fortification walls, and water supply lines were built in the following centuries.
The city was besieged and taken for the first time by the Bulgarians in 812 CE. It was in a border region between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Kingdom and periodically changed hands between the two powers. During the 12 th and 13 th centuries, active trade links were developed between Nessebar and some Mediterranean and Adriatic towns, such as Constantinople, Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Ancona, and Dubrovnik, as well as with the kingdoms north of the Danube region. During almost its entire Christian history, Nessebar was the seat of a bishop. Many churches and monasteries were built in the city and its surroundings reflecting its prosperity and richness.
Nessebar fell under Ottoman rule together with the Byzantine capital Constantinople in 1453 CE. During the following centuries, the economic and spiritual life did not stop and Nessebar’s harbor continued to be an important import and export center. The shipyard’s production, one of the main subsidence of the town, served the Ottoman fleet and the local merchants. In 1878 Nessebar was liberated from the Ottomans and included into the borders of Bulgaria.
Due to its unique landscape, rich cultural heritage, and the large number of well-preserved monuments (esp. churches from the 13 th – 14 th centuries), modern-day Nessebar is an archaeological and architectural reserve. In 1983 the Old Quarter of Nessebar was included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.
Underwater heritage of the town
Underwater studies in the region of Nessebar began in 1960 as a continuation of excavations on land. Fifteen underwater archaeological campaigns were conducted in total (until 1983). During these studies, it was found that significant parts of the ancient town today are below sea level. Ruins of fortification walls, towers (including a hexagonal one), staircases, gates and other structures from the pre-Roman era, Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, were traced in various sectors around the peninsula – northwest, north, northeast, southeast, and south. The tracked layout of the fortification walls of Messambria leads us to conclude that due to sea transgression, landslide activity, sea abrasion and a series of earthquakes, Nessebar has lost a significant intramural part of its territory. Today it lays underwater at a depth between 1.5 and 6 meters.
Since 2017 the Bulgarian Centre for Underwater Archaeology at the Ministry of Culture conducts annual regular underwater surveys and excavations in the sea off Nessebar peninsula discovering and documenting the cultural heritage of the ancient town.
Research and Heritage Preservation Objectives
To reconstruct the evolution of the coastline of the peninsula. ● To search for, localize, identify, map and record the submerged structures around Nessebar and to clarify the defense systems of the town in Antiquity and Middle Ages. ● To date the different structures and to document the stages of relative sea level fluctuations, coastal changes and human adaptation through building new fortification systems. ● To search and identify the ancient harbors of the town. ● To study and record Medieval graffiti of ships in Nessebar’s churches.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Introduce students to basic underwater excavation methods and practices, including preparation and work with ejectors, trowels, identify artifacts, features and structures.
Develop capabilities to perform underwater documentation tasks using measuring and documentation devices, creating written, graphic, photographic, photogrammetric records.
Teach students how to recognize and evaluate stratigraphic relationships and contextual information, generate and test site formation hypotheses.
Introduce students to basic finds processing methods – initial desalination, cleaning, sorting, labeling, drawing, photographing and description.
Introduce students to advanced underwater documentation techniques – photogrammetry and 3D modeling of underwater structures.
Introduce students to the basic principles of artifact conservation from salty water environments.
Introduce students to geophysical prospection techniques – scanning with multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler as well as data processing and results interpretation.
Introduce students to remote sensing prospection and documentation techniques using ROV, bathymetric aerial LIDAR and aerial photography (theoretical), etc.
Introduce students to Reflection Transformation Imaging (RTI) technique for documentation of epigraphic monuments (theoretical).
Train students in developing diving skills in a manner that allows scientific research – establish and maintain neutral buoyancy, work upside down, avoid contaminating the water and use proper communication signs.
Present Bulgarian underwater archaeology to students, in the context of world maritime archaeology (history, sites, main research topics, concerned institutions, legislation, etc.).
Field school director: Dr. Nayden Prahov, Director of the Centre for Underwater Archaeology, Ministry of Culture; Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Co-Founder of Balkan Heritage Foundation.
Team members: Pavel Georgiev, Maritime Archaeologist at CUA and PhD student at University of Southampton; Eng. Kiril Velkovski, Marine Geophysicist; Zdravka Georgieva, Maritime archaeologist, PhD student at University of Southampton
CANADA
2024 Canada Head-Smashed-In (in southwestern Alberta, Canada)
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is located in the Porcupine Hills of southwestern Alberta, Canada. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has an interpretive centre run by mostly Blackfoot staff that has hosted over two million visitors since 1987. The site is an elaborate complex spread across the landscape where, for at least the past 5,500 years, hunters used the natural landscape to drive herds of bison off cliff edges and then process the animals in the vicinity. It is one of the most important locations of Indigenous heritage.
Our work at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump aims to clarify chronological and contextual issues related to the earliest occupation phases at the site, evaluate the relationships between different parts of the site, and identify earlier uses than those currently well-documented. Through this work, students will learn about the site and develop key skills necessary in North American archaeology. These elements of the project will involve targeted testing and excavations in three areas of the site and supplemental testing, surveying, and mapping in three other areas. During the field school students will have an opportunity to excavate at the site and process the archaeological materials they unearth in the laboratory.
INSTRUCTORS
All field school directors are experts in their field and passionate about their work. To discuss the suitability of this program for your career goals – whether within or outside academia – you are invited to contact the directors directly. For a broader discussion which CFS program to choose, you are welcome to contact our staff directly – you can do that through our “Contact Us” page.
PROF. SHAWN BUBELbubest@uleth.ca Professor of Archaeology at the Geography and Environment Department, University of Lethbridge
DR. KEVIN MCGEOUGH mcgekm@uleth.ca Professor of Archaeology at the Geography and Environment Department, University of Lethbridge
MR. BOB DAWEbob.dawe@gov.ab.ca Assistant Curator of Archaeology, Royal Alberta Museum, Canada
CANADA
UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK BIOARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL AT THE FORTRESS OF LOUISBOURG, CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA
(NOTE: The UNB Bioarchaeology Field School will not be running in 2025, but IT will announce the 2026 field school details soon)
The only bioarchaeological field school of its kind in Canada
The Fortress of Louisbourg, a National Historic Site in Canada, boasts an impressive history that contributes to our understanding of life in Atlantic Canada during the 18th century.
Due to ongoing and imminent coastal erosion, this shared history is being lost at an alarming rate as archaeological material is being steadily destroyed.
Our research is designed to address ongoing erosional issues at the Fortress of Louisbourg by actively excavating and analyzing the individuals interred at Rochefort Point.
By rescuing these burials through a large scale, multi-year rescue excavation, there is a unique research opportunity to explore the lived experience of those who were part of the Louisbourg community while actively protecting their physical remains from certain destruction.
Partnership
A partnership was established in 2016 between UNB and Parks Canada to begin systematic excavation of Rochefort Point to protect the burials most at risk of coastal erosion. This partnership is significant in that both parties:
work together towards a common goal of protecting these burials
recognize this unique research opportunity to learn more about 18th-century life
place high value on the dissemination of knowledge
recognize the appeal of this work both locally and nationally
Preserve the past through a learning opportunity
As a reconstructed French colonial site, Parks Canada aims to bring the past to life at the Fortress of Louisbourg through its historical reenactments and focus on visitor experience through immersive programming.
This partnership supports these goals by preserving the past at the site through the rescue of these burials, but also creating exciting learning opportunities for the general public.
For UNB, the partnership enriches student experience and focuses on technical skill building, knowledge translation, ethics and research integrity.
As the only bioarchaeological field school of its kind in Canada, this program showcases UNB as an important contributor to the discipline and strives to become the primary training program for emerging bioarchaeological undergraduate and graduate students both nationally and internationally.
a hands-on field experience to complement undergraduate and graduate courses
critical bioarchaeological training in skeletal recovery, analysis and ethical handling practices
public engagement opportunities via social media and public outreach events
We will be accepting 15 students for the 2023 field school. Applications will be adjudicated based on GPA, statement of intent, and a short interview completed with the Project Director. Preference will be given to those who have completed a human osteology or skeletal biology university-level course at the time of application; however, these types of courses are not considered prerequisites.
Those not admitted to the program will be placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
CHANNEL ISLANDS
2025 ISLAND ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MAP OF JERSEY (Channel Islands)
The 2025 JICAS Island Archaeology Field School in Jersey is run in partnership with Jersey Heritage, Societe Jersiaise and the University of Exeter’s International Summer School. This year’s Archaeological Map of Jersey Summer School will continue to focus on Approaches to Prehistoric Landscapes in Jersey, as well as a three-week excavation at the neolithic site La Hougue de Vinde.
Week one will cover mapping, recording and interpretation of the prehistoric record through geoarchaeological approaches. Outside of the classroom we will make use of Jersey diverse and dramatic landscape to explore different types of preservation context from Ice Age sediments of the foreshore to buried Neolithic landscapes.
Weeks two and three examine various field survey techniques, landscape archaeology and comparative island archaeology, as well as the known distribution of prehistoric sites from the Jersey Historic Environment Record and the new results of the recent LIDAR survey conducted on the island by Jersey Heritage. As part of the of ‘The Archaeological Map of Jersey’ project, weeks two and three will also continue the excavation work at La Hougue de Vinde as the basis of our planned field survey.
Cost: £799 for certificate (Jersey residents only) / £3,500 for credit (includes travel from UK to Jersey, accommodation, transportation, Jersey Neolithic dolmen tour, one-day trip to Guernsey, Channel Islands and all other cultural activities)
Pls email info@jicas.ac.je for an application form and complete prospectus with timetable.
Field School leader: Dr Matthew Pope (MCIfA. FSA.)
Dr Matthew Pope is Associate Professor in Palaeolithic archaeology at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. He leads multiple fieldwork projects spanning the last 600,000 years of the early human occupation record in Northern Europe. Over the last 13 years he has helped to lead the reexamination of the Paleolithic record of Jersey which has included excavations at La Cotte de St Brelade and Les Varines.
Field School leader: Dr Helen Dawson (MCIfA)
Dr Helen Dawson is adjunct professor at the Department of History and Culture at the University of Bologna, and associate research fellow at the Department of Prehistory at the Freie Universität Berlin. She has extensive fieldwork experience and a special interest in islands, which goes back to her first dig as an undergraduate in Barbados in 1997, followed by more fieldwork in the islands of the Mediterranean (Sicily, Cyprus, the Cyclades), a topic on which she has published widely.
Field School leader: Dr Hervé Duval (ACIfA)
Dr Hervé Duval is Field Archaeologist at the Société Jersiaise and associate research fellow to the UMR 6566, CReAAH, Rennes 1 University. Based in Jersey since 2022, he is in charge of developing research programs in the Channel Islands and promoting the work of the Archaeology Section. His research is mostly focused on Protohistory and he is both interested in island archaeology and erosion monitoring.
The Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies Field School is a research-led centre of teaching and learning that focuses on all things islands. Located in the beautiful and culturally rich island of Jersey, Channel Islands, and other islands across Europe, the JICAS Field School offers both theoretical and skills-based courses that help prepare the next generation of practitioners and decision makers within the field of Island Studies.
At our 2025 Island Archaeology Summer School, we offer you the chance to work with academics and practitioners from leading UK and European universities to learn by observing, questioning and doing. Within these three-week field courses, we bring people together from across the world to explore the importance of island archaeology and why it matters. Our entire academic and fieldwork programme is aimed at ensuring that you can make the most of the opportunity to explore the world of island archaeology within an island context.
The 2025 JICAS Island Archaeology Field School in Jersey is run in partnership with Jersey Heritage, Société Jersiaise and the University of Exeter’s International Summer School. This year’s Archaeological Map of Jersey summer school will focus on Approaches to
Full program syllabus from 2024 season can be found here
OVERVIEW
The islands of Old Providence and Santa Catalina -located 130 miles of the coast of Nicaragua and around 8.5 square miles in size- have been a center of global trade and commerce since the establishment of an English colony in 1629 and are still occupied by the Native Raizal descendants of the original colonists, African slaves, and members of a coterminous Maroon village to this day. Puritan venture capitalists financed the primary colonization of Old Providence and Santa Catalina –whose members arrived on the Seaflower, sister ship to the Mayflower– one year after the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in what was to become the United States.
From 1629-1630, colonists, under the direction of the Providence Island Company, constructed an administrative center (the Town of New Westminster) and several forts, along with establishing dispersed, plantation-household groups known as ‘families’ that were supervised by a ‘father’ and comprised of wealthy Company investors, apprentices hoping to establish their own plantations, and enslaved Africans; while concurrently establishing colonies in Massachusetts Bay and later, the Eastern Caribbean. The area surrounding the original town, along with dispersed plantation-household groups, and at least one Maroon settlement ultimately evolved into distinct neighborhoods, which are still extant today. Since 1629, the Raizal have been episodically under the administration of England, Spain, English & French privateers, and Colombia.
The Islands served time as a base for the infamous Henry Morgan in the late 1600s to ready for his assault on Panama, inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write the book “Treasure Island” after visiting in the 1800s and was a residence of Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. In addition to a colorful colonial and modern history, the Islands have had a compelling recent history. An airport, paved roads, and electricity did not arrive on the Islands until the 1980s, when the population was around 800 and the main mode of transportation was the natural gully system, which was -according to oral histories- modified and maintained for ease of use since the founding of the Colony. Since the 1980s, the population has risen to around 5,800 and very few people live in the interior due to the ease of transportation along the coast utilizing the main road that circumnavigates the Islands. Old Providence and Santa Catalina have changed substantially in the very recent past not only spatially and materially, but also culturally, linguistically (a unique Criol is spoken on the Islands), economically, and environmentally due to marine life degradation, rising seas, and most recently, the devastating effects of hurricane Iota in November 2020, which passed directly over the Islands, destroying 98% of the built infrastructure, including the Native Raizal museum and all its contents.
The Project aims to better understand the Islands’ historical timeline and elucidate localized strategies utilized by Native Raizal peoples, over time, to negotiate the intricate relationships between and among variable stakeholders embedded within the colonial- and modern-industrial complexes, including European colonists, venture-capitalists, and military; Indigenous groups; pre- and post-emancipated peoples of African descent; tenant farmers, agricultural workers, and indentured apprentices and servants; and more loosely affiliated, historically-connected groups such as Maroons, pirates, buccaneers, and privateers. An important aspect of this community-based research seeks to identify the real-world effects of rapidly fluctuating military and administrative power structures on the movement and organization of materials, ideas, and built-environments over time and how diverse –yet connected through colonial spheres of influence– culture histories inform the structures of everyday life and communities of practice for the groups and individuals who currently inhabit this location.
This community-led Project seeks to assist ongoing Native Raizal efforts to untangle the complex culture history of Old Providence and Santa Catalina by collecting oral histories, studying historical documents, and archaeologically exploring three foundational landscapes: 1) the original town of New Westminster [1629] located on the northside of Old Providence Island, 2) a colonial-period Maroon community -made up of self-emancipated individuals- located on the south/southeast side of Old Providence island, and 3) the natural and modified gully systems & terrestrial pathways covering the Islands, utilized since 1629 for intra-island transportation and residential and agricultural water management.
To this end, archaeological and survey tasks focus on gaining a better understanding the Islands’ settlement timeline and understanding behavioral continuity and/or discontinuity, over time; and ethnographic research aims to document Native Raizal stories, art, & culture, catalog familial connections, better understand the Islands’ built-infrastructure and natural landscapes from emic perspectives, and record the English Criol language unique to the Archipelago of San Andrés for posterity.
The Program employs Native Raizal monitors who work with our teams every day and are present at all points of data collection: a cultural monitor, environmental monitor, and ethnographic monitor. Additionally, many people from the local Raizal community have been directly engaged in our research and teaching efforts. In 2018, the Program engaged a Native steering committee that includes government officials, teachers, scientists, artists, bush medicine specialists, and business owners. The committee was (and will continue to be) consulted on the Program and assisted in developing our core problem orientation, research questions, and research design. Of note, the Islands are located within a UNESCO biosphere, so the Program works closely with both Native Raizal and international UNESCO representatives because heritage and environmental conservation and sustainability go hand in hand.
PREREQUISITES
This field school has no prerequisites for participation, but suggest students do some background research about the Islands as well as look over the required and recommended readings before arriving in the field.
INVESTIGATION AREAS
Compared with the plethora of colonial-era, Spanish-controlled sites in the Western Caribbean, far fewer English settlements were established in the region. The Providence Island Company Colony is one of only a handful of English settlements that dotted the (Miskito) coast, south of the Yucatán, of which an even fewer number have been investigated archaeologically or ethnographically. Of note, there is (currently) little evidence of pre-European settlements on the Island, other than oral histories of Miskito Indians visiting the Island to fish and hunt turtles.
The 2024 field research season, the 4 th on the Islands, is focused on adding to the body of Western-Caribbean, English colonial-period data through archaeological investigations of a variety of locations throughout the Islands; in tandem with gaining a better understanding what the past means to the Native Raizal people who currently inhabit this space through ethnographic interviews and direct participant observation.
A major goal of archaeological and ethnographic data collection is centered on locating the original town of New Westminster and a conterminous Maroon Village, located on opposite sides of Old Providence Island; and gaining a better understanding of how people, infrastructure, and activities were organized on this landscape in the past. Oral histories and the documentary record, suggest that intercultural contacts and exchanges were frequent and the rivalries on the Islands were intense. Historical records indicate that English indentured servants frequently found common cause with enslaved Africans, often to the point of running away with them.
Another important question involves the construction styles of the houses on the Island. Providence Island was 10,500km from England, and the Island’s natural environment, being tropical, was far different from that of temperate England. The divergence between the English homeland and the Caribbean colony raises interesting questions about how—and how well—the English adapted to the unfamiliar biodiversity on the Island. History indicates that the Governor’s house may have been the only structure on the Island made entirely of brick. This means that the other houses were likely earth fast, wooden structures commonly built at seventeenth-century English colonial settlements, but this will need to be archaeologically verified.
In addition to locating historical built environments and structures, the Program has been tasked by our Native steering committee to map the Islands’ water gullies and terrestrial pathways. The Islands’ gullies (originating in the mountains and ending at the sea) are not only a source of fresh water…the gullies, along with terrestrial routes covering the Islands, were used as the main travel corridors around the Islands until the main road was paved in the 1980s and are still used today. Mapping these routes will give us vital clues to the movement of people, information, and materials on the Islands, over time; and will likely lead to the discovery of currently unknown residential and agricultural sites, based on prime locations at the intersections of these formerly main ‘roads’.
Lastly, the Program seeks to understand what the past means to the extant Native Raizal population and how the geographic location and unique environmental biome shapes lifeways, now and in the past – what practices survive (or not) from the early days of the Colony and why. We will be working directly with the community in a variety of ways, so students will not only be able to handle archaeological materials, but will also be able to interact with the living descendants of the past we are studying. Moving between these ‘worlds’ is key to modern-world archaeology because we cannot understand the past properly without having an understanding of the current stakeholders (true inheritors) of that past.
To this end, research and data collection will be organized under four subject areas of investigation: 1. Full survey and excavations will be conducted at sites in Old Town on the north side of Old Providence Island that hold the remains of the original town of New Westminster [1629], where administrative and military groups and individual resided, and sites in the Bottom House and Southwest Bay communities on the south and southeast side of Old Providence Island, where Providence Island Company labor populations and Maroon communities of self-emancipated former slaves resided. 2. Geophysical survey, surface artifact collection, metal detecting, and rapid/reconnaissance excavations (e.g. shovel test pitting) will be undertaken at various sites on Old Providence and Santa Catalina Islands as local landowners give us access to their properties. Survey data will be used to identify future excavation sites and add to what we know about the Islands’ settlement timeline. 3. GPS route marking and object/feature geotagging of the Islands’ water gully & terrestrial pathway systems and other sites/features of note (e.g. gravesites on personal property, structural features, artifact scatter concentrations, etc.). 4. Ethnographic interviews – focused on life over time on Old Providence and Santa Catalina and the recordation of the unique art, cuisine, language, music, and dance of the current Native Raizal population for posterity.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTOR(S)
Dr. Tracie Mayfield (RPA #4754), Department of Anthropology, University of Southern California (email: <traciemayfield@me.com>)
CHINA
Western Zhou Excavations at Liulihe, (near Beijing, China)
Dates: June 9 to July 16, 2025 Application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
The Liulihe site in Beijing is a Chinese Bronze Age city dang from about 2,800-3,000 years ago. Remains at the site include rammed-earth city walls, moats, large rammed-earth buildings (palaces or ancestral temples), small above-ground buildings, crypts and semi-crypts, ceremonial relics, and burials of various grades.
Numerous excavated inscriptions indicate that the site was the capital city of the state of Yan, one of the most northerly feudal states of the Western Zhou period, as recorded in the literature. Artifacts reflecting the highest level of productivity and aesthetics of the me, such as bronze, jade, lacquer, and primitive porcelain, were unearthed from the aristocratic tombs at the Liulihe site. The study of pottery can show that there were people of different origins mixing here at the Liulihe site and distributed in different classes.
The site has been known since 1945, and excavation and research work has been carried out since 2019. The main research objectives of this phase of the Liulihe site are focused on early urban planning and layout, architectural forms and assemblage relationships of major buildings, and archaeological research on burials, with the types of excavations including dwelling sites and burials.
The content of the summer school is real fieldwork and excavation operations, which contribute to the overall project goals. The excavation sites we use for the summer school have a certain degree of continuity, and have been selected, investigated and test excavated beforehand to ensure that the students’ internships will be productive.
Students will mainly participate in the excavation, drawing, sampling and recording of tombs, as well as archaeological survey, exploration, recording, and data collation and uploading in other parts of the broader urban project. Teachers will live with students to facilitate communication. During the internship, students will be involved in excavation work under the guidance of their teachers and can ask them questions at any me. Teachers encourage and support students to actively express their views and opinions, and to make rational suggestions. The programme hopes to establish a close relationship between students and research work, and to improve their research ability and interest in participating in research. Outside of work and study, we will lead a visit to the World Heritage Site of the Zhoukoudian Homo erectus site and participate in the Great Wall conservation and restoration survey. Participants may be involved in public outreach or science popularization activities.
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites at this eld school. While an introduction to archaeology and anthropology courses (including an overview course on the Bronze Age in East Asia) would be helpful, it is not necessary. As this is a eld-based learning environment, students should understand that they will be exposed to environments and physical labour that they may not be used to on a daily basis.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The main goal is for the students to master the theory, techniques and methods of Chinese eld archaeology through a typical archaeological excavation of a large Chinese site, and at the same me to make some contributions to our real research work.
In the process, we will allow students to learn the techniques of archaeological exploration, excavation, recording, collecting, data cleaning, pottery classification and statistics. Students will have the opportunity to engage with some Chinese Bronze Age archaeology and learn about early Chinese urban features. In addition, students will learn how to discuss how to develop urban archaeological work and how to beer tell stories through archaeological work. Students will learn how to set academic goals, interpret phenomena, and work beer as a team.
TEACHING TEAM BACKGROUND
Two staff train the students to learn core skills for the whole program, and two other staff who own master’s degrees in English-speaking countries help students to complete relevant international formalities and help overcome communication obstacles between international students and Chinese teachers, and students. These four team members are all female. There will be a professional vocabulary booklet in both Chinese and English for students and teachers to communicate, reducing misperceptions about the excavation command.
CHINA
Early Bronze Age Excavations at Panlongcheng (Wuhan, Hubei Province, China)
Dates: June 22 to July 26, 2025 Application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
Step into the captivating world of Xia and Shang Dynasty-era China as you join the Panlongcheng Archaeological Field School. Situated in the verdant outskirts of central China’s bustling metropolis of Wuhan, Panlongcheng is a national cultural heritage park boasting a rich history dating back to the early Bronze Age. In this hands-on summer program, you’ll delve into the landscape, daily life, and social organization of this ancient urban settlement, the largest city of its time in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Through field excavations, lab work, and data analysis, you’ll contribute invaluable insights into the early Bronze Age civilization of the Yangtze River Valley while honing your skills as a researcher.
Project Directors: Prof. Changping Zhang & Dr. Zhuo Sun
CHINA
Middle-to-Late Neolithic Excavations at Yangguanzhai (near Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China)
Dates: June 15 to July 19, 2025 Application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
The prehistoric village of Yangguanzhai (YGZ) dates to the Middle to Late Yangshao period (3200-3,000 BCE). It is one of the largest settlements of its kind. The site is located in the Jing River Valley, approximately 25 kilometers north of the ancient city of Xi’an in northwest China. Since 2004, in preparation for a major construction project, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology began to conduct large-scale excavations and exploratory surveys – by means of test trenches and coring with the Luoyang spade – in various parts of the site. More than 18,000 square meters have been excavated to date. These activities revealed a moat, a row of cave dwellings, subterranean houses, child urn burials in the residential areas, and numerous pottery kilns. The quantity and quality of finds were impressive enough for the Chinese authorities to halt commercial development and declare the area a protected archaeological site.
In 2010, as part of the ongoing excavation, a joint UCLA/Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology/Xibei University project began to operate at the site. This project is shifting the focus from the large-scale exposure of architecture to a more careful and systematic analysis of local stratigraphy and a stronger emphasis on anthropological interpretations. More recently, researchers from the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology have discovered an extensive cemetery at the site, the only known cemetery so far dating to the Miaodigou Period (4 th millennium BC).
In its initial five seasons (2010-2014), the YGZ project excavated the northeastern portion near the moat, exposing multiple layers of domestic architecture. Like the other excavated sections of the YGZ site, no clear pattern of planning or coherent arrangement of habitation spaces is evident, as compared to other known Neolithic villages in the region. Many features were found either adjacent or at very short distance from the moat. In 2016, the field project excavated several house foundations and hearths, as well as a potential pottery kilns and a child urn burial, adjacent to a large artificial reservoir in the south central part of the site. In 2017, field school work returned to the northeastern section of the site. There, students discovered additional pits, a possible dwelling, and the inhumation burial of an infant inside the fill of a pit – an unusual feature for the Miaodigou Period. In 2018, we once again investigated the area surrounding the central reservoir of the site, continuing some of the work of 2016. The students excavated several pits that intersect with dwellings or with each other. The complicated internal stratigraphy of these pits indicates that even when used as refuse dumps, the pits would be modified to walk or even build upon. In addition, our teams uncovered the partial remains of a disturbed child urn burial and worked in a portion of the reservoir itself to further determine how it was structured and maintained. In the 2019 season – the last field season of the YGZ field school before 2024 – we moved our focus to a new location in the east of the settlement. There, we opened new trenches and uncovered another part of the large moat that surrounded the site. As expected, the deposits inside the moat yielded a very large number of artifacts, especially pottery. In addition, we found further evidence, such as a pit and possibly a dwelling, of occupation of the moat after it had already been filled in. We will continue working in this area in the 2024 season.
Although full understanding of Yangguanzhai still eludes us, a clearer picture has begun to emerge. Based on research into the formation processes of the moat and one of the pits excavated by the IFR field school, preliminary site formation models have been formulated. Results from the analysis of micromorphological samples suggests that the function of the moat has changed from “potentially defensive or symbolic in nature” (M. Fox 2016) to a refuse dump. Both environmental factors, particularly water-related effects, and anthropogenic actions were responsible for these developments. However, the reasons behind the changes in human behavior throughout the occupation history of the site are still unclear.
Test results and 14C dates indicate the existence of a long-lasting farming community at Yangguanzhai. The community subsisted on millet cultivation, husbandry of pigs, wild animal hunting, fishing, and wild plant gathering. Yangguanzhai’s inhabitants also invested heavily in ceramic manufacture, demonstrated not only by the enormous amount of pottery sherds discovered at the site, but the remaining kilns found in all seven excavated sectors at Yangguanzhai. Unlike earlier Neolithic villages, where ceramic manufacturing was separated from the village in adjacent locations, the ceramic kilns found in Yangguanzhai are next to or built within residential areas. Imported ceramics such as white paste rings, either plain or painted with red colored patterns, attest to the fact that long distance contacts with other regions was commonplace.
What makes Yangguanzhai and other contemporary sites stand out in the Neolithic Period is the fact that about 90% of all uncovered features are pits. We aim not only to discover the reasons for this phenomenon, but also to make use of it in order to challenge the traditional notions of “pits” in Chinese archaeology. Up to now, settlement pits in China are commonly designated huikeng, literally meaning “ash pit”, but better translated as “refuse pit”. However, this describes only the last function in the use life of a pit, whereas many of the pits at Yangguanzhai are much too large to have started off as mere garbage dumps. One of the main purposes of our research is thus to elucidate the initial function of these pits, as potential pit dwellings for example, through careful excavation and documentation as well as micromorphological analysis to study their formation in depth. This is supplemented by the typology of artifacts that have not entered the pit as refuse and the analysis of botanical remains from the pits. This way, we attempt to replace the simplistic concept of “refuse pits” in Chinese archaeology with a more nuanced idea of what functions settlement pits may have had.
In the coming 2024 season, the project will continue work on the eastern edge of the site. Coring and excavations in the 2019 season indicate that the moat continues in this area. As mentioned above, several aspects of the moats function and use over time remain unclear, so further investigation into the nature of the moat is one of our main concerns. Furthermore, previous excavations always noted a high density of features, such as houses and kilns, adjacent to the moat, even outside of the area it enclosed. The relationship between the moat and these features may tell us more about the original purpose of the moat and its chronological position. One important question to be pursued in 2024 is the possible presence at this location of a gate with an embankment interrupting the moat, corresponding to the features previously excavated on the western side of the settlement. Such a structure would be expected on the eastern side as well to allow for a link between the settlement and the cemetery to the east. In addition, further excavation of the moat itself is expected to reveal its various functions, not just for protection, but possibly for keeping livestock and the accommodation of kilns for pottery production along its banks. The refuse deposits inside the moat, full as they are of artifacts as well as animal and plant remains, should provide us with a wealth of information about life in the settlement. For that reason, the field school students will not only participate in the excavation of these features, but also in vital post-excavation techniques, such as flotation for botanical remains and the sorting and statistical processing of pottery according to typological categories. The excavation process itself will have a strong emphasis on understanding the complex stratigraphies at the site. This will involve the students participating in the collection of micromorphology samples.
The Yangguanzhai project provides not only training in field excavation, but also a full exposure to Chinese archaeology through lectures and visits to museums and archaeological sites of various periods. In addition, it provides opportunities for students to interact on a daily basis with Chinese students and to work closely with highly experienced Chinese archaeologists.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTOR(S)
Dr. Li Yue, Xibei University, China (liyue0114@gmail.com)
Dr. Zhai Linlin, Xibei University, China (641055200@qq.com)
Dr. Sun Zhouyong, Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, China (sunzhouyong2005@yahoo.cn)
Mr. Yang Liping, Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, China (ylp-arch@163.com)
CROATIA
EXCAVATIONS AT SALONA, CROATIA: THE ROMAN CAPITAL OF THE EASTERN ADRIATIC (Salona, Croatia)
Salona was the capital of the province of Dalmatia and the most important Roman site on the Eastern Adriatic. As a Roman colony, it was established in the 1st century BCE, and it lasted until 7th century CE when raids from Avar and Slavic peoples conquered Salona and forced its inhabitants to flee. It is probably the only provincial capital that didn’t develop into a medieval and, consequently, a modern city. Instead, the royal medieval city of Solin was founded at the eastern outskirts of Roman Salona, whose remains served as a quarry for not just Solin and surrounding places, but also for Split and even as far as Venice.
Salona has been excavated for more than 200 years. Yet most of the Roman city area – about 80% — is still unexcavated and unknown. There is much we need to know about Salona, including its building sequence, its integration of local population with Italian Romans, and its economic and political organization and institutions.
Our program is focused on digging at two distinct locations. The first area (Site 1) is a late antiquity building complex, dated to the 4-6 Centuries CE, with enigmatic design and unknown function. The second area (Site 2) is focused on the towers dotting the city’s walls, dated to the 2-4 centuries CE. To elevate the floor within the towers, the builders brought soil rich with ceramics from elsewhere at Salona (likely the nearby cemetery), creating a highly packed time capsule.
Both locations are rich in archaeological material, primarily pottery. They also contain other materials typical to a Roman city, including stone inscriptions and human remains. The first excavation location offers more complex stratigraphy, attesting to at least four centuries of using the same space (pre Roman and Roman periods), with the remains of several buildings from different occupation levels. The second excavation location offers a unique experience of understanding the building technique of a defensive tower. Namely, the layer below the floor surface consists of intentionally placed archaeological material. Because of that, we need to sift all the dirt we excavate, which brings to light not only pottery, bones and shells, but also many items that can be interpreted as personal belongings and grave goods.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Salona was the capital of the province of Dalmatia and the most important Roman site on the Eastern Adriatic. As a Roman colony, it was established in the 1st century BCE, and it lasted until 7 th century CE when raids from Avar and Slavic peoples conquered Salona and forced its inhabitants to flee. It is probably the only provincial capital that didn’t develop into a medieval and, consequently, a modern city. Instead, the royal medieval city of Solin was founded at the eastern outskirts of Roman Salona, whose remains served as a quarry for not just Solin and surrounding places, but also for Split and even as far as Venice.
Salona has been excavated for more than 200 years. Yet most of the Roman city area – about 80% — is still unexcavated and unknown. There is much we need to know about Salona, including its building sequence, its integration of local population with Italian Romans, and its economic and political organization and institutions.
Our program is focused on digging at two distinct locations. The first area (Site 1) is a late antiquity building complex, dated to the 4-6 Centuries CE, with enigmatic design and unknown function. The second area (Site 2) is focused on the towers dotting the city’s walls, dated to the 2-4 centuries CE. To elevate the floor within the towers, the builders brought soil rich with ceramics from elsewhere at Salona (likely the nearby cemetery), creating a highly packed time capsule.
Both locations are rich in archaeological material, primarily pottery. They also contain other materials typical to a Roman city, including stone inscriptions and human remains. The first excavation location offers more complex stratigraphy, attesting to at least four centuries of using the same space (pre Roman and Roman periods), with the remains of several buildings from different occupation levels. The second excavation location offers a unique experience of understanding the building technique of a defensive tower. Namely, the layer below the floor surface consists of intentionally placed archaeological material. Because of that, we need to sift all the dirt we excavate, which brings to light not only pottery, bones and shells, but also many items that can be interpreted as personal belongings and grave goods.
This program provides basic practical archaeological training for international and Croatian students. Our emphasis is on archaeological field methods and practices. Students will learn how to excavate complex stratigraphic contexts and utilize a broad range of archaeological tools. Students will also learn how to sieve, sort and recognize various types of archaeological artifacts, and learn how to properly observe and document the excavation process. Finally, students will use the latest spatial technology and create plans and maps using differential GPS and Photogrammetry.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the program, students will develop an in-depth, interdisciplinary understanding of archaeological excavation methods and practices. Students will learn how to scientifically excavate, analyze and interpret material culture. Students will also learn how to identify, date and classify Roman architecture and artifacts. The main purpose of this program is to enable participants to develop competencies and strategies for working at archaeological sites in various contexts and at multiple scales.
From a methodological perspective, fieldwork includes three main aspects:
Excavation: The goal of the excavation is the retrieval of artifacts, ecofacts and features within the archaeological context. Participants will be trained in the specific excavation and analysis tasks as well as in the general objectives of the excavation and its research design.
Work with recovered material culture and Lab Work: This is a key part of our archaeological strategy and includes inventory, classification and initial study of the artifacts, bones and archaeological structures found at the site. Project staff will train participants in the study of materials retrieved during excavation. Each day, we will discuss the activities to be performed and the results that are being obtained to plan for the work ahead and to fully involve participants in the project.
Lectures: Activities will be complemented with occasional lectures, at least once per week. Lectures will be 45-60 minutes each and presented by staff.
DIRECTOR: Dr. Dino Demicheli, Associate Professor at the Department of Archaeology, University of Zagreb (ddemiche@ffzg.hr)
CROATIA
THE LOBOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL and BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT, CROATIA
Date: June 15 to July 12, 2025 Priority deadline: February 1, 2025
Connect with humans from late antiquity through the early Middle Ages as you make your mark on an excavation that has been operating for over 25 years. Help uncover the mysteries of the sacred site of Lobor, which has long been associated with female religious icons, including a previous Roman temple dedicated to Diana and multiple churches dedicated to the worship of the Virgin Mary. You’ll help researchers understand more about the location’s importance from the 5th through the 12th century AD by excavating the graveyard and fortification walls surrounding the existing church, and will help shape what we know about daily life of its inhabitants through the study of human remains from the site.
Field school highlights:
Gain practical hands-on experience that translates to any excavation site including digging techniques, sieving, surveying, documentation and more.
Learn to identify human bones and deduce aspects of their lives and communities such as sex, age, diet, class, and more.
Work alongside local university students from Croatia and create international friendships.
Overview (from Summer 2024 field school description)
Lobor is a sacred archaeological site that has been active since prehistoric times. It played an important role in Late Antiquity when various barbarian groups (Germanic and others) crossed the borders into the Western Roman Empire. In the period between the 4th and 7th centuries, settlements were relocated to hilltops so that they could provide better protection for the inhabitants and make visual communication between such elevated spots easier. At that time, a large early Christian basilica was built in Lobor. It was probably erected on the site of a former temple dedicated to Diana. After the early Christian church was destroyed, first a pre-Romanesque church and then a Romanesque church were built. These churches marked another important period in Lobor’s history, the Carolingian period. The remains of the only wooden church known so far in northwestern Croatia have been discovered at the site. The wooden church is likely to have served as a temporary shrine between the respective periods of activity of the pre-Romanesque church and the Romanesque church. Since the very beginnings, the Lobor site has been associated with female cults, first the goddess Diana and later the Virgin Mary. It has remained so until today.
The churches are surrounded by a cemetery with burials dating back to prehistoric times and up to the 19th century. Every year, research into one part of the cemetery is conducted. Students learn the process of determining the area of a burial, cleaning the skeletons in the soil, drawing, photography, dealing with in situ finds, removing and packing the bones, and laboratory analysis of skeletons. The Bioarchaeological School at Lobor began is 2016 as the Croatian Science Foundation project. The projects aims to reconstruct the profile of communities that lived in the area, from trauma analysis to DNA and facial reconstruction of individual skeletons.
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTORS
Dr. Krešimir Filipec, Professor and Director of at the Department of Medieval Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb (Croatia) (kfilipec@ffzg.hr)
Ms. Jana Škrgulja, Assistant Professor at the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb (Croatia) (jana.skrgulja@gmail.com, jskrgulj@ffzg.hr)
This field school is one of many operated in collaboration with the Institute for Field Research (IFR)
CYPRUS
The Makounta-Voules Archaeological Project: Exploring a prehistoric settlement in northwestern Cyprus (Polis (Polis Chrysochous),
Makounta, and Nicosia, Cyprus)
Dates: June 11 to July 19, 2025 Regular Decision Program Application Deadline: February 5, 2025
The Makounta-Voules Archaeological Project is a collaborative, international research project investigating the backstory to urbanization in prehistoric Cyprus. The site of Makounta-Voules–Mersinoudia (previously investigated and published by Dariusz Maliszewski as Makounta-Mersinoudhia) is a prehistoric settlement in the northwestern part of the island, where few prehistoric sites have been excavated. Our team is exploring the evolving relationship between copper exploitation, long-distance trade, agricultural intensification, and increasing social inequality during the Late Chalcolithic period, Early Bronze Age, and Middle Bronze Age, immediately before the first urban centers emerged on the island.
Program Overview
The island of Cyprus, legendary birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite, lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. The Republic of Cyprus is a member of the European Union and is a popular tourist destination that offers dramatic landscapes, pristine beaches, a vibrant cultural scene, and world-famous archaeological sites. Archaeologists working on the island have uncovered abundant evidence for a rich and complex past that stretches back into deep prehistory. Students in the program will take part in archaeological excavations at the prehistoric site of Makounta-Voules-Mersinoudia, located in western Cyprus in the foothills of the Troodos mountains near the coastal town of Polis. Students will also embark on weekly trips to visit archaeological sites across the island, including the sprawling Classical city of Kourion, the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaepaphos, and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Khirokitia, Paphos, and the painted churches of the Troodos.
ACADEMICS
Students will receive daily, hands-on instruction in archaeological field methods and will explore the archaeology of Cyprus – as well as archaeological method and theory more broadly – through field trips, reading/writing assignments, and a series of evening lectures. Students are encouraged to enroll in both ANT 389 (3 credit hours) and HI 395 (3 credit hours), but they may choose to enroll in one or the other of these courses. Both courses include prerequisites, but these may be waived with the permission of the instructor.
PROJECT DATES
Students should arrive in the town of Polis, Cyprus, on June 12, 2024, and depart July 19, 2024. If you wish to arrive earlier or stay later, please contact the project director to make additional lodging arrangements.
LOCATION
We will be living in the town of Polis (Paphos District, Cyprus), a short drive from the site of Makounta-Voules-Mersinoudia.
Contact
For more information, please email one of the project collaborators:
FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTORS Dr. Finn Ole Nielsen, BARC-Bornholm Museum, Denmark (fon@bornholmsmuseer.dk) Dr. M. Nicolás Caretta, BARC-Bornholm Museum, Denmark (nc@bornholmsmuseum.dk) MSc. Michael Thorsen, BARC-Bornholm Museum, Denmark (mst@bornholmsmuseum.dk) MSc. Ditte Kofod, BARC-Bornholm Museum, Denmark (ditte.kofod@icloud.com)
OVERVIEW
Neolithic settlements are among the most frequent types of prehistoric sites. Yet few have been investigated in the Baltic region. Scholars have incomplete understanding of how Neolithic sites were built, how different parts functioned and what activities took place, or how circular structures (identified through timber post holes in a circular form) had developed. This project aims to investigate these issues at Vasagård, a settlement on the island of Bornholm (Denmark) that corresponds chronologically to the Neolithic period c. 3500-2700 BCE.
The Neolithic dwellings at Vasagård and cultural layers fall broadly into two periods: (1) Early Neolithic B/C to Late Funnel Beaker culture; and (2) Middle Neolithic A-V to Middle Neolithic B-I. The Vasagård Archaeological Project aims to seek more detailed answers to specific questions at the sites and from those, to extrapolate about cultural traditions at the Baltic and North European Neolithic Period. Our goal is not only to explore the richness of the archaeological materials found on Vasagård but also the type and history of interactions among different groups/farming communities in the Baltic, their technology, economy, religion, and social organization.
Vasagård is divided into two distinct sections: (a) Section West with a tomb system, where a dolmen and a passage grave are present and (b) Section East with a settlement system. It is important to note that the proximity of a causewayed enclosure, graves and settlement is unique to the period. During the 2007 excavations of the East and West Enclosures, it was determined that the grave system was replaced by a stockade. The East Enclosure enclosed an approximately 4-hectare area and West Enclosure, a somewhat larger with about 7 hectares area. On each side at least 6 palisades and 3 phases of construction can be detected. Inside and within the palisade fence there is a settlement with traces of burnt offerings – cereal, bones and flint tools. So far, no traces of the characteristic two-aisled longhouses were identified; however, traces of at least 9 circular timber circles were found, seven on the east and two in the West site, but there are certainly more.
During excavations in 2013-2018, nearly 300 broken and complete flat stones were recovered, engraved with patterns of radiating straight lines. Dubbed ‘sun stones’ or ‘solar stones’, archaeologists at the Bornholm Museum dated those to c. 2900 BCE. They suggested that these artifacts were part of rituals carried out by Neolithic sun-worshippers. Other engraved stones include symbolic maps of local landscapes, and these were possibly used in rituals by individuals who hoped to magically influence the sun and thus fertility of their farmlands. Our current working hypothesis is that Vasagård was established by a group of early farmers who constructed a fenced stronghold with one public building, possibly a temple. The ornamented wall of the temple can be compared with similar finds at the site of Schalkenburg in Sachsen-Anhalt (Germany), suggesting ritual use.
IFR students have been taking part in the excavation of two of the system graves and the causeways enclosure at Vasagård Vest. A special find from previous seasons was composed of an assemblage of seeds, “sunstones” and ceramics, that corresponds to the Funnel Beaker Culture in other parts of Denmark and overlaps in time with the Pitted Ware Culture and the Early Battle Axe Culture (Middle Neolithic A-V and Middle Neolithic B-I). During 2022 our interest focused on the completion of the excavation on Cultural Layer II (MN A III) and the new section opened at structure XIII.2; and the cultural layers (MN V) in the structure XXXV, where most of the sunstones have been found in Vasagård west. For the 2023 season, Vasagård field school students will participate in the excavation of the main sections of the Vasagård Vest enclosure. We want to understand the deposition process of the layers and the differences in content in contrast with other layers. It is also of interest to the project to understand the time span of the deposition process of each layer and recover all the archaeological material associated with this layer.
ECUADOR
Pambamarca Archaeology Project: Inka Fortresses and Communities in Ecuador (Cangahua, Ecuador)
You want to be here. The community partners we work with are excited to have us return to continue the work. Our 2025 program will involve mostly local community service, reconnaissance and lab organization in July. Students would enroll in a 4-unit Applied Anthropology course that would allow for introductions to the region and development of future research plans.; and they will enroll in a 2-unit Laboratory Methods course that will cover the basics of artifact analysis as we continue to uncover clues to the legendary history of the area. Ecuador was a land of incredible resistance to colonial forces. Indigenous Quichua speaking peoples managed to hold off the Inka, the Spanish, and now multi-national corporations since the 1400s. Is it the water? The climate? What is it about the peoples of the paramo (high grasslands) that gives them the ability to continue in the face of blatant imperialism.
If you are interested please fill out the preliminary application so we can contact you directly with more information. Thanks!
Below see the information from our 2 week program in 2023, the summer 2025 will be similar in structure.
Discover with us the beauty of Ecuador as we continue our investigation of the landscapes surrounding the Pre-Columbian sites of Pambamarca. Join us in South America this summer for an excellent archaeology and cultural experience with course work and field trips.
Live with us and other project members in the Andes.
Learn about all aspects of the research project, including archaeological survey and excavation and community development activities, but the focus will be on laboratory work.
Days will be spent immersed in the culture of Ecuador both past and present. To learn about the past the student will learn the basic field techniques of archaeology, including excavation, survey and laboratory analysis. Classwork will cover some archaeology methods and theory, as well as South American archaeology and history. For more details about our research and the past findings, please see the Pambamarca project website and the bibliography section below.
Field trips for students will be called Faculty Developed Practica (FDP) designed to foster intercultural knowledge. Students will be required to take part in these trips. For example students will travel to indigenous communities, market towns, ancient archaeological sites and museums.
We are a short ride to the town of Cayambe, and a little over an hour from Quito on the weekends. Also, the world famous artisans and market of Otavalo are located only a half hour to the north. Buses are cheap and direct. For the adventurous, the headwaters of the Amazon River, the majestic Pacific coastline, and even the Galapagos Islands are a short plane trip away. Ecuador is a truly remarkable place, and we are excited to share its wonders with you, and meanwhile to do some really interesting archaeology!
Description of the Archaeology
The Pambamarca project area contains the largest concentration of pre-Columbian forts in the New World (Hyslop 1990). We have been working here since 2001 excavating and surveying at the forts. We know from the Spanish chroniclers that the Inca Empire tried to conquer the Ecuadorian people beginning around 1490 and that the people of Ecuador put up a famous resistance which forced the Inca to construct fortresses over many years until finally the conquest ended in the murder of most of the Ecuadorian army at Lago Yaguarcocha or the Lake of Blood. The purpose of our study is to examine the sequence of occupation and activity in and around Pambamarca. What we have found out so far is that
Evidence for warfare is everywhere
People built these sites at different times and for different purposes.
There are different kinds of sites in the Pambamarca complex, including castle-like pucara (Inca forts) and other non-military sites that seem to be more religious and less military.
There are roads connecting all the sites.
We need to learn so much more!
Our work in 2025 will continue researching these amazing sites and expand our survey in the Andean highlands. Our aim is to document all of the sites and find out why so many forts were built in this critical geographic location. In addition, we hope to uncover the differences between the Inka and Cayambe warfare tactics. Finally, we will be trying to understand what made the Cayambe so successful at resisting the Inka when the rest of South America fell so quickly.
Student field work typically begins at a Spanish era colonial hacienda where we learn field techniques, and quickly move to the other sites for the rest of the field season. Plans in 2025 will include analysis of artifacts from excavations at important Cayambe sites and Inka fortresses. Preliminary survey and exploration of ancient road systems will continue into the Amazon basin.
Students are trained in laboratory analysis this summer. Our typical student this summer may be someone with previous experience in survey and excavation who would like to be in the lab for a few weeks, or you simply want to come to Ecuador and learn about archaeology and anthropology! The project also utilizes Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect subsurface features and uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyze data, but this summer we will not have the GPR in country, although we are planning a 3D photogrammetry project that students will be involved in.
Description of the Indigenous Anthropology
For too long archaeologists have been involving themselves in research without a coherent plan for using anthropology to work with the local peoples in different capacities. This summer we will be working closely with Ecuadorian community members who are interested in putting together a local museum. Students who are interested in aspects of public archaeology will be working closely with the project directors and the community members to create a shared vision for a permanent installation within the town of Cangahua. These are exciting times to be a part of the program.
Course Descriptions
All participants must commit to active and positive engagement in all program components. Students will earn 6 units of credit from Foothill College for successful completion of the program. The classes you will be taking are ANTH12 – Applied Anthropology (4-units) and ANTH17L – Intermediate Archaeology Laboratory Methods (2-units). Both of these courses are fully transferrable to your universities.
The field program is broken down into different parts and everything will be very accelerated. The field and lab training portions of the program involve all the aspects of archaeology, preparing the student to operate in a field archaeology environment anywhere in the world. Benefiting from the over 100 years combined staff experience in teaching archaeology, each student is instructed in methods of site reconnaissance, surveying, excavation techniques, data recording, photography, and drawing. In the laboratory, students are guided through different aspects of artifact analysis, such as ceramic typology and stone tool production experiments.
A field journal will be covering every day in the field will be handed in by the student to the professors. The journal will cover the research being conducted and critically analyze the experience as it is ongoing. We find it is important for our students to reflect upon the daily rhythm of their lives. We will also require one or two blog posts during the trip.
Contact information
Dr. Samuel Connell, Department of Anthropology, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Rd., Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 USA
(650) 949-7197 connellsamuel@foothill.edu
DO NOT HESITATE TO EMAIL OR CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!!!
EGYPT
Tell Timai Archaeological Project (Timai El Amdid, Egypt)
The ruins of the Greco-Roman Egyptian city of Thmouis are found at Tell-El Timai in the Nile Delta of Egypt near the modern city of El-Mansoura. Thmouis is first mentioned in Classical texts by Herodotus (Histories of Herodotus 2.166) based on his visit in the middle of the 5th century BC. By Ptolemaic times the city was flourishing, having assumed administration of the Mendesian nome from its sister city at nearby Mendes. Historical references to the city in Josephus (Jewish Wars 4.656), Pliny (Natural History 13.2.4), Ammianus Marcellinus (Roman History 22.16), and other sources attest to the importance of the city in the Classical world. The city earned its greatest fame as the source of Mendesian perfume prized throughout the Mediterranean. The city played an important role in the rise of early Christianity, serving as an episcopal see during the Late Roman Period (3rd – 4th centuries AD). The city appears to have been abandoned during the Arab Period in 831 AD following the suppression of a tax revolt. The coming season will be focused on the Rise of Christianity and Roman monumental architecture.
About the Tell Timai Archaeological Project
Tell Timai, the ancient city of Thmuis, is a rare example of a well-preserved Graeco-Roman City in the Nile Delta. The urban center is nearly complete and offers an exceptional opportunity to study all aspects of life, business, religion, and administration during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Mudbrick architecture is rarely preserved in the Delta, making Tell Timai a unique piece of Egyptian history. Unfortunately the site is under considerable threat from encroachment, erosion, and looting. Since 2007, the Tell Timai Project of the University of Hawaii has embraced the concepts of Research, Conservation, and Education and has undertaken the tasks of studying the city to save it as an important piece of Egyptian patrimony and world history. The ultimate goal is to create a site worthy of drawing tourism to the Eastern Delta and combining the site with neighboring Mendes to create a World Heritage Archaeological Zone.
The ambitious goals of the Tell Timai Project are beyond the means of any one institution. We have a philosophy that this work will only be successful if it is a cooperative effort between international scholars and institutions, Egyptian archaeological institutions, the Ministry of State Antiquities/Supreme Council of Antiquities, and the people who live in the vicinity of the Tell Timai-Mendes Archaeological Zone.
History of the Ancient City of Thmuis
The ruins of the Greco-Roman Egyptian city of Thmuis are found at Tell-El Timai in the Nile Delta of Egypt near the modern city of El-Mansoura. Thmuis is first mentioned in Classical texts by Herodotus (Histories of Herodotus 2.166) based on his visit in the middle of the 5th century BCE. By Ptolemaic times the city was flourishing, having assumed administration of the Mendesian nome from its sister city at nearby Mendes. Historical references to the city in Josephus (Jewish Wars 4.659), Pliny (Natural History 13.2.4), Ammianus Marcellinus (Roman History 22.16) and other sources attest to the importance of the city in the Classical world. The city earned its greatest fame as the source of Mendesian perfume which was prized throughout the Mediterranean, and Thmuis played an important role in the rise of early Christianity, serving as an episcopal see during the Late Roman Period (3rd – 4th centuries CE). The city appears to have been abandoned during the Arab Period in 831 CE following the suppression of a tax revolt.
History of excavations at Tell Timai
Since 2007, the Tell Timai Project of the University of Hawaii has embraced the concepts of Research, Conservation, and Education and has undertaken the tasks of studying the city to save it as an important piece of Egyptian patrimony and world history. The ultimate goal is to create a site worthy of drawing tourism to the Eastern Delta and combining the site with neighboring Mendes to create a World Heritage Archaeological Zone.
Project Directors:
Dr. Robert Littman, University of Hawai`i: Project Co-Director and Mudir
Dr. Jay Silverstein, Nottingham Trent University: Project Co-Director and Field Director
French Polynesia Summer Project and Field School: Archaeology in the Marquesas Islands (Vaitahu Village, on Tahuata in the southern Marquesas, French Polynesia)
Affiliation: Andover Foundation for Archaeological Research
Project Director: Barry Rolett rolett@hawaii.edu, University of Hawai‘i and Andover Foundation for Archaeological Research
Overview:
Verdant forests, rugged peaks, and turquoise seas. The Marquesas are one of the best known yet least visited archipelagoes in the South Pacific. The Polynesian discovery of these stunningly beautiful islands around 800 years ago represents one of humanity’s momentous achievements; and that was only the beginning. By the time Captain Cook reached these shores in 1775, Marquesan chiefdoms were distinguished by their monumental architecture and a religious system in which important ceremonies demanded human sacrifices. Marquesan art is world-renowned and it has inspired generations of Western artists, including Paul Gauguin.
Beginning with Cook’s expedition, museums throughout Europe and America have sought out Marquesan art and artifacts. Yet while Western museums hold great numbers of these treasures, until recently there was no museum for the Marquesan people themselves. That is what inspired our 2023 Marquesas project and the Te Ana Peua Museum.
Te Ana Peua, the first community-based archaeology museum in French Polynesia, is in the heart of Vaitahu, the main village on Tahuata, one of the most remote and traditional islands in the Marquesas. On the coast of nearby Hanamiai Valley lies one of the richest and most extensively studied archaeological sites in Polynesia. Here, hidden beneath the roots of coconut palms, is a captivating record of daily life in the Marquesas dating back to initial Polynesian discovery around 1200-1300 AD.
AFAR’s long-running project Marquesas is a collaborative effort in which an international team of students works closely with members of the local community, under the direction of University of Hawai‘i archaeologist Prof. Barry Rolett. Through our excavations at Hanamiai, Te Ana Peua now has one of the best collections of Marquesan artifacts in the world. During this year’s project, we will collaborate with our local team (the same team engaged in the excavations) to design and mount new exhibits for the museum. We will also take on some outdoors projects (e.g. site survey) to vary our schedule and to give students a chance to work on some of the well-preserved monumental architecture for which the Marquesas is famous.
Period(s) of Occupation: East Polynesian Archaic to European contact period (ca. AD 1250–1880).
Notes: Discover an ancient South Pacific culture. The Marquesas project is a four-week archaeological field school experience on Tahuata, a remote Polynesian island with a rich history. Participants are fully immersed in a small community while working with Marquesans and living as the only foreigners on an island with no airport or hotels.
Bondi Cave Palaeolithic Field School (Imereti region, in the Caucasus Mountains of western Georgia)
Dates: Project Dates:
Bondi Period 1: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 13th July 2025 Bondi Period 2: Sunday 13th July to Sunday 20th July 2025 Bondi Period 3: Sunday 20th July to Sunday 27th July 2025 Bondi Period 4: Sunday 27th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025
Bondi Phase 1: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 20th July 2025 Bondi Phase 2: Sunday 20th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025
Bondi All: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025
Located in the Imereti region of western Georgia, Bondi Cave offers a unique glimpse into the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition, approximately 45,000 to 35,000 years ago—a pivotal time when Neanderthals gave way to anatomically modern humans across Europe and Eurasia. Set in a karstic landscape rich in Palaeolithic sites, Bondi Cave holds successive layers documenting both Neanderthal and modern human occupations. The artefacts uncovered, including over 10,950 lithic tools, animal bones, plant remains, and what may be the oldest known Anatomically Modern Humans fossil in the Caucasus, reveal vital details about early human dispersal, migration, and cultural evolution in the Caucasus.
Step Back in Time with Us
Join us next season as we delve further into Bondi Cave’s depths to uncover new insights into early human life. Our goal is to locate additional burials and explore deeper layers that may extend back to the Lower Palaeolithic, revealing environmental data from the late Pleistocene and capturing the climatic shifts that shaped early human adaptation.
During our 2024 season, participants helped re-establish our excavation grid and made a rare discovery—a Neolithic juvenile burial. Alongside this, over 2,000 stone tools were uncovered, showcasing the site’s archaeological richness and drawing the attention of Georgian media.
Hands-On Archaeological Training at Bondi Cave
Under the guidance of archaeologists from Past to Present Archaeology and Historic World Georgia, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a range of essential archaeological techniques, specifically tailored to the unique challenges of cave excavation. Your training will include:
Single-Context Excavation: Receive guided training in precise excavation techniques, with support throughout as you learn to document complex cave stratigraphy accurately.
Maintaining Accurate Site Records: Develop skills in record-keeping, with guidance to ensure each discovery is properly documented.
Archaeological Site Photography: Learn basic photography techniques for capturing excavation details, with hands-on support from our experienced team.
Artefact Retrieval and Cataloguing: Gain practical experience in carefully retrieving and cataloguing artefacts, under the supervision of our archaeologists.
3D Survey of Artefacts: Participate in 3D surveying, creating digital records that aid in analysis and preservation, with step-by-step instruction.
Lithic Identification and Typological Analysis: Begin learning to identify and classify stone tools, an essential skill for studying early tool-making, with expert guidance.
Drawing Archaeological Plans and Sections: Receive instruction on producing scaled drawings, essential for interpreting cave sites.
Archaeological Interpretation and Sequencing: Work alongside our team to interpret artefacts and layers, developing a deeper understanding of the site’s history.
GREECE
2025 Athens, Greece: Heritage Site Management: Principles and Practices
In an era of unprecedented change, the imperative to effectively manage our collective heritage has never been greater. The Heritage Management Field School is designed to address this need by equipping participants with essential skills to navigate the complexities of heritage management in a rapidly evolving environment. This intensive program offers a unique opportunity for students, enthusiasts & professionals to deepen their understanding of heritage management, explore innovative approaches, and engage with the challenges and opportunities facing heritage sites around the world.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION In an era of unprecedented change, the imperative to effectively manage our collective heritage has never been greater. The Heritage Management Field School is designed to address this need by equipping participants with essential skills to navigate the complexities of heritage management in a rapidly evolving environment. This intensive program offers a unique opportunity for students, enthusiasts & professionals to deepen their understanding of heritage management, explore innovative approaches, and engage with the challenges and opportunities facing heritage sites around the world.
Our shared heritage, encompassing archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, and intangible traditions, is a vital part of our human identity and history. Yet, it is increasingly threatened by factors such as climate change, urbanization, technological changes, and shifting social values. In this context, the role of heritage management becomes crucial as preserving the human past will enrich and inform the human future. Effective management practices are essential to preserving these invaluable assets for future generations, ensuring that they remain accessible, relevant, and resilient.
The Heritage Management Field School is tailored to address these challenges through a curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with practical training and skills. Participants will delve into the relationships between heritage, identity, and community, as well as the role of governments, international organizations and economic forces in preserving and displaying cultural heritage. The program is designed to foster a holistic understanding of heritage management, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives and hands-on experiences to prepare attendees for real-world scenarios.
Throughout the field school, participants will participate in interactive workshops, explore case studies, and conduct visits to operating heritage sites. These experiences are designed to provide practical insights and foster collaborative learning. By working closely with experts and peers, attendees will develop a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities inherent in heritage management.
The Heritage Management Field School is more than just an educational program – it is a call to action for those passionate about preserving our shared legacy. By acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to address contemporary challenges, participants will be empowered to make a meaningful impact in the field of heritage management. Whether you are a seasoned professional seeking to update your skills or a newcomer eager to enter the field, this summer school offers a valuable platform for growth, learning, and leadership in safeguarding our common heritage.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the program, students will develop an in-depth, interdisciplinary understanding of heritage management across cultural, community, national and international levels. Through lectures, case studies, site visits and workshops, students will develop skills of analysis, interpretation, and critical evaluation of tangible and intangible facets of heritage. This field school is not only designed to impart theoretical knowledge but also to offer hands-on experience in managing the multifaceted and evolving field of heritage. The main purpose of this program is to enable participants to develop competencies and strategies for the preservation, management, and sustainable use of cultural heritage in various contexts and at multiple scales.
Note: This program does not provide accommodation or meals. Athens is a major tourist destination with many hotels for all price ranges, Airbnb’s, and plenty of excellent, affordable restaurants. Athens public transportation is excellent, connecting the city with an efficient & affordable metro and bus system.
DIRECTORS: Dr. Marija Kamber, Heritage Management Organization (m.kamber@heritagemanagement.org)
Dr. Evangelos Kyriakidis, Director, Heritage Management Organization (e.kyriakidis@heritagemanagement.org)
GREECE
Intensive Workshop for Metal Conservation & Interpretation (Island of Zakynthos, Greece)
Dates: June 1-14, 2025 Application deadline: June 1, 2025
INTRODUCTION
The program provides students with intensive training in ethnographic metal conservation. This program is designed for students who are considering a career in conservation and provides focused, in depth training for the study, conservation, preservation, mounting, and reconstruction of one type of ethnographic artifact – metals. This is a hands-on program, and we will cover both theory and practice of metal conservation.
Students will be guided through the history and technology of ecclesiastical, historical, and ethnographic metal objects and consequent stages of their study, conservation, and documentation. Students will explore the principles of material conservation, including methods and theories. To better understand structure and materials, students will learn how to use analytical instruments, including optical microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Students will learn how to operate and interpret results. During the program, students will work with authentic objects and replicas of metal artifacts of various types and sizes.
This program focuses on metal object conservation. It will cover the following modules: • Introduction to Chemistry for Conservators • History of Ethnographic and Archaeological Metal Artifacts • Construction Technology of Ethnographic and Archaeological Metal Artifacts • Introduction to Interventive Conservation Treatments of Metal • Conservation Techniques and Materials of Metal: 1) Iron; 2) Copper; 3) Copper Alloys • Physicochemical Analyses of Metal: XRF, XRD & Raman analysis • Preventive Conservation & Handling of Metal. Conditions and Materials of Storage or Exposure of Metal • Environmental Conditions of Interventive or Preventive Conservation. Methods and Materials of in situ Conservation of Metal
This program takes place at the labs of the Department of the Environment at the Ionian University, on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the workshop the participants will:
Be able to develop basic practical skills (depending on participant’s initial level of qualification) in metal conservation treatment.
Become acquainted with the basic methods of required documentation for the conservation of metal objects using graphic software, as well as photo documentation.
Learn about the forms, types, traditions, and technology of manufacture of archaeological and ethnographic metal objects in the Eastern Mediterranean, from the Middle Age to the modern era.
Get acquainted with different case studies for preventive conservation of metal objects.
Meet professionals working in the areas of conservation in Greece.
DIRECTORS: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christos Karydis, Conservator & Associate Professor at Ionian University, Greece (c.karydis@ionio.gr) Dr. Adamandia Panagopoulou, Post-Doc Researcher at the Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology “Demokritos” National Center for Scientific Research, Athens (a.panagopoulou@inn.demokritos.gr)
Dr. Angela Pencheva, Co-Founder of Balkan Heritage Foundation, Adjunct Professor at CPCE, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria) & ICCM Board Member (balkanheritage@gmail.com)
GREECE
Intensive Workshop for Paper Conservation & Interpretation (Island of Zakynthos, Greece)
Dates: June 8-21, 2025 Application deadline: May 24, 2025
The program provides students with intensive training in paper conservation. This program is designed for students who are considering a career in conservation and provides focused, in depth training for the study, conservation, preservation, mounting, and reconstruction of one type of ethnographic artifact – paper. This is a hands-on program, and we will cover both theory and practice of paper conservation.
Students will be guided through the history and technology of ecclesiastical and historical paper objects and consequent stages of their study, conservation, and documentation. Students will explore the principles of paper material conservation, including methods and theories. To better understand structure and materials, students will learn how to use analytical instruments, including optical microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Students will learn how to operate and interpret results. During the program, students will work with authentic & replicas of paper artifacts of various types and sizes.
This program is focused on paper conservation. It will cover the following modules:
Be able to develop practical skills in paper conservation treatments.
Become acquainted with the basic required documentation for the conservation of paper using graphic software, as well as photo documentation.
Learn about the forms, types, traditions, and technology of paper manufacturing.
Use case studies to learn and practice preventive conservation of organic and inorganic paper materials, including ink and other printing materials. This program takes place at the labs of the Department of the Environment at the Ionian University, on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the workshop the participants will: ● Be able to develop basic practical skills (depending on participant’s initial level of qualification) in paper conservation treatment. ● Become acquainted with the basic methods of required documentation for the conservation of paper objects using graphic software, as well as photo documentation. ● Learn about the forms, types, traditions, and technology of manufacture of archaeological and ethnographic paper artifacts in the Eastern Mediterranean, from the Middle Age to the modern era. ● Get acquainted with different case studies for preventive conservation of paper objects. ● Meet professionals working in the areas of conservation in Greece.
DIRECTORS: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christos Karydis, Conservator & Associate Professor at Ionian University, Greece (c.karydis@ionio.gr)
Dr Nikolas Sarris – Conservator of paper & archive materials, National Library of Greece (nikolasarris@gmail.com)
Dr. Angela Pencheva, Co-Founder of Balkan Heritage Foundation, Adjunct Professor at CPCE, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria) & ICCM Board Member (balkanheritage@gmail.com)
GREECE
Intensive Workshop for Textile Conservation & Interpretation (Island of Zakynthos, Greece)
Dates: May 25 to June 7, 2025 Application deadline: May 18, 2025
The program provides students with intensive training in ethnographic textile conservation. This program is designed for students who are considering a career in conservation and provides focused, in depth training for the study, conservation, preservation, mounting, and reconstruction of one type of ethnographic artifact – textiles. This is a hands-on program, and we will cover both theory and practice of textile conservation.
Students will be guided through the history and technology of ecclesiastical, historical, and ethnographic textiles and consequent stages of their study, conservation, and documentation. While most textiles are made with organic materials (cotton, wool, flax, etc), some include the use of metal wires (gold, silver, copper, etc). This program will train students to engage with textiles with both organic and inorganic components.
Students will explore the principles of material conservation, including methods and theories. To better understand structure and materials, students will learn how to use analytical instruments, including optical microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Students will learn how to operate and interpret results.
During the program, students will work with authentic and replicas of textiles of various types and sizes. This program takes place at the labs of the Department of the Environment at the Ionian University, on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the workshop the participants will:
Be able to develop basic practical skills (depending on participant’s initial level of qualification) in textiles conservation treatment.
Become acquainted with the basic methods of required documentation for the conservation of textile using graphic software, as well as photo documentation. Learn about the forms, types, traditions, and technology of manufacture of ethnographic textiles in the Eastern Mediterranean, from the Middle Age to the modern era.
Get acquainted with different case studies for preventive conservation of organic and inorganic textile materials.
Meet professionals working in the areas of conservation in Greece.
DIRECTORS:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christos Karydis, Conservator & Associate Professor at Ionian University, Greece (c.karydis@ionio.gr)
Dr. Angela Pencheva, Co-Founder of Balkan Heritage Foundation, Adjunct Professor at CPCE, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria) & ICCM Board Member (balkanheritage@gmail.com)
GREECE
Introduction to Conservation of Metal, Paper, and Textiles (Island of Zakynthos, Greece)
Dates: May 25 to June 15, 2025 Application deadline: May 18, 2025
This is a beginner program, introducing students to the interventive and preventive Conservation of textiles, paper & metal objects. This field school is hosted by the Department of the Environment of the Ionian University, Zakynthos campus (Greece). The program provides a unique opportunity for students to gain comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience on the conservation and preservation of organic and inorganic cultural objects. Participants will be guided through the history and technology of ecclesiastical, historical, ethnographic textiles, papers and metal objects and stages of their study, conservation, and documentation. This program will take place at the labs of the Division Conservation of Antiquities & Works of Art at the Ionian University.
During the program, students will work with authentic and replicas of textiles, archival materials, and metal objects. The project includes three modules: practical work in the documentation and restoration of textiles, paper, and metal; lectures, training, study visits and excursions to the General Archives of Zakynthos (paper) and to the Ecclesiastical Museum of St. Dionysious (textiles & metal).
The workshop enables participants to gain comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience in paper, metal and textile conservation, documentation, and scientific analysis. Students will explore the principles of material conservation, methods, theories, and will learn how to use optical microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) instruments for conservation work.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the workshop the participants will: ● Be able to develop basic practical skills (depending on participant’s initial level of qualification) in textiles, paper and metal conservation treatments. ● Become acquainted with the basic methods of all the required documentation for the conservation of textiles, paper and metal using graphic software, as well as photo documentation. ● Learn about the forms, types, traditions, and technology of manufacture of textiles, paper and metal. ● Get acquainted with different case studies for preventive conservation of organic and inorganic materials. ● Meet professionals working in the areas of conservation in Greece.
DIRECTORS:
Assoc. Prof. Christos Karydis, Conservator & Assistant Professor at Ionian University, Greece (c.karydis@ionio.gr) Dr Nikolas Sarris – Conservator of paper & archive materials, National Library of Greece
Dr Adamantia Panagopoulou – Conservator of Antiquities; Post-Doc Researcher in archaeological materials at Barcelona University in Spain with ‘NCSR’ Demokritos in Greece; Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Dr. Angela Pencheva, Co-Founder of Balkan Heritage Foundation, Adjunct Professor at CPCE, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria) & ICCM Board Member (balkanheritage@gmail.com)
GREECE
Archaeology Practicum: Excavations at Aixonidai Halai (Voula Field School) (Voula, near Athens, Greece)
Students who have a serious interest in archaeology are invited to come to Athens for three weeks in January to participate in the excavation of a site associated with Aixonidai Halai, one of the ancient municipalities on the coast of ancient Attica. This will be offered as a short, INTENSIVE course with a total of 22 classroom contact hours, 12 hours of lab-work and teaching plus 45 hours of supervised participation on-site. The next excavation is scheduled for January 2 – 22, 2025.
Course Description
This three-week session will evolve around the physical excavation of a site near the modern Athenian suburb of Voula which, in antiquity, was associated with Aixonidai Halai, one of the main coastal demes (municipalities) of ancient Attica. According to all indications, it is quite probable that the excavation site corresponds to the Agora of the ancient municipality.
The course will consist of three main teaching components. The first is the on-site excavation, focusing on experiential learning, aimed primarily at introducing students to archaeological fieldwork and all related aspects of current research methodology and theory, under the supervision of trained professionals. The second consists of class lectures, which will subsequently enhance the “hands on” experience by placing it within the proper wider methodological and historical context. Last, but not least, the third component will be centered around lab-work, dealing primarily with the study and interpretation of the material cultural and will include artifact processing and cataloging as well as artifact restoration and preservation.
For the on-site excavation portion of the course, students will be under the supervision of archaeologists from the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Greek Archaeological Service; Effi Lyggouri is the principal investigator; Mary Giamalidi and Dr. Anna Maria Anagnostopoulou and CYA’s Dr. John Karavas are the field directors. Afternoon classes will meet at CYA each afternoon following the morning excavation sessions. In addition to the above, the course will also include visits to nearby relevant archaeological sites and museums, such as the Sanctuary of Apollo Zoster, the Cemetery at Pigadakia as well as the Piraeus Archaeological Museum.
Learning Objectives
To familiarize students with current archaeological methodology and techniques.
To acquaint students with aspects of stratigraphic excavation and field documentation, material culture, artifact processing and cataloging.
To instruct students on how to keep archaeological field journals.
To introduce students to current artifact dating techniques.
To contextualize the Voula excavations within their historical setting.
An intensive week-long course in Archaeological Micromorphology is offered by the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science. Dr. Panagiotis (Takis) Karkanas, Director of the Wiener Laboratory, and Dr. Paul Goldberg, Senior Visiting Professor, Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie (INA), University of Tübingen, will lead the course. The program will primarily focus on deciphering site formation processes and micro-stratigraphy. Students will receive instruction in optical mineralogy, description, and interpretation of micromorphological thin sections based on analysis of soil fabrics and sedimentary microstructures.
Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology Course
Training will include the study of:
Soils and pedogenic processes
Natural processes in archaeological sites (e.g. water and debris flows, wind-blown sediment, standing water sediment)
Anthropogenic processes (e.g., burning, stabling, living and constructed floors, dumping and filling, trampling, raking, building materials)
Post-depositional alterations (e.g., chemical diagenesis, bioturbation)
A maximum of 9 students will be accepted for the course. Preference is given to advanced students with a background in geoarchaeology, and preferably some exposure to optical mineralogy as well.
Participants who successfully complete a course of instruction will receive a certificate detailing the content of the course.
The Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science in collaboration with the American School’s Agora Excavations offers a full week-long Field School on Site Formation, Stratigraphy, and Geoarchaeology in the Athenian Agora.
Description
The Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science in collaboration with the ASCSA Excavations at the Athenian Agora offers a full week-long Field School on Site Formation, Stratigraphy, and Geoarchaeology in the Athenian Agora. Dr. Panagiotis (Takis) Karkanas, Director of the Wiener Laboratory, and Dr. Paul Goldberg, Senior Visiting Professor, Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie (INA), University of Tübingen, will supervise the intensive field school.
Registered students will be involved in interdisciplinary field research in the Athenian Agora primarily focused on archaeological context, geoarchaeology, and material sciences. Through field observations, laboratory analysis, and lectures, students will receive instruction in the study and analysis of archaeological sediments and deposits, as well as gain experience in the recording of stratigraphy and the understanding of site formation processes.
A maximum of 12 students will be accepted for the course. Preference is given to advanced students and post-docs with a background in archaeology, and preferably some exposure to the natural sciences.
Participants who successfully complete a course of instruction will receive a certificate detailing the content of the course.
Textbooks: Reconstructing Archaeological Sites 2019 by Panagiotis Karkanas and Paul Goldberg (Wiley Blackwell), Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology, 2nd edition 2022 by Paul Goldberg, Richard I. Macphail, C Carey, and Y Zhuang (Blackwell), and Microarchaeology 2010 by Stephen Weiner (Cambridge University Press).
A syllabus will be emailed three weeks before the start of the field school.
Costs
Training fee is 450 euros ($500 USD) for the entire week. Accommodation is not provided, but we will offer recommendations and assistance to course participants in order to arrange accommodation themselves.
Travel costs to and within Athens are not included.
Application
Applications should be submitted no later than January 15, 2025 via the online application form.
An application will include a brief cover letter outlining the candidate’s background and interest in participating in the course, a CV, and names and email addresses of two referees. Referees might be contacted for references after the application deadline, if necessary. Applications for the International Field School will also submit a list of grades (unofficial transcript) as part of the application.
The Corinth Excavations of the American School are looking for advanced graduate students to serve as supervisors during the spring 2025 field season. The season is divided into three four-week sessions, each comprising three weeks of excavation and one week of analysis, synthesis, and clean-up. Session I will run from April 6 to May 2; Session II from May 4 to May 30; and Session III from June 1 to June 27. Applicants may request to stay for one or more sessions.
At Corinth, experienced local workers are entrusted with most of the actual digging, while supervisors are expected to maintain a synchronous record of the fieldwork with the aid of the iDig app. Supervisors are also expected to work with the Director and Associate Director in processing the context pottery and other small finds from their area and in producing a synthetic report on their area at the end of each session.
Excavation in 2025 will continue in the area northeast of the theater, where work was initiated in 2018. For information on the most recent season, click here. Reports on previous seasons appear in Hesperia 89 (2020) pp. 125-190; Hesperia 90 (2021) pp. 773-818; Hesperia 92 (2023) pp. 355-404.
Accommodations are provided in the two guest houses of the excavation compound and meals are provided 5 days a week.
Review of applications will begin January 15, 2025, and will continue until the positions are filled.
A completed online application form, with the materials requested below.
Letter of Interest.
CV.
Names and email addresses for two referees. Referees might be contacted for references after the application deadline, if necessary.
Acknowledgement of health considerations. Check the box on the application form to acknowledge that you have read and understood the “Health Considerations.”
EXCAVATIONS IN THE ATHENIAN AGORA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SUMMER SEASON
The American School of Classical Studies at Athens conducts a program for volunteers wishing to participate in the archaeological excavations of the Athenian Agora during the summer. Approximately fifteen to twenty-five volunteers are chosen on the basis of academic qualifications and previous archaeological field experience. Both advanced undergraduate students and graduate students are eligible, although priority is given to graduate students preparing for careers in classical archaeology. Open to all nationalities.
The Volunteer Staff will participate in all aspects of the archaeological fieldwork under the supervision of a staff of field archaeologists and technical experts, all of whom have extensive field experience and advanced academic training in classical archaeology. Volunteers will be trained in the basic techniques of excavation: working with various tools; cleaning and investigating stratigraphy; delicate cleaning of artifacts in the ground; sifting of excavated earth and techniques of flotation; washing and basic conservation of pottery and other objects; clerical work involved in the keeping of excavation records, among other duties. Students will also receive training in various scientific methods and techniques. Tasks will be assigned in rotation, and volunteers are expected to participate in all of them. Room and a modest allowance for board are provided for the time volunteers are working at the excavations. Travel arrangements to and from Greece are the responsibility of each volunteer.
The Summer Season
The excavations are planned for eight weeks,June 10 to August 2, 2024.Fieldwork is in progress five days a week, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a 30-minute break at midmorning, and some post-excavation duties will run until 5 p.m. Volunteers are expected to be on the site during these hours and to work at the excavations for a minimum of six weeks.
Call for Excavation Supervisors for the 2024 season in the Athenian Agora
The Agora Excavations are looking for Supervisors for the excavations of the Athenian Agora.
The American School of Classical Studies has been excavating in the area of the Athenian Agora since 1931, bringing to light the history of the area over a period of 5000 years. Finds range from scattered pieces of pottery of the late Neolithic period (ca. 3000 BC) to the contents of 19th and early 20th century basements. The Agora of the 5th and 4th centuries BC has been the main focus of attention. Scholars have identified the often scanty material remains on the basis of ancient references to the Agora as the center of civic activity of ancient Athens. Public documents inscribed on stone, weight and measure standards, and jurors’ identification tickets and ballots reflect the administrative nature of the site, while traces of private dwellings in the area immediately bordering the open square, with their household pottery and other small finds, throw light on the everyday lives of Athenian citizens.
After the initial phase of excavation, the area was landscaped and the Hellenistic Stoa of Attalos was rebuilt to serve as museum and workspace. The reconstruction, under the authority of the Department of Restorations of the Greek Ministry of Education, was paid for by American donors. Excavations at the Athenian Agora by the American School are ongoing.
The Athenian Agora Excavations and Study Center are funded by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, with major support from numerous foundations, institutions, and individuals. The work of excavating began in the 1930’s with the substantial support of John D. Rockefeller, who also funded the reconstruction of the Stoa of Attalos (1953-1956) to serve as the site museum with storage facilities. In recent years the work has been supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Packard Humanities Institute. Other key supporters include the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Princeton University, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and Randolph-Macon College, among others. Millions of dollars have been provided in support of the excavation, restoration, research, and publication of
one of the most productive archaeological projects in the Mediterranean basin. In recent years the Packard Humanities Institute has also collaborated in a large project to digitize the vast collection of antiquities and archives stored in the Stoa of Attalos, a project supplemented by grants from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.
TThe American School of Classical Studies at Athens conducts a program for volunteers wishing to participate in the archaeological excavations of the Athenian Agora during the summer. Approximately thirty-five volunteers are chosen on the basis of academic qualifications and previous archaeological field experience. Undergraduate applications are welcome, although priority is given to graduate students preparing for professional careers in classical archaeology and those willing to work the entire season.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens 321 Wall Street, Princeton, NJ 08540-1515 Email: programs@ascsa.org Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION INTERNSHIPS IN THE ATHENIAN AGORA
The Agora Excavations Conservation Laboratory of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens is offering 2 Archaeological Conservation Internships for the summer 2024 excavation season.
Deadline: December 16, 2023
About the Internship
The Agora Excavations Conservation Laboratory of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens is offering two Archaeological Conservation Internships for the 2024 summer excavation season. The Conservation Laboratory functions as an integral part of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens’ Agora Excavations. Its aim is to support the excavations by providing services that contribute to the study and understanding of the site.
Interns will have an opportunity to treat freshly excavated archaeological finds and to participate in an active on-site conservation laboratory. Under the supervision and guidance of the Agora Conservation staff, interns will carry out general conservation duties including: examination and analysis of artifacts; documentation; cleaning; reconstruction; restoration; and photography of artifacts from the current excavation and from storage. In this way, interns will be able to work with a variety of materials including ceramics, stone, glass, copper alloys, iron, lead, bone and occasionally ivory and wood. An introduction to the re-treatment, preventive and long-term care of archaeological collections will also be provided.
Applicants must currently be enrolled in a graduate or equivalent conservation program, or they must have recently completed their studies in conservation. Successful candidates are required to obtain their own medical insurance for the duration of their internship. Successful candidates are also responsible for their travel arrangements to and from Athens, Greece and for arranging their own accommodation. A modest expense allowance, consisting of approximately 120 euros per week, and a housing allowance of 125 euros per week (up to 1000 euros for 8 weeks and upon submission of receipts) will be provided for each intern during their internship. Those persons who are already resident in their own accommodations in Athens are welcome to apply for the program and will receive the same expense allowance, although no refund for their housing is possible.
Internships may vary in length from 6 to 8 weeks and are undertaken from early June to early August. Applicants should indicate in their application their approximate preferred dates within this time frame.
Application
Applicants will complete an online application by the deadline (December 16, 2023).
Internships may vary in length from 6 to 8 weeks and are undertaken from early June to early August. Applicants should indicate in their application their approximate preferred dates within this time frame on the online application.
Applications require two confidential letters of recommendation, which will be solicited through the application portal and must arrive by the deadline, 16 December 2023.
Applicants can expect to receive notification after 16 February 2024.
This summer course offers students the unique opportunity to actively participate in the excavation of one of the most prominent sanctuaries of the Aegean, situated on the uninhabited islet of Despotiko, west of Antiparos, in the center of the Cyclades. Systematically excavated since 2001, this sanctuary -dedicated to Apollo-, proved to be almost as rich as the well-known sanctuary on the sacred island of Delos in its architectural development and its dedications.
While unveiling the history and the different phases of ritual activity at this important Cycladic sanctuary, the participants will be introduced to archaeological fieldwork methods and theory. In particular, the excavation will focus on the exploration of a number of edifices not only within the sacred precinct, but also outside of it. An oval or apsidal building of the 8th century B.C., which represents the earliest construction of the site up to date, presents special interest. The interpretation of its character and function is crucial for reconstructing the earliest ritual practices at the site. The sanctuary attracted numerous votive dedications of various types. This gives students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a variety of artifacts of different materials and types covering a wide chronological range extending from the Early Iron Age (9th-8th c. BC) to the Classical period.
NOTE: This course starts on the island of Antiparos and ends on the island of Paros, Greece. Students should arrange to arrive in Athens the day before the start of the program, and to depart from Athens the day after the end of the program, in order to have time for their ferry connections between Athens and Antiparos/Paros.
Join us for the 2025 season of excavations on Keros, the largest settlement and earliest maritime sanctuary of the Early Bronze Age (2800-2200 BC) in the Cyclades, Greece, and receive training in up-to-the minute micro-excavation techniques and digital recording technologies.
Background of excavations: Until recently, the island of Keros and the adjacent islet of Dhaskalio were the centre of a Bronze Age mystery. Looting in the 1950s and excavations in the 1960s revealed a strange site where broken Early Cycladic marble figurines and other prestige items had been found. Only in very recent years have we begun to understand the nature of this completely unique site.
In 2006-2008, excavations led by Prof Colin Renfrew of the University of Cambridge, defined the nature of the sanctuary and settlement, which feature large and imposing buildings. In 2012-2013, the Keros Island Survey helped us understand the occupation of the rest of the island of Keros and the 2015 survey on the nearby island of Naxos the nature of the wider maritime networks within which Keros was situated. Meanwhile, excavations on Dhaskalio in 2016-2018 revealed extensive monumental walling, an entrance stairway into the site, and extensive metal working.
The construction operation on Dhaskalio would have required a controlled master plan, involving the coordination of a substantial workforce operating under some form of authority. The scale and complexity of the construction project, such as the building of terrace walls and other architectural features, suggest the involvement of at least some skilled labourers and the need for organizational oversight. Given the challenges posed by the rugged terrain and limited resources on the island, the successful execution of such a project would have demanded careful planning, efficient resource management, and coordination among various labour teams. Moreover, the presence of elaborate architectural structures and infrastructure, as evidenced by the terrace walls and other built features, indicates a level of engineering expertise and sophisticated construction techniques. The existence of a some sort of authority overseeing the construction efforts is implied by the cohesive and systematic nature of the building operations. Such an authority would have been responsible for devising the master plan, allocating resources, directing labour teams, and ensuring the co-ordinated completion of construction tasks.
Renfrew first defined the importance of metalworking for understanding what he termed ‘the emergence of civilisation’ in the Aegean in the third millennium BCE. The importance of Keros for metalworking had been apparent for some time, after the analysis of slags collected on the Kavos Promontory in 1987, north of the Special Deposit North. Surprisingly, these slags turned out to be the product of two different smelting processes: ore had been brought from wherever it had been mined (presumably in the western Cyclades) and smelted on Kavos Promontory. This is the only known smelting site in the Cyclades located at a significant distance from ore sources: the normal practice was to smelt near the mines, thus reducing considerably the volume of material, from raw ore to smelted metal. That this was done on Kavos Promontory, in an open area suitable for people to gather, which suggests a public performance of the metalsmiths’ skill. Interestingly, Kavos Promontory was also the location of production of obsidian blades, also potentially in a public act, linking the production of obsidian and metal as resources imported mainly from the western Cyclades). The evidence for metallurgy and obsidian working on Kavos Promontory further emphasised the highly connected nature of the site and its dependence on external resources for its principal functions.
Current programme of research: In 2025 we begin a new, five-year programme of research, where we will use the latest micro-archaeological excavation techniques and all-digital recording, including dGPS, digital recording on tablets, lidar and digital photogrammetry. We aim to understand how all the different parts of the island were utilised in the Early Bronze Age and develop our understanding of the overall structure, function and date of the site.
The new programme will formally be a co-operative project between the Greek Ministry of Culture (Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades – EfAKyk) and the British School at Athens (BSA), with the close collaboration of The Cyprus Institute (CyI). The directors will be Michael Boyd (BSA/CyI), Evi Margaritis (CyI) and Demetris Athanasoulis (EfAKyk). Colin Renfrew has given his enthusiastic support to the project and will continue to advise us as Director Emeritus.
Where։ Keros, Cyclades, Greece [Download Google Earth kmz file]. All participants will be staying in rented, en suite accommodation at the project base on the nearby island of Kouphonisi.
Length of stay։ 27th April – 7th June 2025
The site can act as a time capsule and an island laboratory for the inception of urbanization in Europe. Due to its importance the project has been the focus of two documentaries (one in the National TV of Greece and one produced by the National Geographic) and various media. Here are some useful links:
This is afive-year archaeological research project (2021-2025) focused on the site of Pella in northern Greece, which is exploring the lives of the city’s inhabitants during the Classical and Hellenistic periods (fifth to first centuries BCE). It is a direct collaboration between the Ephorate of Antiquities of Pella and the University of Michigan, in association with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This project represents a follow-on study to the Olynthos Project (now in its publication phase). The multi-scalar, multi-disciplinary research design and the field methods to be used at Pella are derived from those developed and successfully implemented by the team at Olynthos.
Project Goals
The Pella Urban Dynamics Project focuses on the roles and experience of non-elites as their community emerged as a major centre of the Greek world. Pella is an ideal context for such an investigation: previous archaeological work shows that an older city here underwent a radical expansion during the second half of the fourth century BCE, following the city’s designation as capital of the Macedonian kingdom (ca. 400 BCE) and the subsequent expansion of Macedonian culture.
The Project seeks:
to make a methodological contribution to the study of the social dynamics of Hellenistic kingdoms
to examine some of the economic, social and cultural continuities and discontinuities in urban life between the Classical and Hellenistic periods
Extensive previous field work at Pella provides a chronological and spatial framework which are being tested and elaborated in the course of this Project. Previous research has revealed a Hellenistic district to the north of the original Classical city comprising various structures including a city wall, street grid, an exceptionally large agora (public square), sanctuaries, public baths, and several monumental elite houses, as well as parts of smaller dwellings and craft workshops. By contrast, although excavation and geophysics have identified and mapped the island stronghold of Phakos to the south (once surrounded by wetlands, and known from some literary descriptions), little information has been discovered about the adjacent Classical city. This project aims to explore and characterise the Classical and Hellenistic settlements as a basis for evaluating continuity and change. At the same time, the excavated Hellenistic structures will be contextualised within the broader topographic and chronological frame of the developing city. Urban change will be studied at multiple scales comprising both the community as a whole, as well as smaller spatial and social units: neighbourhoods and individual households.
Research Design
At the community-wide and neighbourhood scales the Project aims to produce a comprehensive picture of the extent and layout of Pella at different times. A combination of geophysical survey and field survey are being used to define and sample the various neighbourhoods, characterising occupation and assessing the facilities available.
Geophysical Survey
Geophysical survey is being used to investigate the extent of the Hellenistic street grid and document city walls, ditches and other features. Ground penetrating radar, in particular, is being used in areas with multiple occupation phases, since the ‘slices’ through the ground at different depths that it provides offer the best chance of documenting change through time in the urban plan and in the size and layout of individual buildings. Magnetometry is also being used to highlight anomalies caused by industrial or domestic activities (e.g. respectively, kilns or large storage jars). Electrical resistance provides a supplement where a more detailed picture of individual features is required.
Field Survey
In addition to geophysical survey, field survey is helping to characterise neighbourhoods and document change through time. Previous work on the Hellenistic city centre traced an orthogonal street grid known to comprise insulae (blocks) 47m wide and varying in length between 110 and 152m. This grid is usually extrapolated to cover the entire area within the Hellenistic city walls, approximately 1.5 by 2.5 km. In many neighbourhoods, however, the density of occupation is unknown, and it is possible that not all of the space enclosed within the Hellenistic walls may have been built on.
Excavation
At the household level work is focusing on the excavation of a non-elite, house in the southern part of the site, inside the Classical city wall. The goal is to reconstruct how the residents constituted their social and cultural identities through their daily practice, and how that practice may have changed through time. Topics addressed include, for example, how they organised their activities within the space of the house; what foods they consumed and the ways in which it was stored, prepared and served; and their choice of consumer goods (including pottery, but also commodities such as the wine and oil that once filled transport amphorae). The practices and preferences of the excavated household will eventually be contextualised using the evidence from field survey to assess how representative (or otherwise) the excavated assemblage is in comparison with the larger body of contemporary material from various neighbourhoods and the city as a whole. Change through time will be explored both by comparing the results of these excavations with legacy data from later, Hellenistic housing and also by excavating a stratigraphic trench.
Archaeobotanical Study
The Project places a significant emphasis on studying the evidence for the uses made of different plants within the ancient city. To this end we are engaged in a substantial program of flotation and archaeobotanical analysis of soil samples collected during excavation. This work is carried out in collaboration with the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology and the PlantCult (CIRI-AUTH) laboratory at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Volunteer Information:
Volunteers are invited to apply to join the field team for the fourth field season of the project, from 23rd June to 1st August 2025. The project will be undertaking both field survey and excavation, and volunteers will have an opportunity to gain experience in field methods and protocols, archaeological documentation and finds identification. Participants will be accommodated in a shared room with shared bathroom. Accommodation will be approximately 15 Euros per night. Lunch and dinner will be approximately 18 Euros per day. Participants will purchase their own breakfasts. (Exact costs will be confirmed in April before applicants are asked for firm confirmation.)
If you are interested in participating, we ask that you be willing to join us for either the first or the second three weeks of the season (that is 23rd June to 12th July or 13th July to 1st of August), or both. Previous experience of archaeological field work is not essential, but it would be an advantage to have some experience in a related field (such as volunteering in a museum, course work in classical archaeology, art history, classics or anthropology).
If you are interested, please submit a brief letter of application stating why you would like to work on the project and how it would fit into your broader educational and/or career goals. Please also send a brief curriculum vitae listing relevant experience you may have (such as: course work in classical archaeology, archaeology, anthropology, art history, architectural history or a related discipline; previous archaeological or museum volunteering; experience of working on archaeological materials in a laboratory setting; skills such as data management, work with geographic information systems, etc.). Please also include the names of two referees (such as a lecturer or professor) who can be asked to vouch for your suitability to work as part of the project team. Please send this information to Professor Lisa Nevett at the University of Michigan (lcnevett@umich.edu).
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all places are filled, or until 30th April, whichever comes first.
Directors and Specialists
Dr. E. Bettina Tsigarida (Museum and Ephorate of Pella), Director
Dr. Stratos Nanoglou (Museum and Ephorate of Pella), Co-director
Professor Lisa Nevett (University of Michigan), Co-director
Dr. David Stone (University of Michigan), Co-director
Archaeobotany
Professor Soultana-Maria Valamoti (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
Ceramics
Dr. Nikos Akamatis (Academy of Athens)
Dr. Nadhira Hill (Randolph-Macon College)
Topography
Dr. Peter Knoop (University of Michigan)
Mr. Filippos Stefanou (Thessaloniki)
EXCAVATIONS AT ARGILOS, Nea Kedylia, GREECE (Field School and Volunteer)
Dates: 4 weeks session: June 2 – June 28, 2025, 6 weeks session: June 2 – July 12, 2025
Application deadline: May 1, 2025 (earlier applications strongly recommended)
The Greek-Canadian archaeological excavations at Argilos is a vast collaboration project between the Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Serres and the University of Montreal (under the auspices of the Canadian Institute in Greece). Directed by Zisis Bonias and Jacques Perreault, the mission numbers more then 40 students from various Canadian and European universities participating in the excavations every year, with assistance of qualified workers and scholars specialized in various areas of greek archaeology (architecture, pottery, numismatics, etc.).
The main objective of our research program is to better understand the establishment and organization of the Greek colonies on the northwestern coast of the Aegean sea by systematic excavation of Argilos. Some very important aspects of Greek colonization in the 7th century B.C. in this region have yet to be studied. The exceptional quality of the remains brought to light at Argilos up to now give us the opportunity to study fundamental aspects linked to the cultural relations between Greeks and Thracians and the development of colonial urbanism. How does a city, founded on a territory which was probably not hostile but surely very different from the homeland, take birth ? What is the rhythm of its development, what did condition it? What is the nature and how does the contacts and exchanges with the indigenous populations organize themselves ?
In order to answer these questions and others, the scholars working at Argilos have concentrated their efforts on three areas of the hill: along the sea coast, where excavations brought to light the earliest occupation levels of the town; on the southeast slope, where archaeologists excavated important public and domestic dwellings which give precious information about the architectural and urbanistic development of the city; and on the acropolis, where the buildings unearthed cover all the periods of the city’s existence, and notably those of the Hellenistic period, built after the destruction caused by Philip II in 357 B.C. [READ MORE]
Thanks to the work of a great team of students supervised by our staff of competent and energetic archaeologists, the 2024 study season was a great success! We worked on interesting structures and reconstructed several exceptional vases, helping us to better understand the urban and economic development of Argilos during the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC.
Amongst past discoveries is a large portico containing 12 shops. The portico is in a remarkable state of preservation, and our excavations have shown that it dates to the middle of the 6th century BC. In addition to this building, we have been excavating three other ones, also containing several rooms, some serving as shops, others as workshops and housing units.
2025 will be an excavation season. We will working in the following areas :
we will continue our study of the commercial sector of Argilos, concentrating on the large residential complex “Q” and the new “U” complex.
we will also be excavating a new area, the “Angelopoulos plateau”, were we have uncovered new and very interesting buildings as well as a large street leading to the acropolis.
we will also be working at the Amphipolis museum to catalogue and analyse the finds uncovered.
Also, as we do every summer, field trips will be organized to important archaeological sites and museums in the region (Pella, Vergina, the archaeological museums in Thessaloniki, Philippi, Abdera…). An optional three day visit of the beautiful island of Thasos is also organized.
Field Program
Work on the site and at the museum is supervised by experienced archaeologists.
Only 40 students will be accepted for this special season, which will combine three components:
Theoretical: history of the site and the vast region of Macedonia / Thrace, workshops on architecture and urbanism, pottery styles, etc.
Practical: work on the site (including architectural and stratigraphic drawing, working with electronic surveying instruments, etc.) and at the museum, cleaning and cataloguing of artefacts, profile drawing, documentation, etc.
Environmental: NEW environmental and zooarchaeological workshop
Discovery: field trips to various archaeological sites and museums in the region and optional 3-day stay on the beautiful island of Thassos.
Contact Information: Prof. Jacques Perreault, Centre d’études classiques, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7 Canada
APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMER 2025 FIELD SCHOOL NOW OPEN
This project is a bioarchaeological study of the human remains from ancient cemeteries on the small Greek island of Astypalaia. The earliest burials date from about 750 BC and the latest AD 100, so the cemeteries include burials from Late Geometric, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman contexts. Our work centres on the children’s cemetery which has more than 3400 burials. It is the largest ancient children’s cemetery in the world, which provides a unique opportunity for bioarchaeological research and training.
Each summer, the project runs a Field School for undergraduates and graduates. Students are trained in techniques for recording the burials, recovering the tiny bones and teeth of children, conservation and storage, identification and measurement, catalogue and database. They work in small groups under supervision and after initial classes they gain experience by following through all the steps for a number of burials. Applications are open now.
The project and field school are directed by Dr Simon Hillson, Professor of Bioarchaeology at University College London. Astypalaia’s cemeteries are being excavated by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese (Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Δωδεκανήσου) and their archaeologist in charge is Mrs Haroula Fantaoutsaki.
Over 150 students have taken part in Astypalaia Field School since 2010 and many of them have successfully gone on to graduate studies and fieldwork in archaeology and anthropology. We believe it provides a good basis of skills and knowledge and a chance to build confidence in a supportive group.Student reviewsof the Field School are very positive.
Our laboratory is currently housed in an old school building. There are indoor areas for our tool cupboards, stores, macrophotography, computer-based activities and the project office. Work areas are mainly outdoors, under sunshades, because there is more space, better ventilation and our activities are dusty. The facility also has storage for the excavated pot burials before processing and for the skeletons once we have cleaned, conserved and recorded them.
Each student and staff member has their own work table and we supply all the equipment and materials that they will need for all stages of the work. This is where the boxed burials are opened and the skeleton is exposed in a small-scale tabletop excavation of the soil ball inside. The skeleton is mapped and photographed, often including 3D imaging. Then the remains are lifted, cleaned and conserved. They are identified, measured, catalogued, and stored in a system of plastic boxes. Records are kept with standard close-up photographs, a system of record sheets and a database. All this is coordinated and supported by the supervisors, who use the record sheets to keep track of students’ progress. After initial work in small groups, we hope that each student will complete work on about 5 burials working independently.
Astypalaia (map here) is one of about 150 islands in the Dodecanese region of Greece. It takes an hour to fly there from Athens and 10 hours on the ferry from Piraeus. From West to East it is 19 kilometres wide and its highest point is 482 metres above the sea. It has just over 1200 inhabitants, most of whom live in the small town of Hora. In summer it never rains and the sun shines brightly in a very blue sky but the wind keeps it from getting too hot most days. In winter there are big winds which blow the rain against you. The field school mostly takes place in July, just before Astypalaia’s short August tourist season, so for much of the time we are the only visitors. It has been our project’s home since 1999. Everybody knows us and, through our laboratory open days, knows a good deal about our project. There’s a lot of interest and people enjoy chatting to our students in the shops and cafes. The remoteness of Astypalaia means that it is well away from political and social events in Athens, it’s quiet and it’s safe.
Excavate in Greece conducts archaeological and bioarchaeological field schools in Greece for students of archaeology and related disciplines. Our field schools offer intensive, high quality, training in archaeological excavation and bioarchaeology, alongside professionals of the Greek Ministry of Culture, through an immersive cultural experience in Greece. Our aim is to educate and inspire younger generations to be inquisitive, methodical, accepting, and thoughtful, in order to contribute to the preservation and promotion of our shared cultural heritage and natural landscape, within a frame that respects kindness and honesty. We advocate collaborative excellence and create equal opportunity of involvement in research for all our participants. Our goal is to promote inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility in archaeological training.
The new field school in Roman Archaeology and Bioarchaeology takes place at Nikopoli, the renowned site that is being excavated by the Greek Ministry of Culture in preparation for inclusion in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage.
We offer two weeks of excavation, followed by one week of Bioarchaeology in the lab at the Museum. Our project is unique in Greece in offering this combination. All participants receive an official certificate of 150h, signed by the Greek authorities. We also offer credit.
We welcome applications from students of all levels, enrolled or graduated from Archaeology or an allied discipline course.
Project Overview:Roman Archaeology and Bioarchaeology at Nikopoli
Nikopoli field school is unique in Greece, as it provides excavation and bioarchaeology training together at the same site. By attending, you will gain in-depth knowledge that will significantly strengthen your academic profile and acquire significant skills for your future career. We encourage participants to identify personal research interests in the site and pursue their study.
About Nikopoli
The archaeological site of Nikopoli is the largest ancient city in Greece. It is located on southwest Epirus, within an outstanding natural landscape between the Ambracian Gulf and the Ionian Sea, near the modern city of Preveza. It is being excavated under the auspices of the Ephorate of Antiquities at Preveza.
Nikopoli was built by Octavian after his victory against the fleet of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra at Aktion in 31 BC. The name ‘Nikopoli’ in fact means ‘city of victory’ in Greek. Soon, it became a very large and rich city, featuring magnificent public works, like the stadium, the theatre, the odeon, the gymnasium, and the aqueduct. The city was founded on a strategic position that allowed control of the entire area of western Greece. Its citizens were given equal rights to Romans and several tax benefits, that contributed to the economic but also intellectual and artistic growth of the city. In later years, in the Early Christian era, the city suffered many attacks and raids, that dictated the construction of new walls, enclosing a city much smaller than the Roman. Despite the destructions, Byzantine Nikopoli flourished until probably the 9thc, when it was entirely abandoned.
Nikopoli field school
During our field school, you will participate in real archaeological excavation alongside professional archaeologists of the Greek Ministry of Culture, attend seminars on archaeology, language, ancient philosophy, archaeopolitics, and heritage studies, visit important sites and museums. You will also be introduced to bioarchaeology, handle real skeletal remains, and acquire skills in human osteology.
No prior excavation experience is required for your participation. You will receive personalized, professional training in all accredited scientific protocols, including advanced excavation methods, stratigraphy, archaeological photography, use of total station and levelling instruments, site drawing (plains, profiles, and stratigraphic), handling finds, labeling, storing, environmental and organic sampling, and site recording and finds recording.
Lectures
We conduct our lectures in the form of seminars and workshops, so that participants have ample opportunity to pose questions and discuss with the lecturers and between them. We deliver high-quality, thought-provoking lectures by leading researchers and established academics in the field.
Bioarchaeology
Nikopoli field school includes an intensive, one-week Bioarchaeology course. During the course, you will handle real human remains from excavations in the city. You will receive lectures and practical training in:
Bone identification
Recording individual skeletons and commingled remains
Current issues in bioarchaeology and research skills
In 2023 we excavated at two different locations in Nikopoli:
Site 1: The House of Ekdikos Georgios
Set on a natural hill overlooking the city and the sea, this extensive (9000 sq.m.), luxurious residence (domus) is one of the most imposing and well-preserved buildings in Nikopoli. With a use span between the 1stand 7thc. AD, the majestic house of Ekdikos Georgios boasted several triclinia, cubicula, an atrium, the tablinum, baths, a large garden and a pool, and more rooms spread across two floors. Ekdikos Georgios was one of the residents, identified by a mosaic inscription. As the title suggests, he was a Roman official, designated to protect the people in cases of power abuse by the authorities. In 2023 we excavated at the eastern rooms of the house.
Site 2: Basilica D
As the name suggests, this is the fourth basilica discovered in Nikopoli, and it is found outside the Early Christian walls of the city, but very close to the Roman ones. Basilica D was three-aisled and timber-roofed, with a projecting tripartite transept, narthex with annexes, and atrium.
Mosaics were located on the narthex floor, featuring a pattern indicative of the artistic quality demonstrated by the Nikopoli workshops. A marble sarcophagus of exceptional quality, originating from Constantinople, was located in the Basilica.The privileged position of the burial next to the bema inside a luxurious sarcophagus suggests that the deceased was the martyr to whom the church was dedicated. In 2023 we excavated at the atrium.
Project Directors: Niall Brady (ADCO), Andrew Bair (Harvard University), Rachel Brody (Boston College), and Daniel Cearley (Los Positas College).
Project Description:
Welcome to the ninth season of the Castles in Communities Archaeological Field School and Research Project (CIC for short), located in Ballintober village, County Roscommon, Ireland. Nestled in the island’s “hidden heartland,” CIC is designed to serve first-time diggers and more experienced volunteers alike. Imagine a small, quintessential Irish rural community lying in the shadow of a crumbling medieval castle’s ruins, surrounded as far as the eye can see by grazing animals and rolling hills of green grassy fields. At CIC, we pride ourselves in accepting learners of all ages and at different stages in life who want to study a castle, eat, and enjoy music in pubs, followed by a walk home and a warm peat fire.
Our project examines Ballintober Castle—built in the late 1200s by an Anglo-Norman lord—from past to present. One of our primary research goals is to inform our understanding of the past through broadening narratives about colonial encounters between Anglo-Normans and the indigenous Gaelic-Irish. Additionally, we prioritize collaboration with members of the Ballintober community to promote tourism and make the castle safe for visitors. Our project is not just an archaeological field school but an experience in cultural immersion.
The 2025 field season will consist of an intensive six weeks of training. We take a three-pronged approach by rotating students to gain training in archaeological survey, excavation, and laboratory analysis. Our survey team will collect ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry data and guide systematic foot surveys to map the surrounding landscape. In the castle entrance, excavation will commence its fifth year, and we will continue in a block-style cutting, removing the last remnants of the castle’s early modern construction phases and exposing the medieval strata below. Lastly, in the lab, we will continue the critical post-excavation processing of artifacts and floatation of soil samples for plant environmental remains. In addition to daily rotations on-site and in the field, our instructors will give bi-weekly lectures to familiarize students with the archaeology and history of Ireland and take students on guided excursions and field trips to archaeological sites in western Ireland.
For more detailed information about the project, please see below:
We have published an article in Archaeology Ireland magazine – check it out!
For detailed information on the castle and its history, see Niall Brady’s Castle Studies Trust publication.
Project Details:
All experience levels are welcome, including undergrads, grad students, and anyone who wants to do archaeology in Ireland. The project will run for six weeks and is an immersive experience, with the first three weeks providing the fundamentals of archaeological research and field methods, and the second half taking these principles further.
Below is a brief description of the training students will receive from our staff in the field:
Survey
Students will learn how to conduct traditional field walking surveys, using a compass and hand-held GPS units to document visible features and artifact distributions of surface finds.
Gain experience conducting geophysical surveys using magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar.
Auger buried archaeological features to date the broader medieval landscape surrounding Ballintober Castle.
Learn how to operate a drone for aerial surveys and time-lapse photos of the archaeological excavation.
Excavation
Students will excavate a complex multi-strata site and gain experience identifying and recording artifacts and archaeological features.
Lessons in documentation will include training students on how to describe soils and sediments (e.g. Munsell soil charts), work within a Harris Matrix to recognize archaeological features, and draw plan views and profiles.
Laboratory
Wash and bag artifacts for preservation and storage.
Photograph, draw, and enter artifacts into a site database.
Float soil samples for paleoethnobotanical material and sort heavy fractions.
Located centrally, the county of Roscommon is in the west of Ireland near Sligo and Galway. We encourage students on the weekends when we are not on field trips to take advantage of train and bus lines to explore. We also recommend that students take time before or after the project to discover Ireland, the UK, and continental Europe.
Project Size: 38-45 participants
Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Six weeks
Room and Board Arrangements:
Program students will reside in several locations for the six-week duration. Most students will want to stay in Ballintober village in rented homes, which are exceptional experiences each year, especially for our students who want a full immersion in rural Irish life. In addition, we rent self-catering cottages at the manorial estate of Clonalis, located in the nearby town of Castlerea and just a 10-minute drive from the castle. Project fees include transportation to and from Clonalis each work day and transportation on all project field trips.
Students will be living and working with the people of Ballintober, and the food reflects this, as local Irish cooks prepare all weeknight project team meals. We provide groceries and fully stock houses for students to prepare breakfast and lunches. We are well prepared to welcome vegetarians, vegans and will strive to accommodate all diets.
Cost: $6200 for six weeks. The program fees do not include plane and related fares.
Academic Credit:
We do not offer credit courses. This program is for you if you do not need credits but want the experience. Each participant will receive a certificate upon completion of the program. Many colleges and universities allow you to exchange field school experience for credits; please check with your departmental undergrad advisor or academic dean. Courses will mirror standard offerings but not be for credit. For instance, in past years, when running through Foothill College, we have offered the following courses for credit: ANTH 12 Applied Anthropology (4 units), ANTH 52 Archaeological Field Methods (4 units), ANTH 67C Cultures of the World: British Isles (4 units), ANTH 51: Archaeological Survey (2 units), and ANTH 17L: Archaeology Laboratory (2 units).
The Galway Archaeological Field School will offer one course in 2025 and transferable Academic Credit is available to all students. We aim to provide high quality tuition to all our students and this will be achieved through small class sizes, professional tuition and close on-site supervision. We are primarily an educational institution and so we design our courses and select our survey and excavation sites with one important thing in mind – the provision of first-class training opportunities for our students.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be excavating in Summer 2025 and so we will offer only one course – our two-week Castles, Cloisters and Churches course on medieval architecture and archaeology. Our course fees include tuition, accommodation (on a self-catering basis), access fees to historic sites and local transportation, so that additional expenses for our students are limited to transport to and from Galway and food for the duration of their stay.
Interested? Review the 2025 programme below, follow the links to read about the course we offer and then submit a no-obligation application form with your contact details and your course preference – we will then review your application and offer you a place if one is available. Alternatively, feel free to email us with any queries you may have.
OVERVIEW
WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS: • Exciting opportunities to study in a small, vibrant university city on the west coast of Ireland • Top-class field-based teaching led by an expert in Irish medieval archaeology and architecture • A choice of 2-week and 4-week courses which can be combined to create a longer experience • Academic Credit from one of Ireland’s top universities •Their own bedroom in a very comfortable apartment shared with other field-school students
About Galway Archaeological Field School
The Galway Archaeological Field School provides students with hands-on experience of the archaeology and architecture of medieval Ireland. We specialise in this field and seek to immerse our students in the wealth of medieval castles, churches and monasteries which lie scattered across the Irish landscape. We offer three courses: a two-week non-excavation course focused on the study of medieval architecture and two four-week excavation courses, one serving as an introduction to archaeological excavation and one offering experienced students further tuition in the various recording techniques used in archaeological excavation.
The field school is based in Co Galway and draws on a wealth of archaeological remains which are found across the landscape of this historic region. The two-week architecture course involves regular travel to visit many of the famous castles, churches and monasteries of medieval Ireland, and field trips are also included in the excavation courses in order to broaden the students experience of Irish landscapes and monuments. The ethos of the field school is firmly founded on high quality, small-group tuition and we aim to give every student close attention so that they may fully understand the skills they learn and thereby enjoy their course to the fullest degree possible. Students who wish to extend their stay in Ireland could, for example, combine the two-week architecture course with the four-week excavation course (e.g. Sessions 1 + 2 or Sessions 3 + 4) to create an unforgettable six-week stay which would immerse them fully in Irish culture, history and heritage, while students focused on excavation could combine Sessions 2 & 3 in order to take both the introductory and advanced excavation courses in one eight-week, intensive stay.
At weekends, students have free time to explore the local towns and villages or to visit nearby Galway city, a vibrant, youthful university town with an enchanting array of summer festivals which attract visitors from all over the world. These festivals include the Galway Sessions (traditional and folk music), the Galway Film Festival, the Galway Arts Festival and the legendary Galway Races, so students have endless opportunities to engage with Irish culture at a variety of levels. Galway is easily accessible via public transport from the international airports at Dublin and Shannon and so the Galway Archaeological Field School is ideally placed to welcome students who seek to gain hands-on experience of archaeological fieldwork, to learn about medieval Ireland and to experience modern Ireland to the fullest possible extent.
Courses at Galway Archaeological Field School 2025
Course 1 Castles, Cloisters and Churches: The Architecture of Medieval Ireland
This two-week course will investigate the architecture and archaeology of the castles, churches and cloisters of medieval Ireland. Students will visit a wide variety of historic buildings and will learn to analyse, describe and record these structures using a series of key survey techniques. Beginning in the early medieval period, the course will examine a number of pre-Norman ecclesiastical sites before going on to explore the wealth of Anglo-Norman and Gaelic castles and monasteries which are found across the Irish landscape. This field-based module will provide students with a solid understanding the evolution of Irish medieval architecture and will also give them key transferrable skills in building analysis and survey.
Students who participate successfully in this course will learn to describe the evolution of Irish medieval architecture in general terms, discuss individual buildings during on-site visits, identify key phases in medieval buildings through examination of their fabric, produce an accurate plan of a simple medieval building to scale through on-site survey and discuss possible survey methodologies for larger medieval buildings. Course fees include tuition and self-catering accommodation, and we also provide free transportation to the sites under study.
Programme Details 2025
Session 1: 2 June – 13 June (2 weeks – 3 Semester Credits / 6 ECTS credits)
Session 4: 30 June – 11 July (2 weeks – 3 Semester Credits / 6 ECTS credits)
Course 2 Introduction to Archaeological Excavation
This four-week course will introduce students to the practicalities of archaeological excavation and provide them with hands-on experience of the key techniques they need to master to become proficient excavators. It is generally aimed towards undergraduate students of archaeology and anthropology, who usually take the course for credit, but the course is open to all and can be taken by anyone with an interest in archaeological fieldwork.
Students on this course will learn to excavate using a variety of tools but will also gain valuable experience of a range of on-site recording techniques which will generate a structured written record, a series of scaled drawings and an extensive photographic archive of the site under examination. They will be involved in the analysis of the stratigraphic evidence on the site and will also work with finds to ensure they are recorded correctly and stored safely. The course will have a particular emphasis on medieval archaeology and so the excavation site and the sites visited on field trips, which will include a series of castles, churches and monasteries, will be selected with this focus in mind. For the 2024 season, the course will be based upon an excavation at a medieval castle in Co Galway and so the students on the course will be part of our research programme which seeks to explore the archaeological evidence for settlement at late medieval castle sites in Ireland.
Students who participate successfully in this course will learn to work on site in a safe manner, understand the nature of the site grid and use excavation tools with skill to produce clean surfaces. They will also be able to identify and record archaeological objects during the excavation process, identify obvious deposits and cut features and discuss their stratigraphic context, enter recording data onto context sheets for features they have excavated and assist in drawing site plans, sections, elevations and profiles to scale. Students may choose to do this course in either Session 2 or Session 3, and those who register for the course in Session 2 will have the option to sign up for the more advanced excavation course in Session 3. Students doing the Session 2 course could also combine it with the 2-week non-excavation course in Session 1, while Session 3 students could consider signing up for the same 2-week non-excavation course in Session 4 – students taking two courses get a 10% discount on both course fees. Course fees include tuition and self-catering accommodation, and we also provide free local transportation.
Programme Details 2025
Session 2: This course will not run in 2025 Session 3: This course will not run in 2025
Course 3 Recording Methods in Archaeological Survey and Excavation
This four-week course, designed for students with some experience of archaeological excavation, seeks to develop their on-site skills to a high level and provide them with an opportunity to become proficient excavators. Working alongside novice students under the close supervision of the site director, students undertaking this course will be given responsibilities commensurate with their experience and these will include the excavation of discrete archaeological features, the recording of such features using the three-part record system (i.e. written, drawn and photographic records), the recording of finds and environmental samples and the analysis of the stratigraphic evidence within their work area. This module will allow students with some excavation experience to develop significantly as archaeologists and, though focused on Irish medieval archaeology, will teach them a range of transferrable skills which can be applied on professional research excavation and survey projects around the world.
This course is open to students who have completed Course 2, or those who can show that they already have sufficient excavation experience from other archaeological sites. Students on this course will be involved in practical excavation but will also gain valuable experience of a range of on-site recording techniques and will, where possible, take leading roles in on-site tasks including photography, drawing to scale, stratigraphic interpretation and finds recording. They will also be expected to assist in tutoring novice students in basic excavation techniques and so will make considerable progress towards appointment as site supervisors in future years.
The course will have a particular emphasis on medieval archaeology and so the excavation site and the sites visited on field trips, which will include a series of castles, churches and monasteries, will be selected with this focus in mind. For the 2024 season, the course will be based upon an excavation at a medieval castle in Co Galway and so the students on the course will be part of our research programme which seeks to explore the archaeological evidence for settlement at late medieval castle sites in Ireland.
Students may choose to do this course in Session 3 and are free to combine it with Course 2 in Session 2 if they wish, as entry to the course is restricted to those with some excavation experience, whether gained though Course 2 at the Galway Archaeological Field School or on another archaeological site. Students taking two courses get a 10% discount on both course fees. Course fees include tuition and self-catering accommodation and we also provide free local transportation.
Welcome to the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School.2025will be the fifteenth season of excavations at this site where we have been providing the highest standards of teaching and training since 2010.
Our goal is to continue delivering a wonderful experience to all interested students, visitors, lifelong learners and enthusiasts at the Black Friary. Already, so many have started their field careers or realised their dream of taking part in an excavation at this medieval friary in the heritage capital of Ireland. It’s our ambition to help as many people as possible experience the adventure that digging up the past has to offer, while being taught how to record it for future generations. Our location in Co. Meath means that you are perfectly placed to see the many wonderful heritage sites which bring our past to life in Ireland’s Ancient East.https://www.irelandsancienteast.com/
The Blackfriary Archaeology Field School is part of the award-winning Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project (BCHAP) in the town of Trim, County Meath, Ireland. Focusing on the buried remains of the 13th century AD/CE Dominican friary and associated graveyard, the field school is suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds including archaeology, history, anthropology, and forensics – and for students looking for a unique study abroad experience. As participants in a public archaeology project, students are actively engaged with our outreach activities on site. They are also housed with families in Trim, allowing them to integrate with the local community.
Location/Where are we
The Blackfriary site is situated in the Medieval town of Trim, County Meath which is the heritage capital of Ireland. Trim is in the heart of the Boyne Valley close to the World Heritage site at Brú na Bóinne (seehttps://www.irelandsancienteast.com/discover/stories/featured-stories/bru-na-boinne), where the 5000-year-old passage tombs of Knowth, Dowth and Newgrange are located . These significant sites, as well as the legendary Hill of Tara, the Hill of Slane and Mellifont abbey are also situated within the Boyne Valley and can be visited easily.
Just 45km North-west of Dublin, Trim is easily accessed from the country’s main airport. Being this close to Dublin means our students often spend their weekends travelling and sight-seeing in both Ireland, the UK and continental Europe. Flights from Dublin to cities such as London, Edinburgh, and Paris are an hour or two away and very affordable.
Trim is a small Irish town which retains many of its medieval features and is home to Irelands largest Anglo-Norman castle as well as other amazing remains. The Yellow Steeple, built as the bell tower of the Augustinian Priory was Ireland’s tallest building for over a hundred after it was built in the 15thcentury All amenities such as groceries, pharmacies, gift shops, bars and restaurants are available in the town.
See all of the wonderful things to do in the Boyne Valley here;
We are a dedicated teaching and research field school, committed to providing the best training in archaeological field methods within a public archaeology/community archaeology framework. We make sure that everyone understands our reasons for researching and digging this exceptional site and is trained in all aspects of the excavation. Blackfriary is a community owned site, so by taking part in the ongoing re-imagining of this formerly unloved space, project participants are helping protect and preserve this hugely important part of the heritage of Trim into the future. For those who come to us it’s a wonderful chance to be immersed in Irish life and culture while forging lifelong friendships.
Blackfriary Archaeology Field School
We have been digging, teaching and researching at the Black Friary since 2010. The site is a 6-acre field (2.2 hectares) owned by the local authority. The fact that it is not our site and is inpublicownership is very important to us. The Blackfriary community now stretches from Trim right around the world thanks to the hundreds of students and volunteers who have joined the dig and are helping to transform this site. Our excavations are carried out with the permission of the National Monuments Service, registered by the National Museum of Ireland.
From the very beginning of the teaching and research excavations a community project was set up – the Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project, orBCHAP. This provides the ethical framework within which the excavations are conducted. To read more about this, see theCommunitypage. To read more about our research objectives see theResearchpage.
Excavations began in 2010 under the direction of Finola O’Carroll, Principal Investigator. In 2012 project Bioarchaeologist Dr. Rachel Scott began exploring the burial record at the site. We are excavating the remains of a Medieval Dominican Friary to analyse how the changing patterns of its patronage and use are interwoven with the known history of the town. The friary consisted of a large complex of buildings set around two internal courts or cloisters with a church forming the southern side. The cemetery lies south of the church and burials from both church and cemetery have been excavated to date. Excavations began within the church, in the area known as the crossing which marks the junction between the chancel (where the religious community sat) and the nave (where the laity worshipped).
To date we have expanded our dig to explore part of the south aisle of the church, the cloister, the domestic ranges, the cemetery and the boundary between the town and the friary precinct. Every year we decide which areas to focus on, informed both by our research objectives and by what has been learned from previous seasons. This process is always discussed with students, so they can understand how the research informs the ongoing excavations. As all participants receive training in post-excavation work, the logic and purpose of the detailed record keeping in the field becomes clear to them, and the significance of this stage of the work is highlighted.
Dr. Scott’s research into the human remains excavated from within the church and from the associated graveyard continue to inform us about the lives and state of health of the people of Trim in those centuries. We now know that the graveyard had a long history of use. From the foundation of the friary in the mid-13thcentury to the mid-16thcentury it was a cemetery for the people of Trim; in times of political and religious upheaval families continued to choose to bury their dead there after the closure of the friary by Henry VIII. After this, it continued in use as a burial place for unbaptised infants – a Cillín or children’s cemetery, possibly up until the early 20thcentury, which, until these excavations was not widely realised. This longevity of use is illustrating the importance people attached to their final resting place during times of religious persecution and changing identities.
“The Blackfriary Archaeology Field School is everything a Field School should be–an excellent educational experience for students, a contributor to archaeological knowledge, and a positive force in the community. Blackfriary is one of the most publicly engaged archaeological projects I’ve ever had the pleasure of being involved with, and their beneficial influence on the surrounding area clearly shows. All of the professionals, students, and community members involved with the field school put their heart and soul into the work, and that made my experience there as a student incredibly enjoyable and valuable for honing my professional skills. I’m so grateful to have had the experience.”Jessica Skinner Student 2016
Understand the theory and practice of archaeological excavation, including the single context recording system, site grid, stratigraphy, and the Harris Matrix.
Have excavated an archaeological feature.
Understand how to fill in context sheets, do scaled drawings, take properly set up photographs, take levels, co-ordinates and document these.
Have received an introduction to the digitisation of site plans and drawings
Know how to excavate, retrieve, bag and record archaeological objects (artefacts and ecofacts).
Have carried out basic environmental sampling.
Understand the process of post-excavation analysis by participating in the work.
Have processed archaeological finds and know the correct procedures for cleaning and labelling artefacts.
Have examined archaeologically derived human remains, comprising both disarticulated bone and articulated burials.
Have applied techniques of human skeletal analysis, including distinguishing human vs. animal bone, identifying bone fragments, calculating MNI from commingled remains, and reconstructing the biological profile (age, sex, and stature) of individual burials.
This course will be available to students in June 2025. Students will be introduced to excavation, post-excavation and survey methods. The course is divided between excavation within the friary/friary precinct, post-excavation, recording and survey. Each student will typically spend one week on each element. The excavation, post-excavation and survey sections will be directed and supervised by archaeologists, Finola O’Carroll, Mark McConnon and Laura Corrway.
The objective of this course is to train students in setting out a cutting and tying it to the site grid, the use of various tools, methods of excavation, feature recognition, recording using feature sheets, photography, planning and survey. All students take part in post-excavation processing, including the formation of the written record. The research strategy and previous results which inform the overall excavation plan will be discussed with students, so they can set their work in the overall context of the research framework. Field trips and lectures will introduce the student to the wider landscape and historical context of the Black Friary, and the town of Trim. This course is an accredited program from Dundalk Institute of Technology (https://courses.dkit.ie/index.cfm/page/course/courseId/1321).
At the end of the four-week course students will:
Understand the theory and practice of archaeological excavation, including the single context recording system, site grid, stratigraphy, and the Harris Matrix.
Have excavated an archaeological feature.
Understand how to fill in context sheets, do scaled drawings, take properly set up photographs, take levels, co-ordinates and document these.
Have received an introduction to the digitisation of site plans and drawings
Know how to excavate, retrieve, bag and record archaeological objects (artefacts and ecofacts).
Have carried out basic environmental sampling.
Understand the process of post-excavation analysis by participating in the work.
Have processed archaeological finds and know the correct procedures for cleaning and labelling artefacts.
Certificate in Archaeological Excavation and Recording with Osteology (5 Week) (Accredited Course)
Students will be introduced to excavation, post-excavation, survey and bioarchaeology methods. The course is divided between excavation and survey within the friary/friary precinct and post-excavation processing and human skeletal analysis in the on-site lab. Each student will typically spend one week on each element. The excavation, post-excavation and survey sections will be directed and supervised by archaeologists Finola O’Carroll, Mark McConnon and Laura Corrway. The bioarchaeology section of the course is directed by Dr. Rachel Scott.
The objective of the first module of this course is to train students in methods of excavation including feature excavation and recording, the use of various tools, setting out an excavation unit, photography of features, archaeological drawing and survey. The objective of the second module is to train students in post-excavation processes including the washing and cataloguing of finds and samples and the analysis of the human skeletal collection excavated from the site.
The research strategy and previous results which inform the overall excavation plan will be discussed with students, so they can set their work in the overall context of the research framework. Field trips and lectures will introduce the student to the wider landscape and historical context of the Black Friary, and the town of Trim. This course is an accredited program from Dundalk Institute of Technology (https://courses.dkit.ie/index.cfm/page/course/courseId/8609).
Note that previous study of human osteology is not required.
At the end of the course students will:
BF Summer 1.1 Intensive course in Fieldwork and Post-Excavation Methods (2 Week ) (Unaccredited Course)
This course will be available to students in June 2025. Students will be introduced to excavation, post-excavation and survey methods. The course is divided between excavation within the friary/friary precinct and post-excavation methods. Each student will typically spend one week on each element. The excavation, post-excavation and survey sections will be directed and supervised by archaeologists, Finola O’Carroll, Mark McConnon and Laura Corrway.
The objective of this course is to train students in setting out a cutting and tying it to the site grid, the use of various tools, methods of excavation, feature recognition, recording using feature sheets, photography, planning and survey. All students take part in post-excavation processing, including the formation of the written record. The research strategy and previous results which inform the overall excavation plan will be discussed with students, so they can set their work in the overall context of the research framework. Field trips and lectures will introduce the student to the wider landscape and historical context of the Black Friary, and the town of Trim.
At the end of the four-week course students will:
Understand the theory and practice of archaeological excavation, including the single context recording system, site grid, stratigraphy, and the Harris Matrix.
Have excavated an archaeological feature.
Understand how to fill in context sheets, do scaled drawings, take properly set up photographs, take levels, co-ordinates and document these.
Have received an introduction to the digitisation of site plans and drawings
Know how to excavate, retrieve, bag and record archaeological objects (artefacts and ecofacts).
Have carried out basic environmental sampling.
Understand the process of post-excavation analysis by participating in the work.
Have processed archaeological finds and know the correct procedures for cleaning and labelling artefacts.
BLACKFRIARY ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL DIRECTOR: Finola O’Carroll <finola.ocarroll@bafs.ie> Project Bioarchaeologist and Principal Investigator: Dr. Rachel E. Scott
We are now accepting bookings for our fully accredited 2024 Field Schools here in the heart of the Burren.
For further information please contact us: Tel. +353 65 7089999 or Email info@caherconnell.com
Tuition, Accommodation & Meals provided
Caherconnell – One of Ireland’s Premier Archaeology Field Schools
We have two, four and six week courses that facilitate all levels of experience.
In partnership with theUniversity of Galway, we provide unforgettable archaeological experiences within the unique Burren region. Field schools are led byDr. Michelle Comber, a leader in archaeological education. This is complemented by a cultural element, which sees students interact with the local people daily. The site is also home to three stone cahers (ring forts), a probable Late Bronze Age burial mound, an ancient field system, two Bronze Age boulder burials, ancient dwelling sites and a prehistoric house.
Why Choose Caherconnell Archaeology Field School?
Excavate Monday to Friday, and explore and learn at the weekend.
All inclusive–we organise accommodation, meals, daily transport, on-site lectures and daily tuition. You just have to enjoy the experience, come along and join the team!
Course Schedule 2024 for one of Ireland’s Top Irish Archaeology Field Schools
6 Week Combined Course: SS103/SS110/SS112 – (18 ECTS or 9US Credit Hours) 6 Weeks Monday 3rd June – Friday 12th July 2024
Monday 3rd June – Friday 14th June 2024 Monday 17th June – Friday 28th June 2024 Monday 1st July – Friday 12th July 2024
Information about the 2024 Scholarship programme for students is available HERE
Experience Archaeology in Ireland with a difference
Your time here will see you work with some of Ireland’s best archaeologists during the day and some of Ireland’s finest conversationalists at night!
The Caherconnell Archaeology field school experience is one which will not be soon forgotten and will allow students to experience the very best of Irish archaeology and culture all at once.
If you want to learn the skills of archaeological fieldwork in a fun yet professional manner – where academic credit is available –Caherconnell Archaeology Field School is the only place for you.
A VARIETY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES OFFERED BY THE IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL, SUMMER 2025
Welcome to the Irish Archaeology Field School (IAFS)
We are Ireland’s leading provider of accredited, field-based archaeological research and training programs. The ethos of the school is to provide an opportunity for students of archaeology and anthropology to experience at first hand the excitement of archaeological excavation in a teaching environment.
Our archaeological and heritage programs include research projects in a number of locations in Ireland, including in Co. Wexford and Co. Offaly (with satellite schools frequently undertaken elsewhere). We provide credited and uncredited programs (and internships) for novice and experienced students, and also specialise in the preparation of purpose-built faculty led programs incorporating excavation, historical research, remote sensing, non-invasive survey, ground investigation, landscape assessment etc.
Whilst our programs are excavation-centered and aimed primarily at students of archaeology, anthropology and history, courses are open to all, and are guaranteed to give you an enriching and thoroughly worthwhile study abroad adventure.
2025 Programs
We provide a wide range of expert-led research-focused courses designed to introduce students to practical archaeological field methods, and to build and expand on knowledge and experience gained in the classroom. Book a field schoolhere.
Our marquee archaeological project,Digging the Lost Town of Carrig, takes place at the Carrick archaeological site, in the Irish National Heritage Park (INHP), Wexford. The project was founded in January of 2018 by the IAFS and INHP and focuses on the Carrick ringwork (SMR WX037-028002-), one of the most historically significant, but lesser known, medieval sites in Ireland. Carrick, founded in the winter of 1169 by Robert FitzStephen, was the first Anglo-Norman stronghold in the country being constructed the year before the main Anglo-Norman landing party at Baginbun. A stone castle, medieval borough and deerpark developed close to (or on) the site of the ringwork in the 13th century. Our project aims to establish Carrick’s rightful importance to the medieval histories of Co. Wexford, Ireland and Britain.
In June 2021 the Irish Archaeology Field School (IAFS) will launch a major next archaeological research project at the site of St Aidan’s Monastery, Ferns, Co. Wexford (WX015-003004-, WX015-003031-, WX015-003032-, WX015-003033-). The project, established as a partnership between the IAFS, Wexford County Council and the local community, aims to assess one of the most historically significant, but hitherto relatively unassessed, Early Medieval sites in southeast Ireland. The St Aidan’s Monastery project is centred on a major research excavation of both the 7thcentury monastery and a latter 12thcentury Augustinian Abbey, which hopes to draw the site into the town of Ferns as a ‘key heritage attraction’, in the process providing added economic and amenity value to the local community.
Details of 2024 courses available at Achill Archaeological Field School have been revealed, and applications are now open!
For 2024 we will be hosting a two-week accredited course on Archaeological Field Studies, offering 3 Semester Credits (6 ECTS credits) to undergraduate and graduate students. We also have a four-week course offering the same Archaeological Field Studies module along with a Data Analysis module, providing a combined total of 6 Semester Credits (12 ECTS credits). And our six-week course includes the Archaeological Field Studies and Data Analysis modules plus ‘An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ireland’, offering a total of 9 Semester Credits (18 ECTS credits).
Along with tuition and field work associated with these modules, we offer optional day trips to significant sites of archaeological interest, and an evening lecture series with guest speakers offering a range of expertise and insight into various aspects of archaeology in Ireland.
For anyone interested in archaeology we have a one-week Introduction to Archaeology course running from the 5th – 9th August, while for experienced students looking to make a career in archaeological fieldwork we offer a very popular Trainee Supervisor course that runs the full eight weeks of our 2024 season.
For 2024 the focus of our fieldwork with be excavations of two drystone dwellings and a shell midden at Caraun Point on the northern coast of Achill. Previous investigations in 2018 and 2019 recovered a quantity of artefacts that included glass and pottery, along with animal bone and shellfish remains. Analysis of these objects give us an insight into the livelihood and diet of the people who lived here. One unexpected discovery was the presence of a probable Early-Medieval ringfort immediately to the west of our excavation. Habitation deposits associated with this site were evident beneath the post-medieval houses and some artefacts of 8th to 10th century date were recovered. The 2024 dig will seek to build on these discoveries and improve our understanding of this site, which is under threat from coastal erosion.
The ancient city of Hippos (Sussita) of the Decapolis is located on a hill, 2 km. east of the Sea of Galilee. It is one of the most exciting ancient cities of the Holy Land, continuously excavated by our team since 2000.
The project operates under the auspices of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa and partners with the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology and ASOR.
Hippos Excavations Project is one of the main long running and exciting Classical Archaeology digs in Israel. As from the year 2000, our international team unearths various building complexes that allow a reconstruction of the ancient cityscape and a better understanding of the public, military, private and funerary architecture. The ancient Graeco-Roman city of Hippos of the Decapolis is located on a hill above the Sea of Galilee, with one of the most breathtaking panoramas in Israel. We study and reconstruct the way of life of its inhabitants in the various periods, from its foundation in the Hellenistic period (mid-2 nd century BCE), through its Roman-period time of prosperity (64 BCE – mid-4 th century CE), to the Christian transformation in the Byzantine period (mid-4 th to mid-7 th century CE) and other changes that happened after the Islamic takeover (mid-7 th century CE to 749 CE earthquake). Perched on an isolated hill and devastated by an earthquake after which it was never rebuilt, Hippos is an ideal site for archaeologists to study an evolution of a city.
2025 Excavation Season is officially open for registration.
DR. ARLETA KOWALEWSKA (University of Haifa), Research Fellow, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Israel arleta.kow@gmail.com
DR. MICHAEL EISENBERG (University of Haifa), Professor of Classical Archaeology, University of Haifa, Israel mayzenb@gmail.com
ISRAEL
TEL SHIMRON EXCAVATIONS (Nazareth Ridge, Israel)
Full information about the site, the research plans and the field school (and application) can be found at this link (with some details below): http://telshimronexcavations.com
Join us for the sixth field season at Tel Shimron, a site perched high above the Jezreel Valley on the Nazareth Ridge in Israel with a commanding view of Mount Carmel to the southwest. Occupied for millennia, Shimron saw the rise of ancient Israel, Jewish Galilee, Rabbinic Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Come with us to discover the past and learn how to reach across the cultural divide to the world of the ancients.
In 2024, join us as we dig a Canaanite acropolis, Iron Age administrative buildings, and a Hellenistic farmstead. Uncover daily life in the ancient world. It took hundreds of generations to create the site of Tel Shimron; help us to recover their stories.
The Call for the 2025 Monteverdi Archaeological Field School is now open!!!
The field school excavations focus on the remains of theEtruscan sanctuary and Republican villageof Podere Cannicci, and on thedeserted Medieval villageof Castellaraccio di Monteverdi, along with the middle valley of the Ombrone river. These sites represent a unique occasion to investigate economies in transition and settlement patterns in the territory ofPaganico.
The Field School is aimed at students, early career scholars, and those passionate about archaeology, classics, art history, anthropology, and cultural heritage management.
The number of participants is limited to 10 to ensure an exceptional learning experience.
The excavations are carried out by members of the University at Buffalo – SUNY in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology at Michigan State University, and the Associazione Archeologica Odysseus.
The Field School is a fundamental introduction to stratigraphic excavation methods and to studies of excavated artifacts. Subjects include excavation methods and their application, analysis of built structures and archaeological features, context analysis, finds handling and recording, and studies of ceramic, glass, metal, bone, and numismatic material.
The Field School is located near the modern town of Paganico (Grosseto, IT). It is set in the breath-taking middle valley of the Ombrone river close to Montalcino, Siena, and Grosseto.
Food is provided during the workdays of the field school, and it is prepared by the staff of the estate of Monteverdi. We try our best to accommodate dietary requirements, and we can offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free meals. However, meals are based on Tuscan and Mediterranean cuisine, and all participants must be aware of this. Occasionally, dinner events may take place at the estate, including barbecues or pizza, or at restaurants. Events outside the program are not included in the fees.
Meals include:
A full Italian breakfast
Lunch with pasta, bread, salad/vegetables, and fruit
Dinner with meat or alternatives with bread, salad/vegetables, and fruit
FEES
The fee per participant is4,250€(EUR)to be paid upon acceptance into the program by March 31, 2025.
Previous Field School participants are automatically granted a discount, and their fee is3,850€ (EUR). The payment will be wired to Associazione Archeologica Odysseus, Italy.
For those committing to the field school by paying the fees byDecember 30, 2024, the costs are reduced to4,000€ (EUR)for first-time participants and to3,600€ (EUR)for returning students. Make sure to reserve your spot early to secure the best price!
The payment is not refundable
The total fee includes:
Room and board for four weeks in the cottages at Monteverdi (see rooms)
Transportation to and from the train station in Grosseto and the estate on the day of arrival and departure
Transportation to and from the excavation sites
Necessary excavation tools
The fee does not include:
Airfare/travel arrangements to and from Italy
Weekend meals (Saturday and Sunday)
Occasional events outside the estate, like restaurant dinners or aperitifs
Anything else not detailed in the section “The total fee includes“
APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM
To be considered for the program, please prepare :
1 – Cover letter of no more than 1 page, detailing previous experiences (if any), and your interest in joining the Field School (not necessary for returning students)
2 – Updated resume/CV
3 – Any dietary restrictions – we can accommodate vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free meals
Email all the necessary documents to Prof. Alessandro Sebastianias424@buffalo.edu
The deadline to obtain the early call discount is December 1, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified within10 daysto secure their spots.
The general deadline for submitting all required documents isDecember 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified during the week of January 5–11, 2025.
Upon acceptance into the program, applicants must sign a waiver and submit their payment byMarch 31, 2025.
INTRODUCTION:
The chosen area of investigation lies in southern Tuscany, in the modern commune of Civitella Paganico (Province of Grosseto). Here, the remains of a large late Etruscan and Republican site are accompanied by the ruins of a small medieval castle. Both the settlements are set along with the valley of the river Ombrone, midway along its course. The selected area of investigation has been chosen because it includes a composite environmental and infrastructural network across the lower and middle valley of the river Ombrone, and a large portion of the Roman ager Rusellanus. It also includes the previously investigated region of Alberese along the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline that has been the focus of a Marie Curie IE Fellowship (project ALBTUSMED II) at the University of Sheffield. In addition, as part of the investigations, the research will aim to understand the relationships between different kinds of settlements (maritime, rural, riverine and urban) and the surrounding landscape.
Project Description:
The field school excavations focus on the remains of the Etruscan sanctuary and Republican village of Podere Cannicci, and on the deserted Medieval village of Castellaraccio di Monteverdi, along with the middle valley of the Ombrone river. These sites represent a unique occasion to investigate economies in transition and settlement patterns in the territory of Paganico. The Field School is aimed at students, early career scholars, and those passionate about archaeology, classics, art history, anthropology, and cultural heritage management. The excavations are carried out by members of the University at Buffalo – SUNY in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology at Michigan State University, and the Associazione Archeologica Odysseus. The Field School is a fundamental introduction to stratigraphic excavation methods and to studies of excavated artifacts. Subjects include excavation methods and their application, analysis of built structures and archaeological features, context analysis, finds handling and recording, and studies of ceramic, glass, metal, bone, and numismatic material. The Field School is located near the modern town of Paganico (Grosseto, IT). It is set in the breath-taking middle valley of the Ombrone river close to Montalcino, Siena, and Grosseto.
Program Dates:The academic program will resume in the summer of 2025. Registrations will open soon!
A 4-WEEK SESSION IN SUMMER 2025. The Field School Montaione in Archaeology, Survey and Material Culture is focused on the archaeological investigation of a 1st – 5th century AD Roman Thermae copmplex and welcomes students in anthropology, archeology, classic history, historical topography and allied disciplines at undergraduate and graduate levels. The Field School has no formal prerequisites.
Program & Dates Summer 2025 (to be announced; contact
The school is designed to provide all attendees with an advanced knowledge of applied stratigraphy method, topographic surveys and analysis, GIS and photogrammetry, material culture and the study of the relationships between the site and the not yet discovered village it belonged to.
Students will gain experiential skills in on-site recordkeeping, documentation, and laboratory practice, including data management and the interpretation of archaeological evidence. Students can expect to participate in weekly lectures and labs will several experts, as well as take visits to local museums and sites with Montaione staff.
The official language of the Summer School is English and no knowledge of Italian is required.
San Gemini Preservation Studies is a summer field school, now in its 26th year, that organizes lectures, research, fieldwork, workshops and field trips in the disciplines of historic preservation, restoration and conservation. It is located in Central Italy in the city of San Gemini. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2025.
These courses focus on the study of: historic buildings preservation, traditional forms of painting, conservation of archaeological ceramics, the restoration of books and paper in archival material. The various field projects include: documentation and restoration of medieval public buildings in San Gemini, the archaeological excavation in the ancient Roman city of Carsulae, as well as conservation work on the local historic archives. The SGPS program is a collaboration between scholars from various universities and local preservation groups, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to historic preservation. All academic activities are held in English.
In recent years, there have been some major developments for our SGPS program. An academic relationship has been established with West Virginia University that offers our students the opportunity to apply for and receive credits through the WVU Art History Department (the deadline for applying for credit through WVU has passed for 2024). We have also recently established cooperation agreements with the Museo delle Storie di Bergamo and the Parco del Colosseo to study and conserve artworks and archaeological objects held in their museums, as well as a collaboration with the Historic Archives of the Commune di San Gemini for SGPS participants to study and conserve archival documents.
This program and courses have been created and operated with the collaboration of various local organizations among which. The Associazione Valorizzazione Patrimonio Storico San Gemini (Onlus), The Public administration of the City of San Gemini and the Catholic Dioceses of Terni, Narni and Amelia
San Gemini Programs 2025
Courses are aimed at architects, conservators, librarians, planners, art historians, museum curators, historians, engineers, artists, and other individuals who will be involved in the planning, management, and study of cultural heritage.
Our goal is to instruct students, while performing field work that helps preserve the cultural heritage of the local area around the City of San Gemini, on the following: a) to analyze cultural objects, both in their physical and contextual aspects b) methods and tools for material restoration and conservation c) Strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage, d) Advantages and drawbacks to restoration e) Italian art, architectural, and landscape traditions.
Programs are organized around classroom courses, field research, field projects, and travel to places of cultural interest in central Italy.
All programs are intensive courses that include both classroom theoretical instruction and hands on field work on original materials.
San Gemini Book and Paper Conservation School (Sept 2025 – May 2026, a nine-month graduate-level training program to teach all the basic skills necessary to be a professional book, paper, and archival material conservator).
All field work is being done with the approval and supervision of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage (Ministero della Cultura and the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio Dell’umbria).
Massimo Cardillo
Director, San Gemini Preservation Studies
203 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215 USA
Tel. US +1 718 768 3508, Tel. Italy +39 350 023 6878
Cell / WA +1 917 327 1240
APPLY NOW
SGPS is a program of the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies, based in New York. An academic relationship has been established with West Virginia University that offers our students the opportunity to apply for and receive credits through the WVU Art History Department (deadline for enrolling is March 1st). We have established cooperation agreements with the Museo della Storie di Bergamo and the Parco del Colosseo to study and conserve artworks and archaeological objects held in their museums, as well as a collaboration with the Historic Archives of the Commune di San Gemini for SGPS participants to study and conserve archival documents.
Our courses are open to students from various disciplines, both undergraduate and graduate. All lessons are taught in English.
ITALY
THE GABII PROJECT SUMMER 2024 FIELD PROGRAM (ITALY)
Download full syllabus here Application: click here
DIRECTOR: Andrew C. Johnston, Associate Professor of Classics and History, Department of Classics, Yale University, 344 College Street, P.O. Box 208266, New Haven CT 06520-8266
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The archaeological field program of the Gabii Project is a five-week program (6/13/24 to 7/19/24) conducted at the site of the important ancient Latin city of Gabii, 18 km due east of Rome in central Italy. The field program aims to introduce students to the techniques and methodologies of field archaeology through direct, hands-on, experiential learning, imparting both practical skills and contextual training and stressing the full range of techniques that make up the modern archaeologist’s toolkit: from excavation strategies, to data recording and digital modeling, artifact recovery, processing, and analysis, as well as scientific applications that include the collection of osteological and environmental data. In addition to the instruction on site, the program provides an opportunity for students to contextualize their work, and the site of Gabii itself, within larger archaeological and historical frameworks, through excavation tours given at regular intervals, off‐site lectures, visits to museums and archaeological sites in the city of Rome, and readings.
Every tree has a story to tell. Dendrochronology is the study of natural and human processes that are recorded in the annual growth rings of trees. This tree-ring record is archived thanks to the remarkable preservation qualities of wood, and across the wide geographical distribution of trees. Through the science of dendrochronology, a broad range of ecological, climatic, geological, and cultural phenomena can be reconstructed and analyzed with high spatial and temporal resolution.
About the Field School
Students will research and catalog collections from the NAN Ranch, a large Classic Mimbres period pueblo in the Mimbres Valley excavated by the Texas A&M University summer archaeological field school from 1978 to 1989 and now housed at the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Museum. Archaeological survey experience on the NAN Ranch provides essential field training in locating and recording archaeological sites and contextualizes our museum collections research. Experimental archaeology gives us insights into how the items we see in the field and in museum collections were made and used.
This project is committed to increasing the diversity of views represented in archaeology, including improving communication between archaeologists and nonprofessionals and between researchers with different backgrounds and training. Students from backgrounds and institutions traditionally underrepresented in archaeology (including small colleges and community colleges) are especially encouraged to apply.
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center maintains high standards of research and scholarship. Students participating in the Center’s programs are closely supervised by staff members, ensuring a positive learning experience, as well as high-quality contributions for the profession. In addition, American Indians—many of them descendants of Ancestral Pueblo people—consult and collaborate on all facets of the Center’s research, and colleagues from many other disciplines lend their expertise to advance mission initiatives. In such an environment, interns have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in working with, and learning from, a wide variety of people.
The Eastern Pequot Archaeological Field School offers lots of great archaeology and Indigenous-centered community collaboration. The Department of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, B
Project Director:
Field school is an irreplaceable component in the education of any student pursuing a career in archaeology. Each year, the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) oversees an intense, four-week accredited educational program allowing both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in active maritime archaeological research along the First Coast, here in St. Augustine and the surrounding region.
Come to Hawaii and experience a field school like none other. You will live on the Big Island for three weeks. You will be exposed to a new way of thinking mixing an applied anthropological and an archaeological field school. Join us on the ground for the first of many years in Hawaii, beginning with the program at Kaloko Fishpond which is jointly administered by the National Park Service and native Hawaiian cultural groups. Check out the website 
Our
This program is a four-week, intensive field school experience designed to provide students with jobready skills to enter the workforce as archaeological field technicians at the Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
The Field School will run from Monday, June 2nd through Friday, June 27th, 2025. Students should plan to be in Arkansas City, Kansas, by noon for orientation. Excavation days will be Mondays-Fridays, with weekends off. Students will be housed in single-occupancy dormitories on the Cowley Community College campus. Parking is safe and free. Students will need to bring linens, toiletries, and clothing; all excavation tools will be provided. The Paris Park Pool is within easy walking distance of the dormitory. Transportation to/from the site will be provided and we can arrange for airport pick-up from Wichita for students travelling from out-of-state.
Students are required to register for field school under ANTH690 under Dr. Dozier for 4 credit hours. Those enrolling in the Digital Archaeology Workshop will enroll for an additional 1 credit hour of ANTH690 under Dr. Howland.
Excavation equipment is provided. Rooms are provided over the weekend. Meals are provided from Monday breakfast to Friday lunch. Students have free weekends, and many go to Wichita on Friday evenings.
Internship opportunities are available in a wide variety of disciplines and professions included within PHMC’s programs, such as archival studies, archaeology, architecture, collections care and management, cultural resource management, curation, exhibition development, geographic information systems (GIS), graphic arts, historic preservation, historical research and programming, museum education, museum studies and zoology.
The course will begin (May 5-9) with five-day intensive introduction to zooarchaeology, vertebrate osteology, and natural history by zoom. Students will then meet in Salt Lake City (May 12) and we will proceed from there on a 6-day camping field trip across the state of Utah. We will explore many of the most important archaeological sites in the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau (e.g., Danger Cave, Hogup Cave, Lakeside Cave, Homestead Cave, Cowboy Cave, Sudden Shelter, Bonneville Estates Rockshelter) and study the different habitats and vertebrate faunas of the regions. We will then stay for the remainder of the course (May 18-30) at the remote and scenic Range Creek Field Station in eastern Utah with continued field and lab studies and lectures on various topics in zooarchaeology. Students will complete a problem-oriented research project at the field station and present an oral presentation on that work at a conference on May 30. We depart on May 31.
The USDA Forest Service, Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests is hiring a summer archaeological technician intern at $20/hour for 640 hours (16 weeks) with a flexible start date in May or June 2024. The position is based out of Mendon, Vermont and is being advertised through preservenet.org as a National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) internship in partnership with the National Park Service. The completion of 640 hours in an NCPE internship will earn the individual a 2-year Public Land Corps non-competitive hiring authority to apply for permanent federal positions, if eligibility requirements are met (
The Peter A. Krueger Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain professional skills and learn about museum practices at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Interns will acquire in-depth knowledge and develop an enriched understanding of how the museum fulfills its mission to educate, inspire, and empower people through design.
The Roman town of Aguntum was rediscovered in the early 20th century. Through decades of research, a Roman domus (private family residence of palatial proportions), impressive thermal baths, city walls, and numerous residential buildings were identified and excavated. Since 2006, ongoing excavations have been focused on the heart of the town—the forum area. The latest findings and analysis of artifacts suggest a flourishing Mediterranean city nestled amidst the Alpine landscape.
Ancient Apollonia Pontica (present-day Sozopol, Bulgaria) is one of the oldest towns on the w
During the 7th-6th millennia BCE, farming and animal husbandry spread from Anatolia and the Near East through the Balkan Peninsula and to Europe. These were not new technologies adopted by local populations but newcomers who brought a completely new way of life and subsistence, initially coexisting and then taking over local populations. By the 6th millennium BCE, the local economy, social organization, trade, and cultural contacts evolved, to reach its peak in the 5th millennium BCE. Even newer technologies came to bear, when locals begin processing – and using –metals such as copper and gold.
To date, approximately one third of the tell has been excavated. This work yielded rich collections of archaeological materials, and the sterile soil has not yet been reached. There is a medieval cemetery at the top of the tell, followed by a Roman period level, two Iron Age levels, another dated to the Early Bronze Age, and finally a Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic level. It is unknown if the cultural history of the tell begins in the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic period or whether older Neolithic occupation layers exist.
The aim of the project is to provide participants with a theoretical background on the development of Neolithic cultures in Southeastern Europe with a focus on Final Neolithic/Chalcolithic, Europe’s first civilization, and with practical experience in excavating a complex prehistoric tell-site.
Our work at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump aims to clarify chronological and contextual issues related to the earliest occupation phases at the site, evaluate the relationships between different parts of the site, and identify earlier uses than those currently well-documented. Through this work, students will learn about the site and develop key skills necessary in North American archaeology. These elements of the project will involve targeted testing and excavations in three areas of the site and supplemental testing, surveying, and mapping in three other areas. During the field school students will have an opportunity to excavate at the site and process the archaeological materials they unearth in the laboratory.
Lobor is a sacred archaeological site that has been active since prehistoric times. It played an important role in Late Antiquity when various barbarian groups (Germanic and others) crossed the borders into the Western Roman Empire. In the period between the 4th and 7th centuries, settlements were relocated to hilltops so that they could provide better protection for the inhabitants and make visual communication between such elevated spots easier. At that time, a large early Christian basilica was built in Lobor. It was probably erected on the site of a former temple dedicated to Diana. After the early Christian church was destroyed, first a pre-Romanesque church and then a Romanesque church were built. These churches marked another important period in Lobor’s history, the Carolingian period. The remains of the only wooden church known so far in northwestern Croatia have been discovered at the site. The wooden church is likely to have served as a temporary shrine between the respective periods of activity of the pre-Romanesque church and the Romanesque church. Since the very beginnings, the Lobor site has been associated with female cults, first the goddess Diana and later the Virgin Mary. It has remained so until today.
Neolithic settlements are among the most frequent types of prehistoric sites. Yet few have been investigated in the Baltic region. Scholars have incomplete understanding of how Neolithic sites were built, how different parts functioned and what activities took place, or how circular structures (identified through timber post holes in a circular form) had developed. This project aims to investigate these issues at Vasagård, a settlement on the island of Bornholm (Denmark) that corresponds chronologically to the Neolithic period c. 3500-2700 BCE. 
Vasagård is divided into two distinct sections: (a) Section West with a tomb system, where a dolmen and a passage grave are present and (b) Section East with a settlement system. It is important to note that the proximity of a causewayed enclosure, graves and settlement is unique to the period. During the 2007 excavations of the East and West Enclosures, it was determined that the grave system was replaced by a stockade. The East Enclosure enclosed an approximately 4-hectare area and West Enclosure, a somewhat larger with about 7 hectares area. On each side at least 6 palisades and 3 phases of construction can be detected. Inside and within the palisade fence there is a settlement with traces of burnt offerings – cereal, bones and flint tools. So far, no traces of the characteristic two-aisled longhouses were identified; however, traces of at least 9 circular timber circles were found, seven on the east and two in the West site, but there are certainly more. 
The Athenian Agora Excavations and Study Center are funded by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, with major support from numerous foundations, institutions, and individuals. The work of excavating began in the 1930’s with the substantial support of John D. Rockefeller, who also funded the reconstruction of the Stoa of Attalos (1953-1956) to serve as the site museum with storage facilities. In recent years the work has been supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Packard Humanities Institute. Other key supporters include the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Princeton University, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and Randolph-Macon College, among others. Millions of dollars have been provided in support of the excavation, restoration, research, and publication of 
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This summer course offers students the unique opportunity to actively participate in the excavation of one of the most prominent sanctuaries of the Aegean, situated on the uninhabited 
For the latest update on Despotiko go to: 
The Galway Archaeological Field School provides students with hands-on experience of the archaeology and architecture of medieval Ireland. We specialise in this field and seek to immerse our students in the wealth of medieval castles, churches and monasteries which lie scattered across the Irish landscape. We offer three courses: a two-week non-excavation course focused on the study of medieval architecture and two four-week excavation courses, one serving as an introduction to archaeological excavation and one offering experienced students further tuition in the various recording techniques used in archaeological excavation.
This four-week course will introduce students to the practicalities of archaeological excavation and provide them with hands-on experience of the key techniques they need to master to become proficient excavators. It is generally aimed towards undergraduate students of archaeology and anthropology, who usually take the course for credit, but the course is open to all and can be taken by anyone with an interest in archaeological fieldwork.
Students on this course will learn to excavate using a variety of tools but will also gain valuable experience of a range of on-site recording techniques which will generate a structured written record, a series of scaled drawings and an extensive photographic archive of the site under examination. They will be involved in the analysis of the stratigraphic evidence on the site and will also work with finds to ensure they are recorded correctly and stored safely. The course will have a particular emphasis on medieval archaeology and so the excavation site and the sites visited on field trips, which will include a series of castles, churches and monasteries, will be selected with this focus in mind. For the 2024 season, the course will be based upon an excavation at a medieval castle in Co Galway and so the students on the course will be part of our research programme which seeks to explore the archaeological evidence for settlement at late medieval castle sites in Ireland.
This four-week course, designed for students with some experience of archaeological excavation, seeks to develop their on-site skills to a high level and provide them with an opportunity to become proficient excavators. Working alongside novice students under the close supervision of the site director, students undertaking this course will be given responsibilities commensurate with their experience and these will include the excavation of discrete archaeological features, the recording of such features using the three-part record system (i.e. written, drawn and photographic records), the recording of finds and environmental samples and the analysis of the stratigraphic evidence within their work area. This module will allow students with some excavation experience to develop significantly as archaeologists and, though focused on Irish medieval archaeology, will teach them a range of transferrable skills which can be applied on professional research excavation and survey projects around the world.
Students may choose to do this course in Session 3 and are free to combine it with Course 2 in Session 2 if they wish, as entry to the course is restricted to those with some excavation experience, whether gained though Course 2 at the Galway Archaeological Field School or on another archaeological site. Students taking two courses get a 10% discount on both course fees. Course fees include tuition and self-catering accommodation and we also provide free local transportation.
The Blackfriary Archaeology Field School is part of the award-winning Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project (BCHAP) in the town of Trim, County Meath, Ireland. Focusing on the buried remains of the 13th century AD/CE Dominican friary and associated graveyard, the field school is suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds including archaeology, history, anthropology, and forensics – and for students looking for a unique study abroad experience. As participants in a public archaeology project, students are actively engaged with our outreach activities on site. They are also housed with families in Trim, allowing them to integrate wit
h the local community.
We are Ireland’s leading provider of accredited, field-based archaeological research and training programs. The ethos of the school is to provide an opportunity for students of archaeology and anthropology to experience at first hand the excitement of archaeological excavation in a teaching environment.
The archaeological field program of the Gabii Project is a five-week program (6/13/24 to 7/19/24) conducted at the site of the important ancient Latin city of Gabii, 18 km due east of Rome in central Italy. The field program aims to introduce students to the techniques and methodologies of field archaeology through direct, hands-on, experiential learning, imparting both practical skills and contextual training and stressing the full range of techniques that make up the modern archaeologist’s toolkit: from excavation strategies, to data recording and digital modeling, artifact recovery, processing, and analysis, as well as scientific applications that include the collection of osteological and environmental data. In addition to the instruction on site, the program provides an opportunity for students to contextualize their work, and the site of Gabii itself, within larger archaeological and historical frameworks, through excavation tours given at regular intervals, off‐site lectures, visits to museums and archaeological sites in the city of Rome, and readings.