18th and 19th Century River Town Archaeological Field School

Location: Blairsville, PA 15717, USA

Season: May 15, 2023 to June 23, 2023

Application Deadline: April 1, 2023

Deadline Type: Contact for Details

Website: https://www.iup.edu/anthropology/research/newport-site.html

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
This project is an RPA certified field school

Affiliation:
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Project Director:
Ben Ford

Project Description:

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is offering two concurrent historical archaeology field schools at the site of Newport (36IN188), Pennsylvania. This field school is certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).

Newport, located near Blairsville, Pennsylvania, was founded circa 1790 and served as an important river town until the early 19th century. The town included several businesses, a hotel, a post office, and a wharf. The site is now completely abandoned. This year’s archaeological investigations will include shovel test pits, excavation units, geophysics, metal detecting, photogrammetry, and artifact analysis to better understand commerce and travel through the Pennsylvania frontier. Students will be exposed to both traditional and high-tech techniques with the goal of preparing them for cultural resource management and academic careers.

Period(s) of Occupation: Historic - ca. 1790-1830

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: None

Room and Board Arrangements:
Housing is be available through the IUP Office of Housing and Residence Life (https://www.iup.edu/housing/index.html) or can be obtained individually. Contact Ben Ford (ben.ford@iup.edu) for more information.

Academic Credit:
ANTH 320/520 Archaeological Field School (6 credits) An introduction to archaeological survey, field excavation, and laboratory processing. ANTH 740 Advanced Archaeological Field Methods (4 credits) Advanced instruction in survey and excavation field methods and technology, with an emphasis on the application of research designs to field settings, and the logistics of supervising field projects. To register visit Registration the IUP Summer Sessions website (https://www.iup.edu/summer/index.html).