Antigua Archaeological Field School

Location: , AG

Season: June 2, 2018 to June 30, 2018

Session Dates: June 2-June 30, 2018

Application Deadline: April 15, 2018

Deadline Type: Exact date

Website: https://www.farmingdale.edu/academics/centers-institutes/international-education/study-abroad/summer-antigua.shtml

Program Type:
Field school

RPA Certified:
no

Affiliation:
Farmingdale State College (SUNY)

Project Director:
Dr. Matthew Brown

Project Description:

The Antigua Archaeological Field School will be in its 20th year in 2018. This year, we will continue the focus on Indian Creek (PA-04), one of the most important pre-Contact sites in the Caribbean. Radiocarbon dates indicate that it was continuously occupied for about 2,000 years, spanning the entire Ceramic Age of the Eastern Caribbean. Archaeological research conducted at Indian Creek by Dr. Irving Rouse of Yale University in the 1960s established the ceramic-based cultural chronology of Antigua and the Eastern Caribbean. This chronology stood as the benchmark for the settlement and migration of Arawak-speaking peoples into the Eastern Caribbean, which has more recently been called into question. In addition to establishing the chronology of Indian Creek as related to other sites within the Caribbean, we will be looking to better understand the settlement organization, mortuary practices, and migration origins of the indigeneous peoples who once occupied this site. Today Indian Creek is privately owned and threatened by development. It will likely be destroyed within the next five years. It is therefore essential that archaeological research be carried out prior to development. Our approach will be multidisciplinary within a cultural ecology framework. For  information or questions, please contact Dr. Matthew Brown. Applications are now available on the website.

Participants Learn:

• Introduction to archaeological field techniques 
• Bioarchaeology/Mortuary Archaeology, human remains recovery methods
• Geoarchaeology/soil and sediment formation processes
• Field expeditions exploring local ecology, historical sites, and beaches
• Survey techniques, GIS, field recovery, and lab analysis
 
Field School Activities

The field school was developed to provide hands-on professional training in archaeological field work. Field work is enhanced by evening lectures by visiting scholars and field trips to points of interest on the island.

Period(s) of Occupation: Pre-Contact: 2,000 years.

Notes:
Prehistoric archaeology, Caribbean, Bioarchaeology

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 4 weeks

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No experience required. We welcome students from all academic disciplines, colleges and universities, and in various stages of their academic and professional training (undergraduate, in-between programs, and graduate), who are interested in gaining field experience. The program is international in scope, as participants and researchers come from the U.S., Canada, Europe,the Caribbean, Africa, and elsewhere.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Weekdays will comprise field work, Monday through Friday. Students will also have the opportunity to hear evening lectures on Antigua’s prehistory and history. Weekends will be devoted to field trips, exploring the island’s rich geography and history, points of interest, and trips to Antigua's lovely beaches. Participating in the field school will allow students to experience contemporary Caribbean culture and cuisine. Credit and non-credit options are available; both include room and board, insurance, and ground transportation. Accommodations and meals are provided by the field school. Living accommodations will be in comfortable guest houses that are fully furnished and located in the quiet residential area of historic Nelson's Dockyard National Park at English Harbor. The houses are set on a hillside, and are cool and spacious, with adequate workspaces and a great scenic view of the sea. Three delicious meals a day are provided by our own fabulous cook. Everyone will meet at the main house for meals. All meals are varied and well balanced. Breakfast is light - fresh fruit, cereal, and toast; Lunch is a brown bag sandwich affair to be eaten in the field during the week, with a warm lunch being served on weekends; Dinner is a full hot meal. Meals can be supplemented with snacks that are available at local shops. Students are not permitted to cook in the accommodations houses. All students will be expected to assist with kitchen duties on a rotational basis. If you have dietary restrictions, please contact Dr. Brown. Cost: $3807.31 (non-credit); $4643.36 (for 3 credits); $5480.41 (6 credits).

Academic Credit:
3-6 credits offered by Farmingdale State College (SUNY). Tuition is $836.05 (3 credits); 1672.10 (6 credits).