US- MO: Archaeological – Institute for Field Research

Location: Center for Archaeological Investigations Faner Hall, Mail Code 4527 Carbondale, IL 62901

Season: May 23, 2022 to July 1, 2022

Application Deadline: June 1, 2022

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/us-mo-archaeological-curation-2022/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Center for Archaeological Investigations, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Connecticut College, Institute for Field Research

Project Director:
Dr. Tamira K. Brennan

Project Description:

The Curating Archaeological Collections field school offers intensive hands-on training working with pre-Columbian artifacts at the Center for Archaeological Investigations’ 9000 ft² curation center. Here you will learn skills that can be applied to a career in curation, museums, collections, archives, and of course, field archaeology, all while doing detective work to solve the many unpredictable issues that arise when rehabilitating old collections. Expect to come across one-of-a-kind and exemplary artifacts that few people have the opportunity to handle. You will walk away from this experience with a good working knowledge of how to care for, organize, and track collections on a large-scale, develop a base in prehistoric artifact identification, database use and design, and legislation governing collections management in the US (including NAGPRA). Field trips to regional museums and other repositories, visits to local archaeological sites and excavations, lectures, discussion, and optional weekend excursions into beautiful southern Illinois enhance this experience.

Period(s) of Occupation: Curation & Museum Studies

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Participants are required to stay for the full duration of the field school.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No experience required.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Students will live in comfortable, but modest, field housing in the Shiloh (IL) area at a local apartment complex. Each furnished apartment will be shared by up to five people and will have two bedrooms, one kitchen, and one bathroom. Students will be required to bring their own blow up twin-size mattress or cot, bedding (or sleeping bag), and towel(s). The site of Cahokia is located in Collinsville, Illinois a 30-minute drive from the field lodging. All meals will be communal events and will provide plenty of nutritious but basic food. The daily diet will consist of protein, vegetable, and grains. Specialized diets (vegan, kosher, etc.) are difficult to maintain in a large group setting. Vegetarians, however, are more easily accommodated. Likewise, dietary allergies will be accommodated. Cost: All room and board costs are included in tuition.

Academic Credit:
8 Semester Credits credits offered by Connecticut College. Tuition is $4,920.