Bones of the past: An introduction to Zooarchaeology, Bulgaria 2025 (Balkan Heritage Field School)

Location: National Museum of Natural History, Bulgaria

Season: July 5, 2025 to July 14, 2025

Session Dates: July 05 - 14, 2025

Application Deadline: May 5, 2025

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://www.bhfieldschool.org/program/bones-past-introduction-zooarchaeology

Discount for AIA members: 5% discount off the regular admission fee

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), Bulgaria; National Museum of Natural History, Bulgaria; and New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria

Project Director:
Academic coordinator: Dr. Nadezhda Karastoyanova (National Museum of Natural History) Field school coordinators: Lyuba Manoilova (Balkan Heritage Foundation & Field School Coordinator) Lecturers: Dr. Nadezhda Karastoyanova - zooarchaeologist at the National Museum of Natural History, and Stella Nikolova - PhD candidate (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

Project Description:

In 2025, the workshop “Bones of the Past. An Introduction to Zooarchaeology” will be hosted by the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia, Bulgaria. It provides a great opportunity for students to gain basic knowledge and hands-on experience in the identification and analysis of animal bones. During the project, participants will work with osteological materials from the museum collection.

 

By the end of the workshop, the participants will: 

• Gain basic knowledge of mammalian osteology, focusing specifically on the most encountered mammalian species in archaeological contexts.
• Learn about the anatomy of common domestic animals (cattle, sheep, goat, domestic pig) and wild animals (red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar)
• Learn methods for determining the age of animal remains using various techniques involving bones and teeth to assess growth stages.
• Acquire the ability to distinguish animal species based on characteristic morphological features of remains from archaeological sites.
• Gain insight into the relationships between humans and animals during different historical periods, opening a new way of understanding past societies.

Notes:
The course consists of three modules - theoretical (instructions and lectures), practical (hands-on lab work with the materials) and study visits with lectures (local museums and sites of interest) up to a total of approx. 37 hours. INTRODUCTION TO ZOOARCHAEOLOGY -Basic principles of Zooarchaeology. -Domestication. Evolution of domestic animals. -Anatomy of mammals. Bone morphology and dimensions. -Anatomy of Artiodactyls Part 1. Anatomy of the body. Vertebras, ribs, scapulae, pelvis. -Anatomy of Artiodactyls Part 2. Anatomy of the forelimbs. Anatomy of the hind limbs. -Comparative anatomy - how to identify taxons by the morphology of the bones. -Identification of animal teeth. Determining the age of animals based on the stage of tooth development and wear.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: One week

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No experience is required. The participants should have medical insurance including COVID-19 treatment and repatriation. The participants should inform the project staff about any health issues, allergies, and food preferences.

Room and Board Arrangements:
The reimbursement fee does not include accommodation and meals except the coffee breaks during the workshop. Sofia is a tourist city, so you can easily find different kinds of accommodation depending on your budget. The city is well connected with a cheap metro and bus system. The prices of the inexpensive and mid-ranged restaurants vary between 15 - 25 Euros for a three-course menu.

Academic Credit:
New Bulgarian University grants 3 ECTS credits for attending the field school. Transcripts of Records (ToR) are available upon request for an additional tuition fee