Welcome! I'm glad you're checking this out. Field schools can be really wonderful and memorable experiences.

 

        Click here for listings for spring/summer 2006

         Click here for listings for spring/summer 2005.

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A few general comments on Archaeology Field Schools:

1) they're a lot of fun!

2) You can get different things out of field schools -- e.g. basic exposure to archaeology, or much more detailed knowledge... some have academic credits and some don't (ALWAYS check in advance to see if your own university will count these credits towards your degree) .... some places you can go for a week (no academic credit), whereas others you have to commit to a longer stay and an academic course. Check out your options and compare. Also check to see that Canadian students are eligible.

3) You do have to pay for your tuition, for your travel, accommodation and subsistence -- and for some basic equipment, which may include basic tools like a trowel and tape measure, suitable fieldwork clothes (depends upon the climate) and footwear (steel-toed boots are often required, or hiking boots), stuff like sunscreen and bug repellent, water bottle, and if you're camping, a tent etc.  Prices vary -- but the field schools should have full information.

4) Field work can be physically demanding, and conditions are sometimes too dry, too wet, too hot, too cold, too buggy, too sunny, too far up a hill, or otherwise uncomfortable. Food is sometimes great, but more often it is a bit basic and sometimes different from what you're used to. Accommodation varies from comfortable cabins or communal houses to tents without any conveniences. Know what you're getting into! And make sure you have your shots... you should always have your tetanus vaccination up-to-date, and should check the requirements (e.g. for malaria prevention) if you're traveling to a foreign country.

5) Once you have field experience, summer jobs are often (but not always) available in field archaeology -- either helping to teach the next class of students in the following year's field school, or with private firms doing Cultural Resource Management work in Ontario, or with government programs.

6) Note! Field schools in more exotic locales may be subject to cancellation during times of political and social unrest. e.g. Many field schools in the Middle East haven't been running lately.

 

So, how to investigate?

Think about where you  might like to go, how much you can spend, and what you want to get out of it. Do you just want to try a dig for a day, without having to travel far from home? A week? Do you want to spend more time and get an academic credit too? What kind of conditions are you willing to put up with?

There is something for everyone.

Some field schools are run by universities, others by cultural centres, etc. Volunteer opportunities are run by a variety of organizations, including conservation and tourism centres. What you should choose will depend on what you want! Be very clear on what you're getting/what you're going to.

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Information below dates from 2003-4 but may provide some useful leads.

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First of all, there is the York University Archaeology field school, run by York University and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. The archaeological sites investigated include the Seed-Barker site (a great site, just a little bit north of Toronto), and other sites within the Greater Toronto Area. NOTE: The course did  run in 2005, but will probably not run in 2006. 

For information about the York archaeological field school, go here: http://www.arts.yorku.ca/anth/3140/

Think you might be interested? Students interested in taking the field school in future should contact Betty Hagopian (bettyh@yorku.ca) Undergraduate Programme Assistant at York University's Department of Anthropology, to find out the status of the course.

You can read a bit about the program and site here: www.yorku.ca/ycom/gazette/past/archive/092999/issue.htm. There's more about the Seed-Barker site here, where previous York field schools have been held... though this year's field school may be at a different site in the same area: www.rom.on.ca/digs/seedbarker/seed-site-main.html

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The links below date from winter 2003-2004. They should be a helpful starting point, but do note that information will change on this web page and on the linked pages. Also please note that I don't have any specific official organizational information about any of these field schools. I'm providing these notes just to help members of my archaeology classes get started with their own explorations. If you're in one of my classes, feel free to come and talk to me about your options once you've had a look here, but if you need specific information (e.g. costs, dates, credits, etc.) about a specific field school, your best bet is to contact that school or department directly.

n.b. The links provided here are just for your information -- apart from the York University field school, I'm not officially endorsing any of these! I know that some are excellent, but don't have direct information about others.

 

 

To explore further: check out the links below!

 Also be sure to check the book ArchaeoVolunteers, which gives a comprehensive listing of global archaeology opportunities. I have placed a copy on one-day reserve at York's Scott Library for Anth 2140 and another copy for Anth 2150. Also see the ArchaeoVolunteers website here (it may even work someday) http://greenvolunteers.com/arkeo/

 

Definitely see also: http://www.archaeologydigs.blogspot.com/

http://archaeologydigs.blogspot.com/2004/12/dig-and-tour-opportunities-for-2005.html

 

 

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Archaeological Field Schools Run by Universities in Ontario and Canada (I've endeavoured to provide the most helpful link, but in some cases you might have to hunt a bit, or send a queryto the department)

York University: Bar Ilan field school supervised by Carl Ehrlich, ehrlich@yorku.ca www.yorku.ca/human/undergrad/abroad/cdescrip.html,  www.yorku.ca/human/undergrad/abroad/brochure.html, www.yorku.ca/human/people/carl.html

McMaster University: Hamilton, Dundurn Castle: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/calendar/year2002/crs_33.htm, http://www.sha.org/CurrRes/nlcr-ont.htm, contact Anthropology Dept for current information: anthdep@mcmaster.ca

Trent University: Ontario www.trentu.ca/anthropology/Ontario/Ontario1.html and Belize www.trentu.ca/anthropology/Belize/Belize1.html

University of Toronto at Mississauga (Erindale): www.erin.utoronto.ca/~w3dsmith/a318in04.htm

University of Toronto, Woodsworth College: www.summerabroad.utoronto.ca/egyhome.html

University of Toronto, Scarborough: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/courses/calendar03/Anthropology.html#ANTC28

University of Toronto, St. George: www.chass.utoronto.ca/anthropology/fieldtoc.htm

University of Alberta: www.arts.ualberta.ca/anthropology/field_schools.htm

University of Calgary (Alberta or Antigua!) www.arky.ucalgary.ca/arky1/field_schools.htm

University of Waterloo: http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/ANTHRO/rwpark/index.html

Wilfrid Laurier University: http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwarch/digs.html

Memorial University, Nfld: http://www.ucs.mun.ca/%7Ejerwin/fieldschool.htm

University of Saskatchewan: http://broadway.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/education/iaems/thamad.html

University of Manitoba: http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/anthropology/

University College of the Cariboo, BC: www.cariboo.bc.ca/summer/special_courses.html

Okanagan University College, BC: www.ouc.bc.ca/Courses/Description.asp?coursename=ANTH&coursenum=231&suffix=

Simon Fraser University, BC: (Tonga!) http://www.sfu.ca/archaeology/ , www.sfu.ca/archaeology/dept/fschool/index.htm

University of Victoria, BC: http://web.uvic.ca/anth/

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Don't want a full university credit field course but want to try Ontario archaeology?

Not in university yet, and live in Ontario? Consider this program: http://www.trca.on.ca/land_protection/archaeology/default.asp?load=education

The Ontario Archaeological Society, Toronto Chapter, has an open dig in Toronto that

offers you the chance to explore archaeology for a day or a week:

www.ontarioarchaeology.on.ca/oas/Pages/public_archaeology_opportunities_03.htm

 

The London Museum of Archaeology, Ontario: www.uwo.ca/museum/   runs some local summer programs for volunteers. E.g. see their page on their volunteer program at the Rife Site, near Campbellville, or this one: http://www.uwo.ca/museum/expeditions/lawson/lawson_intro.html, www.uwo.ca/museum/volunteer2.html

 

ArchaeoExpeditions runs week-long archaeology field programs in Ontario, as well as further afield: www.archaeoexpeditions.com/, Site near Toronto: www.archaeoexpeditions.com/metate.htm   NW Territories: www.archaeoexpeditions.com/FortSimpson2003.html

 

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Want more choice? Here are some good overall search strategies:

Definitely try the book Archaeovolunteers (on reserve at York)

Definitely check out these lists, which include field schools from around the world:

        www.cyberpursuits.com/archeo/fieldwrk.asp

        www.archaeological.org/webinfo.php?page=10016 (nicely organized by region)

There is a great deal of information available online. Try using the Google search engine (www.google.com) with terms like "archaeological field school 2004". Also try "archeological" and adding keywords like "maritime", "historical", "prehistoric", "rock art".

 

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Want an archaeology adventure? (i.e., not necessarily a university credit)

ArchaeoExpeditions www.archaeoexpeditions.com offered several field programs last summer (2003) in Ontario (and further afield). 

 

Earthwatch runs educational expeditions including quite exotic archaeological volunteering opportunities (cost according to location): www.earthwatch.org/

 

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Some international field schools that caught my eye:

Iceland: www.geo.ed.ac.uk/nabo/

Pompeii: www.brad.ac.uk/acad/archsci/field_proj/anampomp/aapp_field.html

Lamanai Field Research Centre: www.lamanai.org/field_school.htm

University of Hawaii runs programs in Hawaii, Fiji, Easter Island, Cambodia, Thailand.... and a special program on Indigenous Anthropology:  www.anthropology.hawaii.edu/projects/projects.htm

Monticello: http://www.monticello.org/archaeology/fieldschool/

Achill Field School -- A range of programs of varying lengths at a Deserted Medieval Village, Ireland: www.achill-fieldschool.com/

Field Schools run by the University of Bristol, in the Caribbean, in the UK, and in France: www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Archaeology/fieldschools/fieldschool/

Castell Henllys, run by York UK: http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/castellhenllys/web/

U Texas Belize: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~marl/pfbap.htm

 

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Email Announcements I've received about field schools this year... some archaeological, some ethnographic, and some a combination:

 

AUSTRALIA: Claire Smith <Claire.Smith@flinders.edu.au> wrote to a list in September 2003 about a new field school:

Joe Watkins, of the University of New Mexico,  and I are developing a topic 'Ethnoarchaeology in Aboriginal Australia', which will be taught in the field, on Aboriginal land (permit access only) in southern Arnhem Land, in June-July 2004.  The topic will also be co-taught be Indigenous Elders from the area.  We are prioritising Indigenous students, but non-Indigenous students are also attending. There is a ceiling on numbers.  The syllabus outline is:

This topic will teach students how to undertake ethical and culturally sensitive ethnoarchaeological research. The skills that will be taught include research design, collecting oral histories, ethical interactions with Indigenous groups, rock art recording, site recording, stone artefact recording, assessing evidence and mounting a coherent argument. Under the guidance of Indigenous Elders, this field school provides a unique opportunity for learning and personal growth in the context of sharing daily life with Indigenous Australians. Students must adhere to the same rules of conduct as set forth in the Codes of Ethics of the Australian Archaeological Association and the World Archaeological Congress.

 

Field School in East-Central Europe: Spring 2004

From: David Scheffel <scheffel@mail.ocis.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 13:08:25 -0700
To: dscheffel@cariboo.bc.ca
Subject: Field School in East-Central Europe

Field School in East-Central Europe: Spring 2004

I would like to draw your attention to this month-long program suitable for advanced undergraduate students. It is built around a 6-credit field course,
which introduces the participants to ethnographic fieldwork in a number of settings in eastern Slovakia and western Ukraine. These include a Romani
(Gypsy) ghetto where CIDA has been involved in a community development project since 1998. The Field School is limited to 16 participants, and it
is open to applicants from any post-secondary institution. Detailed information can be found at www.cariboo.bc.ca/europe

Your cooperation in bringing this to the attention of your students is greatly appreciated.

David Scheffel

David Z. Scheffel, Ph.D.
Associate professor of anthropology
University College of the Cariboo
Kamloops, B.C.
CANADA   V2C 5N3

(250) 828-5182
dscheffel@cariboo.bc.ca

 

From:         Mark Anderson <marka@AGE.UCT.AC.ZA>
Subject:      Fieldwork Opportunity, South Africa

 

The Open School of Ethnography and Anthropology,  Yucatán, México

_______________
Quetzil Castañeda

 

Founding Director, OSEA-CITE

 

quetzil@osea-cite.org

 

Training in the Ethnography of the Future