Interdisciplinary Program in Archaeology

Fieldwork at the College of Charleston

Faculty at the College of Charleston are involved in a variety of research projects, several of which provide opportunities for student participation in a variety of capacities. All minors in archaeology are required to take part in at least one season of archaeological fieldwork. The following projects provide that opportunity: Archaeological Field School in the Lowcountry Department of Sociology and Anthropology/Charleston Museum The field school is a comprehensive program that meets Society of Professional Archaeologists' standards. Students participate in ongoing research conducted by The Charleston Museum and receive in-depth training in all phases of basic archaeological field research including surface survey, excavation, map construction, photography, data interpretation, and artifact processing and analysis. Within the project, students typically work for an extended period of time excavating a known archaeological site, followed by rotations into intensive field survey. In 2009, students worked on a variety of sites in the Charleston area, including  a plantation and in downtown  Charleston on the original City Wall.  A blog on the dig of the wall is available at http://walledcitytaskforce.org/ The field school operates in odd years (2007, 2009, etc.). For more information, contact Dr. Barbara Borg. The Avkat Archaeological Project Dept. of Classics/Princeton University/Trent University The Avkat Archaeological Project is an interdisciplinary survey in and around the modern village of Avkat, the ancient city of Euchaita. The project, under the direction of Dr. John Haldon (Princeton), features a team specialized in geophysics, geomorphology, archaeology, art history, ancient history, and GIS assembled from leading institutions in the US, Canada, UK, Turkey, and Switzerland. Students learn through active participation the methods of intensive surface survey, artifact analysis, and data interpretation; and gain an incredible experience of working in modern rural Turkey. Students interested in participating in this project should contact Dr. James Newhard, Director of the intensive survey by October 1.. The Göksu Archaeological Project Dept. of Classics/British Institute at Ankara The Göksu Archaeological Project (GAP) is an interdisciplinary intensive survey of the Upper Göksu River Valley in the Taurus Mountains of south-central Turkey. The project is a collaborative effort between Dr. Hugh Elton (Director, British Institute at Ankara) and Dr. James Newhard (College of Charleston). Fieldwork was held every May/June through spring 2006, and has now ended. In addition, faculty are engaged in fieldwork and research activities focused upon Egypt (Piccione, History), France (Hays, Anthropology), Greece (Newhard, Classics), and Iran/Central Asia (Canepa, Art History). Much of this research is aided by collaborations with the Santee-Cooper GIS Laboratory and specialists in environmental geology (Dr. Norm Levine) and geoarchaeology (Dr. Kem Fronabarger). Fieldwork at other Institutions Students are encouraged to make the most of their field school experience and should explore all opportunities in the United States and Abroad.  Field experiences for students in the past have ranged from excavating Viking ships in Norway to Morturary Archaeology in Poland to Cave Archaeology in Belize.  Students should do field work in  an area (either physical or time-wise) that excites them the most.  Field schools generally have deadlines from as early as November to as late as May depending on their location.  There is also some money for students to go to field school abroad  that can be applied for early in Spring Semester.  Please contact the Director (beutele@cofc.edu) if you plan on doing field work elsewhere, it MUST be approved as appropriate prior to attending. Photograph Credits (top to bottom): Excavations at Grotte XVI Dordogne, France (Lynn Roebuck); Excavations at Grotte XVI Dordogne, France (Lynn Roebuck); CofC Field School 2005 at Drayton Hall (Barbara Borg); CofC Field School 2005 at Drayton Hall (Barbara Borg); Fieldwalking in the Göksu Valley, Turkey (James Newhard, GAP Archives); East Church at Alahan, Göksu Valley (Muharrem Oral, GAP Archives).

updated September 4, 2007