Field Schools
Every year the University of Lethbridge offers students the chance to go on a dig either here in Alberta or to Tel Beth Shemesh, Israel. It is a requirement for all Archaeology students to attend a field school, but it is by no means limited to majors. ARKY 1000 is all the requirement you need. All field schools require you to keep a detailed field notebook, and grades are distributed based on the notebook and on participation. Want to leave Canada, but Israel doesn't strike your fancy? No problem! Our club executives and professors will help you find exactly the right field school you want to experience, anywhere in the world that offers a program. The Archaeology Club holds annual fundraisers and events to help get you there.
For more information on U of L field schools, visit Shawn Bubel's site here
For more information on U of L field schools, visit Shawn Bubel's site here
Israel Field School 2015
Since 2004, the University of Lethbridge has offered students who have taken Archaeology 1000 and has a GPA higher than 2.0 the chance to dig at the site of Tel Beth Shemesh in Israel, and this year is no different. The site is just outside the modern-day town of Beit Shemesh, southeast of Tel Aviv and due west of Jerusalem. Students interested in pottery will be hard-pressed to find a better site, with (quite literally) hundreds of sherds uncovered every day. The cost of the school is $4500-$6000, but with fundraising, scholarships, and student discounts, the price usually paid is $2000-$3000. The deadline to apply this year is Feb 26th. If you missed the date but are still interested in attending, contact Shawn Bubel by the end of march. Otherwise, it's not too late to apply for next year!
THE SITE:
The site itself is a Tel (old cities built atop one another, the lowest one being the oldest). The past few seasons have focused on layers that date to the early Iron Age/Late Bronze Age (1300-1000 BCE). Students who participate in this field school will get a chance to dig here and do actual work contributing to real research and have a chance at unique discoveries which can (and have) changed how we view the site. Here you learn about the history of the Levant, the Egyptian and Roman Empires, and biblical Israel, just remember to bring sunscreen and drink a lot of water!
THE WEEKENDS:
Weekends on this field school involve stunning and unforgettable trips throughout the country, including a trip to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, and other archaeological sites around the region. The course concludes with a 3-day weekend in the old city of Jerusalem.
AFTERWARDS:
After the dig, students have the option to join their fellow students and professor on an excursion to another country related to the study of Ancient Israel, and the best part? No grades! Three days extra in another country for no other reason than the love of travel. In years past, destinations have included Egypt, Istanbul, and Jordan. This year's destination is Rome and Pompeii! Don't miss out on all the fun!
THE SITE:
The site itself is a Tel (old cities built atop one another, the lowest one being the oldest). The past few seasons have focused on layers that date to the early Iron Age/Late Bronze Age (1300-1000 BCE). Students who participate in this field school will get a chance to dig here and do actual work contributing to real research and have a chance at unique discoveries which can (and have) changed how we view the site. Here you learn about the history of the Levant, the Egyptian and Roman Empires, and biblical Israel, just remember to bring sunscreen and drink a lot of water!
THE WEEKENDS:
Weekends on this field school involve stunning and unforgettable trips throughout the country, including a trip to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, and other archaeological sites around the region. The course concludes with a 3-day weekend in the old city of Jerusalem.
AFTERWARDS:
After the dig, students have the option to join their fellow students and professor on an excursion to another country related to the study of Ancient Israel, and the best part? No grades! Three days extra in another country for no other reason than the love of travel. In years past, destinations have included Egypt, Istanbul, and Jordan. This year's destination is Rome and Pompeii! Don't miss out on all the fun!
Fincastle Field School
Students on a much tighter budget, or more interested in North American Archaeology, or who simply want to experience a dig without the hassle of international travel have the option of digging in Fincastle, a site right here at home in Southern Alberta, just north of Taber. Students interested in ecofacts and paleoenvironment will find this site most interesting and enlightening. The cost of this field school is significantly cheaper, around $500-$1000, but again, scholarships and fundraising reduce the cost significantly. The site dates to the Besant Phase, around 2,500 BP. Here you'll learn about the lives of the early hunter-gatherers and nomadic tribes of the Great Plains, learn of their subsistence strategies, and the prehistoric climate of ancient North America. You have a chance to dig up actual finds in context, and not only learn the history of the Prairies, but add to it. Just remember to bring a good pair of boots and drink a lot of water! Contact Shawn Bubel if you're interested.
THE SITE:
Today, Fincastle is under the site of a parabolic dune, but under the layers of sand you'll find many artefacts and ecofacts, including dart points, bison bones, scrapers, burins, drills, and other cultural items. The site was used by the people during a time of great cultural change, when old transitional groups appear to have been replaced by those belonging to an entirely new culture, and Alberta was the centre of Great Plains trade.
THE LAB:
Students looking to specialize in laboratory studies will find this an excellent field school, which is very lab-intensive and research-oriented. Here, you can learn how to analyze that which is uncovered. You will be taught to tell the element, side, age, and even gender of bones, the types of projectile points, their raw material, where they originated, and soil samples will tell a lot about the stratigraphy and paleoenvironment.
Unlike Israel, the weekends in this field school leave you free to do as you please, so there's time for sleeping in and visiting family. That is except for the community visiting weekend when several hundred people come to the site to see what you have been up to!
Note: This field school is not being offered in 2016
THE SITE:
Today, Fincastle is under the site of a parabolic dune, but under the layers of sand you'll find many artefacts and ecofacts, including dart points, bison bones, scrapers, burins, drills, and other cultural items. The site was used by the people during a time of great cultural change, when old transitional groups appear to have been replaced by those belonging to an entirely new culture, and Alberta was the centre of Great Plains trade.
THE LAB:
Students looking to specialize in laboratory studies will find this an excellent field school, which is very lab-intensive and research-oriented. Here, you can learn how to analyze that which is uncovered. You will be taught to tell the element, side, age, and even gender of bones, the types of projectile points, their raw material, where they originated, and soil samples will tell a lot about the stratigraphy and paleoenvironment.
Unlike Israel, the weekends in this field school leave you free to do as you please, so there's time for sleeping in and visiting family. That is except for the community visiting weekend when several hundred people come to the site to see what you have been up to!
Note: This field school is not being offered in 2016
Fort Vermillion
When the flood of 2013 threatened archaeological sites around the province, the government opened up the historic site of Fort Vermillion, Alberta's first European settlement. Here, students have the opportunity to practice Historical Archaeology, and add to the pre-confederation history of Alberta. Students can expect to find early settler's equipment such as trade beads, nails, and gun pellets along with structures of buildings, and ecofacts such as bison bones. It is among the few stratified fur trading sites in Canada. This field school includes a lot of field mapping and students who enjoy history may find this the best option. The cost of the field school is around $1000, not including transportation, but interested students can expect fundraising and scholarships to offset the cost significantly. Just remember to bring bug spray and drink plenty of water. Contact Shawn Bubel if you're interested.
The Site:
The Site of Fort Vermillion was initially established as a fur-trading outpost by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1798, and was the second settled site in Alberta. Located on the Peace River, 30km south of High Level, this site stands secluded in the scenic and peaceful northern Alberta Athabasca region, perfect for those that enjoy camping and wilderness. The site was abandoned in 1830, though the modern-day town of Fort Vermillion is close by, named after the original fur-trading site. It is a relatively small site, exposed and in danger of being eroded by the Peace River.
The Work:
Students on time constraints may enjoy this field school, as it lasts less than two weeks, but excavations are daily. Unlike Israel and Fincastle, this field school requires a paper as well as keeping detailed field notes. Students that enjoy mapping, surveying sites, and keeping detailed records and writing a paper on their finds may find this an enjoyable and useful experience in their future careers. Expect a lot of analysis and a search for context, and the camping element adds a sense of how the original inhabitants may have felt themselves.
The Site:
The Site of Fort Vermillion was initially established as a fur-trading outpost by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1798, and was the second settled site in Alberta. Located on the Peace River, 30km south of High Level, this site stands secluded in the scenic and peaceful northern Alberta Athabasca region, perfect for those that enjoy camping and wilderness. The site was abandoned in 1830, though the modern-day town of Fort Vermillion is close by, named after the original fur-trading site. It is a relatively small site, exposed and in danger of being eroded by the Peace River.
The Work:
Students on time constraints may enjoy this field school, as it lasts less than two weeks, but excavations are daily. Unlike Israel and Fincastle, this field school requires a paper as well as keeping detailed field notes. Students that enjoy mapping, surveying sites, and keeping detailed records and writing a paper on their finds may find this an enjoyable and useful experience in their future careers. Expect a lot of analysis and a search for context, and the camping element adds a sense of how the original inhabitants may have felt themselves.
Other Field School Options
Don't like our options? The Archaeology Club executives and Archaeology professors are always eager to help you find the right field school, whether you're a member or not. Field schools are available in almost every country in the world, so there's always options available for those of you more interested in China, Peru, or Spain, to name only a few. Check out global opportunities for field schools and scholarships by clicking here.
Still want to stay in Canada, but not necessarily Alberta? That's not a problem, either. It's hard to weed through all those pesky American schools when you're looking to study the Iroquois, the Athapaskans or Viking landings like L'Anse aux Meadows. For field schools and scholarships more Canada-oriented, click here.
Still want to stay in Canada, but not necessarily Alberta? That's not a problem, either. It's hard to weed through all those pesky American schools when you're looking to study the Iroquois, the Athapaskans or Viking landings like L'Anse aux Meadows. For field schools and scholarships more Canada-oriented, click here.