ARCS Archaeological Field School in Heraclea Sintica, SW Bulgaria
June 28 — July 22, 2012
Organized by the American Research Center in Sofia (ARCS), in collaboration with the National Institute of Archaeology with a Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (NIAM-BAS).
Team leaders:
Dr. Emil Nankov, Archaeology Program Officer, American Research Center in Sofia
Assist. Prof. Hallie Franks, The Gallatin School, New York University
Assoc. Prof. Lyudmil Vagalinski, Director of the National Institute of Archaeology with a Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia
The American Research Center in Sofia (ARCS) announces the inauguration of its archaeological Field School to take place in the summer of 2012. The Field School is focused on the excavation of the Hellenistic and Roman town of Heraclea Sintica (exposed Late Roman city wall in the photo above)located near the village of Rupite, 12 km northeast of the town of Petrich in southwest Bulgaria. A major center of the region of Sintica, inhabited by the Thracian tribe Sinti, the site lies on the southern slopes of an extinct volcano, at the juncture of Strumeshnica (ancient Pontos) and Struma (ancient Strymon) river.
Application Deadline: March 26, 2012
School Session: July 2 to July 21, 2012
Program includes:
Three weeks of excavation experience at the site of Heraclea Sintica.
Rooms in houses in the city center of Petrich. Each room has two beds in a very clean setting.
Breakfasts and lunches each day on the site; dinners at home base.
Transportation from Sofia-Petrich-Sofia, and from Petrich to and from Heraclea
Instruction in archaeological field techniques and lectures.
Study trips to archaeological sites and museums in Bulgaria, FYROM and Greece.
Program Description: The Program offers one excavation session, lectures and field trips, continuing for three weeks. Each participant will receive hands-on instruction in archaeological fieldwork on the site by qualified supervisors. In addition to learning excavation and recording techniques, the participants will be expected to produce a short report on a subject of their interest (architecture, metal finds, coins, pottery, diet, faunal remains, etc.). Further instruction will be offered by a series of lectures delivered by the field school staff, invited US faculty members and visiting Bulgarian scholars. The topics of these presentations range from graphic documentation to non-invasive field methods in archaeology, study of inscriptions on stone and broader political history. A one-day walking tour of downtown Sofia, with a focus on Roman Serdica and visits to the National Archaeological Museum and the National Museum of History, will take place immediately before the fieldwork. Participants are required to arrive in Sofia on June 28. Organized transportation from Sofia to Petrich is provided for all participants on the morning of June 30.
The students will be required to participate in the excavations five days each week, as well as attend the ten lectures, the three field trips and the Sofia tour. There will be one day off each work week. Study trips are arranged to archaeological sites and museums in Bulgaria, FYROM and Greece. Among the sites included are Sandanski, Drenkovo, Melnik, Strumica, Bansko, Valandovo, Amphipolis and Philippi. The program covers room, including 2 night stay in Sofia, board, field trips, Sofia tour. The program does not include: airfare to Bulgaria, dinners and meals on non work days, site and museum tickets. Participants will be provided with a certificate upon completion of the program.
A maximum of 10 students will be accepted in the program. Advanced undergraduate students and graduate students, based at US institutions, will be given priority in the selection process. Students are expected to arrange for medical insurance and to obtain visas, if applicable. Participants are required to bring a pair of hiking boots, sun and mosquito protection.
Schedule
June 28: Arrive in Sofia, hotel accommodation.
June 29: A tour of Roman Serdica.
June 30: Transfer to Petrich, accommodation and orientation.
July 1: Walking tour of Petrich and museum visit.
July 2: Work on site begins at 6am. The school consists of work on site from 6am to 1pm, lunch in Petrich, afternoon session of finds processing or a lecture from 4pm to 6pm.
The work schedule is:
Week 1-3: Monday to Friday, Saturday: study trips 1-3, Sunday free.
July 22: Transfer to Sofia airport.
Project Location: Heraclea Sintica (in the middle ground on the photo below) is located near the village of Rupite, approximately 12 km northeast of Petrich, SW Bulgaria. All fieldwork will take place on the site, with frequent visits to the Municipal Museum of History in Petrich. The project base is located in the town of Petrich (marked with an arrow on the map above),(pop. 30,000), situated 180 km south of Sofia (Bulgaria), 130 km north of Thessaloniki (Greece) and 200 km northwest of Skopie (FYROM). Transportation from the airport to the hotel at downtown Sofia will be available for all participants throughout the day on June 28.
Application: Application forms are available for download here (see links below). All application materials, including letter of recommendation and transcripts, must be sent via e-mail to Dr. Emil Nankov at ehn2@cornell.edu by April 1, 2012.
