Rochester Faculty Led: Archaeology Field School - Smiths Island, Bermuda
Now entering its twelfth season, the Smith's Island Archaeology Field School has trained dozens of students in excavation and research methods and prepared them for graduate study. The program studies the early Modern Atlantic World from Bermuda- and island at its center- as we dig two early 17th century sites dating to the dawn of settlement. Students are involved in all aspects of fieldwork: excavation, artifact identification, documentary research, mapping, photography, and 3D digital modeling. Through readings, archival research, and exploration of local sites and museums you will learn about Bermuda's long history, process of Americanization, and early African history, During the 2023 season, we will dig a military quarantine site that overlied Bermuda's first 1612 Town and survey a new site thought to be 1615 mansion associated with enslaved Bermudians.
2023 SIAP Flyer 2.2.23.pdf
Prior archaeological experience or knowledge of early American history is not required!
Accommodations
We will stay in Block House, an 18th-century building located at the center of St. George’s. Housing and food are included in the program cost, but students may have to cook their own meals. Bermuda is very expensive: most food is imported and rents are very high. There will be a certain element of “roughing it” to keep the field school affordable. That said, you will be living in the oldest town in English America and a short walk away from four beaches.
Most students enroll in
HIS 258 (Field and Research Methods in Archaeology) and earn 4 University of Rochester credits. Students with prior archaeological field experience can take
HIS 358 (Advanced Field Methods). These courses satisfy requirements in the UR Archaeology, Technology and Historic Structures program or be used toward history or anthropology majors.
Fieldwork
Our field school is based in
St. George's, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which boasts many 18th-century houses and forts and is still an active sailing port. Students will be immersed in Bermudian culture and work alongside Bermudian volunteers. We will on nearby Paget Island and commute to work daily by boat. Work will include excavations in the field on Smith's Island and artifact processing and analysis in our lab in St. George's. By the end you will have developed core skills for employment as a professional archaeologist and solid understanding of archaeological research methods.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites
Michael Jarvis
Department of History
Rush Rhees 364
University of Rochester
Rochester,NY 14627
Michael.Jarvis@rochester.edu
The total program fee (including tuition) for 2023 is $4,980. This includes food, housing, in-country travel and tuition.
This summer's field school has a program fee of $4,950 which covers tuition, room and board on Paget Island, and program-related in-island travel. You will be expected to work five days a week in the field and also do lab work (artifact processing, cataloguing, database entry). Participants must have their own insurance and no police record (Bermuda Government regulations due to potential work with minors). UR participants also must attend some training sessions this spring to familiarize yourself with artifact identification and field recording methods. Participants must adhere to UR code of conduct and can be dismissed from the research program due to violations or poor work performance. Applicants are available once you create your Profile in the Education Abroad Portal. Please complete the application by March 20 to be considered; Notifications will be made in early April.
Letter of recommendation: Please list the name, department, title, and email of a professor willing to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Also arrange to have this person send this letter directly to Michael Jarvis at michael.jarvis@rochester.edu by March 20,2023
Non-UR Students: If you are not an enrolled student at the University of Rochester and you are applying for this program, please use the "NON-UR LOGIN" option when prompted to login.
Scholarships for UR Faculty Education Abroad Programs
UR Scholarships
University of Rochester students may be eligible to receive a scholarship for this Program. Read the Scholarships document in your Learning Content for details.
Other scholarships
There are many scholarships and funding sources, both need and merit-based, for education abroad, and we encourage you to apply. Visit our
Scholarships page for more information.
Applications may require a copy of your official transcript, essays or personal statement, letters of recommendation, and financial aid information.
