Field Schools and Scheduled Excavations in the Western USA
Numerous field schools and other planned excavations are held each year in the western United States. Here's a sampling of the most recent.
Field schools listed below with dates older than the current year may indicate an ongoing project that has not yet established dates for this season.
Field schools listed below with dates older than the current year may indicate an ongoing project that has not yet established dates for this season.
Clarksburg, California Shipwreck
October 22-26, 2007. Past Foundation. Clarksburg Shipwreck Project, a week-long field project to document a 19th century shipwreck in the Sacramento River near Clarksburg
October 22-26, 2007. Past Foundation. Clarksburg Shipwreck Project, a week-long field project to document a 19th century shipwreck in the Sacramento River near Clarksburg
Crow Canyon Archaeology Adventures (Colorado)
June to September (annually). The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center continues its on-going research on ancient Pueblo Indian communities with weekly dig programs for adults, teens, families, and other groups.
June to September (annually). The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center continues its on-going research on ancient Pueblo Indian communities with weekly dig programs for adults, teens, families, and other groups.
Elden Pueblo (Arizona, USA)
April-October, 2008 (multiple sessions). Arizona Natural History Association and Coconino National Forest. Elden Pueblo is a 65 room pueblo with trash mounds, smaller pueblos, kiva, a large community room, and numerous pit houses that both pre-date and are contemporaneous with the main pueblo.
April-October, 2008 (multiple sessions). Arizona Natural History Association and Coconino National Forest. Elden Pueblo is a 65 room pueblo with trash mounds, smaller pueblos, kiva, a large community room, and numerous pit houses that both pre-date and are contemporaneous with the main pueblo.
Field Methods in Rock Art (Texas)
May 11-29, 2009. Shumla School and Texas State University. A three-week field school in rock art recording offered through the Department of Extension Studies, emphasis on the Lower Pecos rock art.
May 11-29, 2009. Shumla School and Texas State University. A three-week field school in rock art recording offered through the Department of Extension Studies, emphasis on the Lower Pecos rock art.
Fort Vancouver (Washington)
June 17-August 2, 2008. National Park Service, Portland State University, Washington State University. Historical archaeology at Fort Vancouver, the ca. 1825-1860 regional headquarters and supply depot for the Hudson's Bay Company, and Vancouver Barracks, the first (ca. 1849-2003) permanent U.S. Army post and command center in the Pacific Northwest.
June 17-August 2, 2008. National Park Service, Portland State University, Washington State University. Historical archaeology at Fort Vancouver, the ca. 1825-1860 regional headquarters and supply depot for the Hudson's Bay Company, and Vancouver Barracks, the first (ca. 1849-2003) permanent U.S. Army post and command center in the Pacific Northwest.
Gerstle River Site (Alaska)
May 19-June 21, 2008. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Gerstle River is a buried, well-stratified multicomponent site consisting of 8 components dating between 12,000-3800 years ago.
May 19-June 21, 2008. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Gerstle River is a buried, well-stratified multicomponent site consisting of 8 components dating between 12,000-3800 years ago.
Hawai'i Archaeological Research Project
June 15-July 15, 2009. San Jose State University. North Kohala, Hawaii Island learning learning archaeological survey and excavation techniques.
June 15-July 15, 2009. San Jose State University. North Kohala, Hawaii Island learning learning archaeological survey and excavation techniques.
Holcomb Valley, Clapboard Town (California)
June 21-July 25, 2009. UCLA. The Applied Archaeology Field School is conducted at mining camps high in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest.
June 21-July 25, 2009. UCLA. The Applied Archaeology Field School is conducted at mining camps high in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Iosepa (Utah)
July 6-August 2, 2008. State University of New York at Potsdam. The site is a Mormon Polynesian colony in Skull Valley, Utah, where a group of Mormons from Hawai'i set up a colony in the 1880s.
July 6-August 2, 2008. State University of New York at Potsdam. The site is a Mormon Polynesian colony in Skull Valley, Utah, where a group of Mormons from Hawai'i set up a colony in the 1880s.
Mark Twain's Comstock (Nevada)
July 14-August 14, 2008. University of Nevada Reno. Students will investigate the location and social and cultural characteristics of the earliest Comstock mining camps; boardinghouses, brothels, and households; patterns of gender and ethnicity; and commercial development.
July 14-August 14, 2008. University of Nevada Reno. Students will investigate the location and social and cultural characteristics of the earliest Comstock mining camps; boardinghouses, brothels, and households; patterns of gender and ethnicity; and commercial development.
Mt. Trumbull (Arizona)
June 15-July 24, 2009 (2 sessions). Nevada State College. Each session will include archaeological survey and subsurface testing of Pueblo structures. We will record archaeological sites near Mt. Logan and Mt. Trumbull.
June 15-July 24, 2009 (2 sessions). Nevada State College. Each session will include archaeological survey and subsurface testing of Pueblo structures. We will record archaeological sites near Mt. Logan and Mt. Trumbull.
Pimu Island Archaeological Project (California)
July 15-August 19, 2009. Santa Catalina Island and UCLA. Ssurvey, excavation, lab and cataloging methods; 9,000 years of cultural history of the Tongva (Gabrielino) nation with lectures given by local experts, Tongva tribal members, and California officials.
July 15-August 19, 2009. Santa Catalina Island and UCLA. Ssurvey, excavation, lab and cataloging methods; 9,000 years of cultural history of the Tongva (Gabrielino) nation with lectures given by local experts, Tongva tribal members, and California officials.
Qwu?gwes (Washington)
June 29-August 21, 2009. South Puget Sound Community College and Squaxin Island Tribe. A full scale cultural investigations of a buried waterlogged shell midden area (with wood and fiber artifact preservation) and a dry shell midden living area in the ancient dwellings at the site.
June 29-August 21, 2009. South Puget Sound Community College and Squaxin Island Tribe. A full scale cultural investigations of a buried waterlogged shell midden area (with wood and fiber artifact preservation) and a dry shell midden living area in the ancient dwellings at the site.
Rabbithole Springs (Nevada)
May 19-June 20, 2008. University of Nevada Reno. The field school students will survey and excavate the sites of mining camps in Nevada's Black Rock Desert in the vicinity of Rabbithole Springs
May 19-June 20, 2008. University of Nevada Reno. The field school students will survey and excavate the sites of mining camps in Nevada's Black Rock Desert in the vicinity of Rabbithole Springs
Rancho de Taos (New Mexico)
August 31-December 18, 2009. (three sessions). Southern Methodist University. Students take between 12 and 18 hours for this four-field Anthropological approach to archaeological methodologies focused on ecological and cultural resources survey, Archaic through Historic period rock art recording, and historic excavations on the historic Ranchos de Taos plaza in Taos New Mexico.
August 31-December 18, 2009. (three sessions). Southern Methodist University. Students take between 12 and 18 hours for this four-field Anthropological approach to archaeological methodologies focused on ecological and cultural resources survey, Archaic through Historic period rock art recording, and historic excavations on the historic Ranchos de Taos plaza in Taos New Mexico.
Range Creek Canyon (Utah)
June 2-July 23, 2008 (four sessions). University of Utah. The field school will continue identifying and recording sites in the canyon.
June 2-July 23, 2008 (four sessions). University of Utah. The field school will continue identifying and recording sites in the canyon.
Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Idaho, Utah)
May 25-August 13, 2009 (6 sessions). Utah State University. Based in three different areas: the gorgeous Gunnison Basin of Southwest Colorado (three 10-day sessions); southeastern Idaho (one 10-day session); and on the USU campus in Logan (two 10-day sessions).
May 25-August 13, 2009 (6 sessions). Utah State University. Based in three different areas: the gorgeous Gunnison Basin of Southwest Colorado (three 10-day sessions); southeastern Idaho (one 10-day session); and on the USU campus in Logan (two 10-day sessions).
Semester at Chaco (New Mexico)
Fall Semester 2008. University of New Mexico. Think of this integrated course as an intensive immersion in Chaco studies and the latest developments in archaeological methods and theory.
Fall Semester 2008. University of New Mexico. Think of this integrated course as an intensive immersion in Chaco studies and the latest developments in archaeological methods and theory.
South Park (Colorado)
June 1-June 30, 2009. Skidmore College. Fieldwork activities will be located in Colorado’s South Park and center on the investigation of Native American histories.
June 1-June 30, 2009. Skidmore College. Fieldwork activities will be located in Colorado’s South Park and center on the investigation of Native American histories.
The Hawai'i Archaeological Research Project
June 15-July 15, 2009. University of New Mexico and San Jose State University. Students will spend four weeks in North Kohala, Hawaii Island learning archaeological survey and excavation techniques.
June 15-July 15, 2009. University of New Mexico and San Jose State University. Students will spend four weeks in North Kohala, Hawaii Island learning archaeological survey and excavation techniques.
Totah (New Mexico, USA)
June 11-July 20, 2007. San Juan College and B-Square Ranch. Initially, research is focused on the Chacoan Anasazi communities of the Middle San Juan River valley.
June 11-July 20, 2007. San Juan College and B-Square Ranch. Initially, research is focused on the Chacoan Anasazi communities of the Middle San Juan River valley.
Transverse and Coastal Ranges, California
June 23-July 18, 2008. California State University Dominguez Hills. Survey and excavation at sites in the Los Padres National Forest.
June 23-July 18, 2008. California State University Dominguez Hills. Survey and excavation at sites in the Los Padres National Forest.
Utah Pottery Project (Utah)
June 27-August 11, 2005. Michigan Technical University. Excavations at the site of Frederick Petersen's second pottery shop in Salt Lake City (operated 1860s-1890s) and include pottery workshop buildings and perhaps the kiln itself. With a daily blog.
June 27-August 11, 2005. Michigan Technical University. Excavations at the site of Frederick Petersen's second pottery shop in Salt Lake City (operated 1860s-1890s) and include pottery workshop buildings and perhaps the kiln itself. With a daily blog.
Valles Caldera National Preserve (New Mexico)
Jun2 9-July 11, 2008. University of New Mexico and the Valles Caldera Trust. This year’s Field School marks the beginning of the Valles Caldera Archaeology and Paleogeography Project (VCAPP), a multi-year investigation of the importance of high altitude landscapes to Southwestern hunter-gatherers.
Jun2 9-July 11, 2008. University of New Mexico and the Valles Caldera Trust. This year’s Field School marks the beginning of the Valles Caldera Archaeology and Paleogeography Project (VCAPP), a multi-year investigation of the importance of high altitude landscapes to Southwestern hunter-gatherers.
Victorio (New Mexico)
June 4-October 12, 2009 (two sessions). Earthwatch Institute. One of the largest pre-contact pueblos in southwestern New Mexico, the site spans 700 years of occupation, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300.
June 4-October 12, 2009 (two sessions). Earthwatch Institute. One of the largest pre-contact pueblos in southwestern New Mexico, the site spans 700 years of occupation, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300.
Wind Wolves (California)
June 28-August 1, 2009. UCLA. The wind-shaped sandstone caves and shelters of the San Emigdio mountains contain some of the most spectacular examples of Native American paintings found anywhere in North America.
June 28-August 1, 2009. UCLA. The wind-shaped sandstone caves and shelters of the San Emigdio mountains contain some of the most spectacular examples of Native American paintings found anywhere in North America.