The Green Fort is a bastioned or ‘star-shaped’ military fort with spectacular and extensive views overlooking Sligo Town, Sligo Bay, and the surrounding mountains in the North-West of Ireland. Its elevated position made [...]

There can be so many unknowns when heading out to archaeology field school for the first time, and our alumni are a great resource to know what to expect. We caught up with Alex [...]

When I first signed up for the Yangguanzhai program, the most I knew to expect was that of the people that left behind the very artifacts we are excavating. With regards to the rest [...]

These are some curated tips and tricks that I learned through my archaeology field school program, the China Yangguanzhai Excavation. Although these may not directly apply to your host country or field school setting, [...]

The main focus of the program was to locate, excavate, and identify artifacts in the field, another key aspect was engaging with the local community in various ways. Professor Mayfield clarified to us how involved [...]

My name is Sarah and I am a graduate from California Polytechnic University, Pomona with a bachelors in Anthropology. I attended the Monastic Midlands Archaeological field school program in Ireland where I got to learn [...]

Before I left for my trip abroad, my experience in archaeology halted at my textbooks. Being an anthropology student, my work consists mainly of cultural analysis and writing papers. I had no previous exposure to [...]

As you can tell from the title, archaeology involves learning new terminology, which I will now explain in the context of my experience at Clonoghil Castle, the site of the Monastic Midlands Excavation. "Cutting" [...]

When students from other disciplines besides archaeology think of an archaeological dig, many often imagine the experience as one of two types. Either it is digging holes in the dirt and looking at broken pottery, [...]

Field school experiences don’t end when the excavation wraps up or the final survey is complete. For many alumni, the lessons, connections, and opportunities continue to shape their academic paths and professional growth long [...]

During my time in Belize, while I was working on the Actuncan excavation field school there were many interesting finds but there were two finds that I found especially memorable. Picu incused ceramic shard [...]

When packing for a field school it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. You may be packing for anywhere between 1 week to 6 weeks and there really is so much to consider, especially [...]

I can’t believe I am going to do this. Is this your first thought as well? Lucky for you, you aren’t alone. Trust me I know the feeling. Deciding to go to a field [...]

Packing for a summer archaeology field school? Whether you're heading into your first excavation or returning for a repeat season, figuring out what to wear in the field can be surprisingly tricky. In this blog [...]

An aspect of field school that is not often discussed is how much it causes you to reflect on your likes and dislikes and how much it prompts reflection and refinement of research interests. As [...]

Participating in the Yanguanzhai field school program in Xi'an, China was a transformative experience that reshaped my perspective on my major, Asian & Asian American Studies, and profoundly influenced my future aspirations. As someone who [...]

Nestled within the Carpathian basin you can find Transylvania, a land lush with mountain greenery and active wildlife. While riding the train across their exceptionally green landsape, you may hope to find a few [...]

So you have decided that you want to embark on an exciting new journey and go to a field school - Yay! Field school is a great way to experience new cultures, make lifelong connections, [...]

Want to have a great field school experience? Try out the Monastic Midlands Excavation Field School this summer! Here’s 10 reasons why: Learning environment Unlike most digs, you won’t be working for [...]

So, you just came back home from an amazing experience and now you have to ask yourself the scary question: What’s next?! If possible, try and schedule time for yourself when you get [...]

By Ariel Gilmore This summer, I got to travel to Providencia, Colombia with USC professor Tracie Mayfield. The work of my team is a project of discovery and justice. Archaeology recovers the lost, tangible [...]

By: Adela Elizarrez I participated in the Proyecto Arqueológico Zuleta (PAZ) in Ecuador over the summer which focused on the Zuleta region, located north of the country’s capital of Quito. Zuleta is nestled within [...]