August 6, 2008

Join UAlbany's Field School in Costa Rica

University at Albany undergraduates will study abroad Jan. 11-Feb. 22, 2009 as part of Professor Robert Rosenswig's archaeological field school to Las Mercedes, Costa Rica. Rosenswig will run the Las Mercedes Projects with Ricardo Vazquez of the National Museum of Costa Rica, who is also a doctoral candidate in UAlbany's Department of Anthropology. In 2005, Vazquez ran a field school at Las Mercedes in collaboration with the University of Montreal.

Radiocarbon dates suggest the major phase of architectural construction at the site's center began circa A.D. 1000 and that occupation continued through the colonial period.

The trip, which is limited to 20, is for students of all majors. No previous field school experience is necessary. Rosenswig recommends that students joining the field school take at least one archaeology course (such as Introduction to Archaeology, which he is teaching this fall). A previous trip to Belize offers a visual example of the field school experience.   

Over the last 10 years, more than 170 UAlbany undergraduates and 50 graduate students have joined eight UAlbany field schools. At these schools, students participate directly in archaeological discovery, finding primary scientific data about prehistoric society. In addition, they learn basic scientific skills essential for archaeological excavation. These skills give them the credentials needed for careers with private archaeological firms once they return to the U.S. A field school is also the first step in professional training in pursuing an academic career in archaeology. 

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