The Department of Anthropology at SUNY New Paltz sponsors an Archeological Field School each year during the Second Summer Session. This course provides twenty to twenty-five students with intensive instruction in archeological field and laboratory methods including excavation techniques, mapping, recording, artifactual classification and analysis, and paleo environmental, cultural and historical reconstruction.
During the Archeological Field School, a significant archeological site in the Mid-Hudson region is excavated. Sites that have previously been selected for excavation have included remains dating from the Paleo-Indian period, Circa 11,000 years ago until the Contact Period (17th Century).
As participants in the Archeological Field School students spend approximately six hours per day at the site (weather permitting) throughout the session. Rain days and afternoons during the last week of the field school are spent in the laboratory curating and analyzing the artifactual material that has been excavated.
Students who complete the Archeology Field School earn 9 hours of upper division undergraduate credit or 6 hours of graduate credit. The Archeology Field School counts as a 3 hour 400 level elective in Anthropology's major and minor degree program.
The field school is open to all regularly enrolled undergraduate /graduate students. While some students enroll in the Archeology Field School in conjunction with the anthropology degree program, the curriculum has been designed to enable students with no prior anthropological archeological training to participate. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Archeology Field School no prerequisites other than matriculation as a regular New Paltz or Continuing Education students are required.
Students in the Archeology Field School arrange their own room and board, either off campus or in dormitories. Daily transportation to and from the site is provided.
The Archeological Field School is administered and conducted by Joseph E. Diamond. Since registration in the field school is limited, students hwo are interested in enrolling are encouraged to contact the field school director during the semester before enrollment is contemplated.
Joseph E. Diamond
Archeological Field School
Department of Anthropology
SUNY New Paltz
1 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561-2499
Telephone: (845) 257-2990/2988
Fax: (845) 257-2984
