Instead of the typical textbook and notebook, a new NEIU course is requiring students to bring a pocket knife, work gloves, Pepto-Bismol, medical insurance, and a valid passport to class.
ANTH-380, in an archeological field school in Belize, is a six-credit-hour course? that allows students to receive hands-on experience in the archaeological field by studying abroad. Excavation, mapping, artifact processing, and field analysis are all taught in the field school. This is the fourth year that this course is being offered in NEIU and the third year that students have actually worked in the heart of the Mayan civilization.
Led by Dr. Jon B Hageman, NEIU’s Assistant Professor of Anthropology, the field school is part of a multi-year research program that investigates rural Maya populations in the Late/Terminal Classic period. To this day, there is evidence of the existence of Maya populations in Belize and many of the field school investigations look at the relationship between rural populations and urban centers as well as the social/ political-economic history of the ancient Maya world.
“All artifacts that are excavated are the property of the Government of Belize. We are able to export soil samples that are germane to our research on ancient Maya diet. NEIU students have been working on samples exported from Belize since Sept., 2005,” said Hageman.
A typical day during the course will consist of having breakfast in the field camp by 6 am, leaving for the fields at 7, returning at 4 pm, dinner at 6 pm, and lights out at 9 pm. Sometimes there is lecture upon returning from the field; this does not last more than 2 hours. “Students have about 2 hours of free time before dinner, and lectures are usually after dinner,” stated Hageman.
The field camp is the R.E.W Adams Research Station, located in the heart of the tropical rainforest and houses facilities such as a dormitory, kitchen, latrine, laboratory and tent platforms. Typical Belizean dishes such as rice and beans, stew chicken and plantains will be prepared by kitchen staff.
Students that are interested in the field school must have prerequisites in courses ANTH-213 Intro to Archaeology, ANTH-250 Latin American Archaeology, or ANTH-374, the Maya.
“Though these courses prepare them for how to think about what we’re finding, they don’t receive instruction in excavation and mapping until we’re in the field. ” said Hagemam.
For those that are eligible and interested in registering, the course runs from May 17 through June 14. The total cost for the trip is $2,150 and includes airfare, transportation in Belize and to Tikal, room and board, and field equipment. Although the deadline for application is Mar., 15, 2007, applications are accepted until all the spaces are filled.
To find more information about the field school and Belize log onto NEIU’s web site:
www.neiu.edu/~anthro/BelizeFieldSchool/index.html