About the Archaeological Field School

The Penn State Department of Anthropology will offer an archaeological field school at a nineteenth-century farmstead in Penn State's Stone Valley forest. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, numerous farms, mills, and charcoal furnaces—even three forts from the French and Indian War era—were located in the area around Shaver's Creek.

Whether you are a current anthropology student or simply interested in learning more about the subject, this program will provide an extraordinary opportunity for you to get firsthand experience in archaeological fieldwork. You can learn how to lay out grids, use a transit, excavate, and conduct preliminary laboratory work. Most instruction will be hands-on training in the field. The course will also offer lectures on historic archaeology and Pennsylvania history.

This class can provide good preparation for employment in contract archaeology and for graduate school in anthropology. However, students interested in history, geology, and other related fields also can benefit from this exciting and unique experience.

Credits

The field school will be offered through Penn State Continuing Education for 6 credits: ANTH 492 (3 credits) and ANTH 493 (3 credits). It will be held during the first six-week summer session, from May 19 through June 27.