Top Ten Reasons to Study Abroad  

Faculty-led, world-focused

The 6-credit excavation and public archaeological program in Israel will integrate the multifaceted aspects of twenty-first-century archaeology that combines excavation, conservation, heritage studies, and community involvement. In 2010, Akko will be the location of this unique and cutting-edge field school. This UNESCO World Heritage site is located on the Mediterranean Sea, north of the modern port city of Haifa. Boasting the only nature harbor in the region, throughout its history Akko has served as a major emporium for the ancient world. Bronze and Iron Age Akko appears prominently in ancient Egyptian, Ugaritic, Assyrian, Greek, and biblical accounts. Excavations on Tel Akko, the ancient mound located to the east of the modern city of Akko, have uncovered remains of Canaanite, “Sea Peoples,” Phoenician, Persian, and Greek culture. During more recent times, it is famous as the city that withstood Napoleon’s two-month siege and marked the end of his campaign to conquer the Middle East. Today Akko is a major tourist destination, well-known for its picturesque and historic Ottoman period town that is constructed on the ruins of the best-preserved Crusader city in the world.

This program will include beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of archaeological fieldwork. The introductory-level excavation course (CAMS/JST 499C [3 or 6 credits]) will introduce students to archaeological field methods, a general overview of the history and material culture of Ancient Israel and the eastern Mediterranean, and hands-on artifact processing. The conservation and public archaeology course option (CAMS/JST 499D [3 credits]) will entail conservation of on-site architectural remains and interaction with the various communities and shareholders involved with the preservation and interpretation of these sites. Intermediate- and advanced-level fieldwork (CAMS/JST 597 or independent study [3 or 6 credits]) will include training for professional staff and supervisory positions, field documentation, surveying, and artifact analysis. Lectures, excavation, lab work, and field trips to archaeological sites and museums will comprise the course content. These courses or combination of courses will fulfill the 6-credit archaeological fieldwork requirement for the CAMS archaeology option.

In short, a beginning student can take the following:
CAMS/JST 499C (6 credits)
or
CAMS/JST 499C (3 credits) and CAMS 499D (3 credits)

An intermediate or advanced student can take:
CAMS/JST 597 (6 credits)
or
CAMS/JST 597 (3 credits) and CAMS/JST 499D (3 credits)

The 3-credit CAMS 012 course following the field school will focus on the archaeology of the Levant and biblical Israel from the rise of urbanization (ca. 3200 BCE) to the emergence of ancient Israel (ca. 1200 BCE), through the Second Temple and Roman periods, concluding with the development of the region as the "Holy Land" for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. During their study abroad experience in Israel, with travel to relevant archaeological and historical sites, the students will examine cultural, social, and political developments and transitions in Israel and the eastern Mediterranean in antiquity. The CAMS 012 course will fulfill CAMS major, GH, and IL requirements. The independent study credit is possible with the permission of the instructor.

Accommodations: The Akko Field School will reside at the Naval Academy, located in the modern city of Akko on the Mediterranean Sea. The rooms will be dormitory-style accommodations with three to four students per room. The CAMS 012 study tour will reside in youth hostels or three-star hotels, with two to four students per room.