Courses Offered

CAMS/J ST 499C Archaeological Field School (3 or 6 credits)
This course will introduce the students to the basics of archaeological field methods, will give a general overview of the history and material culture of ancient Israel and the eastern Mediterranean, and will include hands-on artifact processing. The students will participate in daily excavation on the tel, afternoon labs and pottery processing, and lectures.

CAMS/J ST 499D Conservation and Public Archaeology (3 credits)
The conservation and public archaeology option will entail hands-on conservation of on-site architectural remains and interaction with the various communities and shareholders involved with the preservation and interpretation of Israel’s archaeological sites.

CAMS/J ST 597 Advanced Field Archaeology (3 or 6 credits)
This course is designed for students with prior archaeological field experience. Students may register for this course only with the permission of the instructor and director of the project.

Independent study credit is possible with permission from the instructor.

An additional, post-excavation study tour is also available for 3 credits:

CAMS/J ST/RL ST 012 Archaeology of the Lands of the Bible (3 credits)
This study tour 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. This course can be taken independent of the archaeological excavation program.

Eligibility

The program is open to all students with a minimum 2.5 grade-point average. Applicants are considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are encouraged to apply early, as enrollment is limited.

Faculty

Dr. Ann E. Killebrew, director of the Akko Archaeological Project in Israel, is an associate professor of archaeology in the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, the Jewish Studies Program, and Anthropology at Penn State. She has participated in numerous archaeological expeditions in Israel and co-directs the Cilicia, Turkey, Landscape Archaeology Project. She is a noted expert on cultural interconnections in the eastern Mediterranean region and has authored and co-edited several books and numerous articles.