We will not be offering an Archaeological Field School in Texas in 2012. We anticipate that the Lower Pecos Canyonlands field school will be offered in 2013 modeled on the 2011 field school shown below.
Summer Archaeological Field School
Lower Pecos Canyonlands
June 1st – July 1st, 2011
Join Dr. Steve Black for a month of hands-on training in archaeological field methods in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of southwest Texas, a remote area with an unparalleled 13,000-year record of hunter-gatherer life found in rock shelters with extraordinary organic preservation and vivid rock art, as well as in an intriguing and little-known array of settlement features. Field school activities will include field research and training, lab work, lectures, experimentation, site tours, and canyonland exploration. Visiting scholars will offer specialized training sessions and lectures.
Students will learn:
- Site survey and recording in the canyons and adjacent uplands
- Excavation methods including arbitrary unit-level and stratigraphic approaches.
- Feature documentation using conventional and digital techniques
- Recovery and specialized sampling methods
- Mapping using total stations, GPS, and compass and pace
- Research design and methodology
- Experimental approaches
- Laboratory processing of artifacts, samples, and digital data
This undergraduate archaeological field school is offered through the Department of Extension Studies at Texas State University.
Course credit: ANTH 4630, 6 credit hours undergraduate
Accommodations: The field school will be based on a 6,000-acre private ranch in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of southwest The field camp will be situated on a high divide overlooking two deep canyons that drain into the spring-fed Devils River Texas (between Langtry and Del Rio). Food, lodging, and transportation provided.
Conditions: Most days in June will be hot and dry, with lower humidity and less rain than San Marcos. Survey days, site tours, and canyonland exploration will involve hikes through steep, rugged terrain. We will take appropriate precautions including proper sun protection, hydration, hiking attire, pacing, and taking advantage of the early morning hours. Still, not for the faint-hearted.
Costs:
Tuition: $1,146
Application Fee: $25
Program Expenses: $1,204
Total $2,350
Application and Enrollment: Enrollment limited to 15 students. See Extension Studies web page to apply.
Additional Information: sblack@txstate.edu, 512-245-7862
Background: www.texasbeyondhistory.net/pecos/
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