Balkan Heritage (BH) Field School has just opened the application session for nine projects (in 2013) in the following areas: Archaeology, Art History, Restoration and Conservation of Artifacts, Monuments and Christian Art and Culture. Thank to the partnership with New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria 6 academic credits (for two-week projects) and 9 academic credits (for four-week projects) will be granted upon request to students who attend to these projects.
Balkan Heritage (BH) Field School (est. 2003) functions as a legal part of Balkan Heritage Foundation – a Bulgarian public, non-profit, non-governmental organization. It implements various educative projects in the areas of Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Folklore, Art History, Restoration and Conservation of artefacts and monuments, Fine Arts and Theology with participation of students, scholars and volunteers from all over the World. Balkan Heritage Mission is to support study, protection, restoration and promotion of sites, artefacts and practices belonging or related to the cultural heritage of South-Eastern Europe.

Detailed information about all Balkan Heritage Field School Projects in 2013 is available on their website at: http://www.bhfieldschool.org .


On-line applications can be submitted at: http://www.bhfieldschool.org/apply.php
Projects’ location: Bulgaria, Macedonia
Projects’ language: ENGLISH

Historical periods covered by the projects (with dates related to the Balkan Heritage projects’ sites): Early Balkan Neolithic (6000-5500 BC); Balkan Copper Age (5000 – 4200 BC), Archaic Greek (650 – 480 BC), Classical Greek (4th century BC),  Classical Thracian (5th-4th century BC), Hellenistic (4th-3rd century BC), Roman and Late Roman (1st century BC – 4th century AD), Early Byzantine (4th-6th century AD), Medieval and Late Medieval (14th – 17th century AD)

Projects in 2013:
“FRESCO-HUNTING” PHOTO EXPEDITION TO MEDIEVAL BALKAN CHURCHES (Western Bulgaria)
An expedition for documentation of medieval frescoes preserved in abandoned churches and chapels in remote areas of Western Bulgaria.The task of the expedition envisioned for 2013 is to enhance the database created during the previous seasons by documenting frescoes and their condition as well as collecting new data on history, architecture, artefacts and environment of the ecclesiastical buildings they belong to.

Standard Field School Session: 11 – 25 May, 2013

Extended Field School Session: 11 May – 1 June, 2013
Academic credits available for students: up to 9

BIRTH OF EUROPE – EXCAVATION OF THE EARLY NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT ILINDENTSI (Bulgaria)

Excavations of one of the very first Neolithic settlements in Europe (6000-5500 BC), near Ilindentsi, Southwestern Bulgaria. Two field school sessions are available:

Session 1: 11 June – 29 June, 2013
Session 2: 30 June – 14 July, 2013
Academic credits available for students: up to 9
 

WORKSHOP FOR CONSERVATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF ROMAN MOSAICS (Macedonia)

The workshop will guide the participants through  the history, techniques and consequent stages of archaeological study, conservation and documentation of Roman and Late Roman (first – sixth century AD) mosaics. Both the theoretical and practical courses will be based on authentic Roman mosaics / mosaic fragments found in the ancient city of Stobi – the capital of Macedonia Secunda.
Dates: 15 – 29 June, 2013
Academic credits available for students: 6
 

WORKSHOP FOR CONSERVATION, RESTORATION  AND DOCUMENTATION OF ROMAN POTTERY (Macedonia)

The workshop will guide the participants through the history and technology of Roman and Late Roman pottery and consequent stages of archaeological conservation, restoration, documentation and study. Both the theoretical and practical courses will be based on Roman pottery found in the ancient city of Stobi. During the workshop participants will work with authentic Roman shards.
Dates 15 – 29 June, 2013 
Academic credits available for students: 6
 
RISE AND FALL OF THE FIRST EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION – TELL YUNATSITE EXCAVATIONS (Bulgaria) NEW PROJECT!
Excavations of Tell Yunatsite – one of the very first urban settlements in Europe (5000-4200 BC) belonging to the FIRST EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION, near Pazardzhik, Southern Bulgaria. Beside other areas of exploration of Copper age culture, the field school program will focus on prehistoric warfare and metal-processing. Special Two field school sessions are available:
Standard Field School Session: 20 July – 3 August, 2013
Extended Field School Session: 20 July – 10 August, 2013Academic credits available for students: up to 9

APOLLONIA PONTICA EXCAVATIONS (Bulgaria) 

Excavations at the sacred precinct (temenos) of the Ancient Greek city of Apollonia Pontica on St. Kirik Island, Sozopol, Bulgaria. Periods of occupation: Archaic and Classical Greek and Early Byzantine (seventh – fifth century BC and fifth – seventh century AD). Two field school sessions are available:
Session 1: 3 – 17 August, 2013
Session 2: 18 August – 1 September, 2013

Academic credits available for students: up to 9
 

STOBI (THE CAPITAL CITY OF MACEDONIA SECUNDA) EXCAVATIONS (Macedonia)

Excavations of the impressive ancient (Late Hellenistic, Roman, Early Byzantine) city of Stobi, Macedonia. Two field school sessions are available:
Session 1: 3 – 17 August, 2013

Session 2: 18 August – 1 September, 2013

Academic credits available for students: up to 9
 

WORKSHOP FOR RESTORATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF ANCIENT GREEK POTTERY (Bulgaria)

The workshop will guide the participants through the history of ancient Greek pottery, its production and consequent stages of archaeological conservation, documentation, study, and restoration. It will take place consequently in Emona and Sozopol (ancient Apollonia Pontica) on the Black sea coast, Bulgaria. Both the theoretical and practical courses will be based on Ancient Greek pottery found in Sozopol. During the workshop participants will work with authentic Ancient Greek shards.
Dates: 4 – 18 September, 2013

Academic credits available for students: 6

ANCIENT GREEKS IN THE LAND OF DIONYSUS – EXCAVATION OF EMPORION PISTIROS, THRACE, BULGARIA NEW!

Excavations of ancient Greek emporion Pistiros in Thrace (5th-3rd century BC) began in 1988. Pistiros is among the rare points of ancient Greek trade located far inland, deep in Thrace – the land of Dionysus and Orpheus. It was located on the riverbank of the Maritsa River (Ancient Hebros) providing probably the last river-port for ancient merchants and adventures and starting point of merchant and caravan routes leading to important Thracian castles, settlements and shrines around. Once Pistiros was fortified anа looked as a small town. Nowadays the site is outside Septemvri – a small town in Southern Bulgaria, not far from the capital Sofia. The field school program will focus on both civilizations: Ancient Greek and Thracian and esp. on their commericial and cultural ties and interactions. Two field school sessions are available:
Session 1: 2-16 July, 2013
Session 2: 16-30 July, 2013

Academic credits available for students: up to 9