December 2023 – Page 2 – Archaeology News and Announcements

In Fieldwork Opportunity

The 2024 JICAS Island Archaeology Field School in Jersey is run in partnership with Jersey Heritage, Societe Jersiaise and the University of Exeter’s International Summer School. This year’s Archaeological Map of Jersey Summer School will continue to focus on Approaches to Prehistoric Landscapes in Jersey, as well as a two-week excavation at the neolithic site La Hougue de Vinde. The field school will take place over three weeks, from July 1 – 20th, 2024.

Week one will cover mapping, recording and interpretation of the prehistoric record through geoarchaeological approaches. Outside of the classroom we will make use of Jersey diverse and dramatic landscape to explore different types of preservation context from Ice Age sediments of the foreshore to buried Neolithic landscapes.

Weeks two and three examine various field survey techniques, landscape archaeology and comparative island archaeology, as well as the known distribution of prehistoric sites from the Jersey Historic Environment Record and the new results of the recent LIDAR survey conducted on the island by Jersey Heritage. As part of the of ‘The Archaeological Map of Jersey’ project, weeks two and three will also continue the excavation work at La Hougue de Vinde as the basis of our planned field survey.

For more information on how to apply and the full schedule of the field school, click this link.

Fashion as Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory | New Choices Program Video Series

Brown University’s Choices Program has just released the final lesson in their updated unit on Confronting Genocide: Never Again? as a free online lesson. This new lesson includes a new video series featuring RISD Museum curator Kate Irvin:

Fashion as Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory

In “Fashion as Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory“, students assess and understand the value of fashion as a source for studying history and culture. Students learn to analyze a fashion piece as an historical object and then view a slideshow of past and present OvaHerero fashion styles from Namibia. Students consider the role of fashion as a political or cultural statement and then sketch their own fashion piece using symbolism. Although the lesson is part of the full Choices unit Confronting Genocide, you do not need the unit to complete this lesson.

The video series features Kate Irvin, Curator and Head of the Department of Costume and Textiles at the RISD Museum. The videos discuss textiles and fashion and how to analyze them in light of history and current events.

To view the lesson plan and videos, click this link.

Choices Curriculum Series: Explore History, Current Issues, and Geography and Save!

Through the Department of History at Brown University, The Choices Program offers educational resources to teachers in order to make innovative pedagogy accessible to all schools. The Choices Program offers all 40 of its history and current issues curriculum units as individual units or in one of five series: U.S. History, World History, Current Issues, Geography, and the Complete Series. Check them out to see which ones are the best fit for your classroom.

Order a series and save 10 percent off the regular price of individual units. (This is our usual series pricing, not a special promotion.) Curriculum is available in print and in our web-based Digital Editions. Choices staff members are ready and willing to assist you with any purchasing decisions or questions via phone call (401-863-3155) or email (choices@brown.edu).

See the full catalog of teaching materials here.

View the 2022 RI Heritage Festival Online!

The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission has uploaded the full schedule of the 2022 Rhode Island Heritage Festival. Their digital events can be found through this youtube link, and are open to all viewers.

Quick Takes: Big Archaeological Concepts in 5 Minutes or Less

In In the News

The AIA-Coalition for Archaeological Synthesis (CfAS) working group has developed a conference format called Quick Takes: Big Archaeological Topics in 5min or Less to explore concepts with critical implications in the field of archaeology and disseminate information for the AIA meetings and beyond.

The inaugural program, Quick Takes – Take #1: Big Datasets in Archaeology, showcases nine videos of scholars working in a variety of places and time periods. Their contributions discuss various types of big datasets and the different approaches that they take to analyze, curate, and disseminate these data.

The Joukowsky Institute’s very own Dr. Parker VanValkenburgh (Associate Professor of Anthropology) led a five minute presentation on his work with GeoPACHA and South American archaeology. Click this link to watch the video!

For the full list of presenters, click this link here.

AIA Archaeologists You Should Know – George Bass

George Bass was a pioneer in the field of underwater archaeology and founder of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. As the first archaeologist to excavate underwater using the same principles and standards as excavations on land, he helped revolutionize an entirely new field. The Archaeological Institute of America interviewed Nicolle Hirschfeld to learn more about why George is an archaeologist you should know. Read more here.

Last Call – ARCE AM 2024 Grant for Underrepresented Students

In Funding & Fellowships

To increase opportunities and access to the ARCE Annual Meeting for students from typically underrepresented groups, ARCE will offer the 2024 ARCE Annual Meeting Grant for Underrepresented Students (ARCE Grant) to a maximum of five (5) eligible undergraduate or graduate students whose studies are related to (or who have an interest in studying) Nile Valley cultures through the disciplines of Egyptology, Nubiology, Africology, Art History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical, Coptic, Islamic, Middle East, and African Studies, or other related fields. Awardees will be paired with Ph.D. students or early career scholars who will act as mentors during the Annual Meeting.

Up to five grants will be awarded annually. The ARCE Grant will pay all fees related to (i) Annual Meeting registration; (ii) lodging costs and breakfast at the host hotel for each night of the Annual Meeting; and (iii) transportation costs (up to a maximum of $500) incurred in attending the Annual Meeting. Prior to the Annual Meeting, Awardees must consult with the US ARCE Office to arrange registration, lodging, and transportation. ARCE will purchase air or train tickets on behalf of, and in consultation with, awardees. Awardees will be responsible for costs in excess of $500.

Application Deadline: December 15, 2023 11:59 PM EST.

To learn more and apply, click this link.

Recordings at Risk Grant Cycle 11 Opening

In Funding & Fellowships

Applications for the next cycle of Recordings at Risk grant funding will be accepted starting on January 17, 2024. Recordings at Risk is a program by the CLIR that supports the preservation of rare and unique audio, audiovisual and other time-based media of high scholarly value through digital reformatting.

Visit Apply for Award to learn more including information about upcoming webinars and guidelines on how to apply. An additional cycle of funding is planned for 2025.

PBS Documentary – “Written on the Landscape”