|
This
past summer, six Holy Cross students had the opportunity to work on two
archaeological sites, one in Macedonia and the other in Southwest Turkey
By
Elizabeth Sampson '02  Classics
majors Chris Bratt '00, Kristin Nunez '03 and Brian Wengerter '03
worked on the Macedonian site as part of a three-week program,
sponsored by the University of Connecticut. The UCONN classics
and ancient Mediterranean studies department offers the program
in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum of Aiani in
Kozani,
Greece.
The experience provides students with
an introduction to excavation and conservation techniques, as well as to the
history of Macedonia, in an ideal, hands-on environment.
Based in the museum, where instruction, conservation and analysis take place,
the program is augmented by opportunities to dig at a variety of neighboring
sites and by field trips to several Macedonian cities and the Archaeological
Museum of Thessaloniki. The Hellenic Society of PAIDEIA provided funding for
10 participants who are responsible only for their
airfare and personal expenses.
Sara Dembro, a fourth-year premed student majoring in art history,
and classics
majors Kathryn Kennedy '01 and Amanda Regan '02 participated in the excavation
in Elwell, Turkey, as part of the Haclmusalar Project. The program is conducted
by a consortium of Bilkent University in Turkey, the Associated Colleges of the
South, DePauw University and Holy Cross.
Students participate in the actual digging at the site
and also work in the registry, where found artifacts are processed and analyzed.
Participants from Holy Cross are required to take a seminar in archaeological
fieldwork with Professor
Neel Smith of the College's classics department; many students who are not participating
in the program take the class as well.
"The project has benefited almost as much from the students who have not gone
to Turkey as from the ones who have," says Smith, who works on the site during
the summer program. "It's an extraordinary example of the kind of energy a liberal
arts education can create. Some of the students have had great ideas that have
become integrated into the program."
Participation
in the project leads to immersion in Turkish culture. "It was an amazing
experience-taking part in the excavation of an ancient culture as well as living
in a foreign country for the summer," says Dembro. "Turkey was beautiful, to
an extent that I never expected."
Participation in the project has already yielded opportunities
for Kennedy and Dembro, who are seeking a Fulbright Fellowship in the hope of
continuing their
work in Turkey after graduation.
|
