Program Overview

Embedded in an active, methodologically rigorous research program addressing the linkages between modern material culture and behavior in urban America, this field school aims to produce a robust dataset that allows archaeologists to reflect on the ways that social identity is indexed in/with everyday trash.  Working in a unique, New England urban setting, students will learn to apply both archaeological and ethnographic research methods as they study the garbage of city dwellers from ethnoarchaeological and forensic perspectives, with special attention to the most ubiquitous of urban trash, cigarettes.  Field and lab training include surface survey, artifact collection and identification, GPS mapping, photography, scan sampling, person-centered interviewing, GIS, and database design.

Instructor Bio

Dr. Anthony Graesch (agraesch@conncoll.edu) is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Connecticut College where he pursues ethnoarchaeological and archaeological studies of past and contemporary North American societies. He is the director of the Welqámex Household Archaeological Research Project in the Fraser Valley of southwestern British Columbia as well as the Urban Garbology Project in New London.  His publication record reflects expertise in household archaeology, labor, colonialism, archaeological methods, and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of material culture.

Student Fees

Program Costs

All fees are payable to the Institute for Field Research. Eight semester credit units are provided through Connecticut College. Program fee includes registration, accommodations, program activities, and meals on workdays.

You are responsible for your own health insurance. You will be asked to submitt proof of insurance with your application. 

Financial Aid

Please inquire about Financial Aid at your home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this web site.

Budgeting

How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, internet cafes, emergencies, etc.

Expenses NOT Covered:

 - Airfare to/from the pre-designated meeting place for the field school.

 - Health insurance – you will be asked to submit proof of health insurance with your application

 - Food on weekends when away from the site.

 - Miscellaneous expenses.

 - Sightseeing outside formal field school excursions as outlined on the syllabus.

Accommodations

MEALS:

Students will have a meal plan with the dining services staff at Harris Refractory on the Connecticut College campus (costs included in field school fee). Breakfast and dinner will be served at the Harris Refractory and bag lunches for the field will be prepared by Dining Services staff each day.  All meals will be communal events and will provide plenty of nutritious but basic food in the tradition of local cuisine. Culinary options for vegetarians, vegans, and folks with other food preferences and/or restrictions are available.

Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly. The project is used to catering for vegetarians, those with gluten intolerance etc.

Travel Information

New London (41.3556° N, 72.1000° W) is located approximately 50 minutes to the southeast of Hartford, CT, and about 50 minutes to the west of Providence, RI.  Unlike these larger cities, New London does not have a regional airport. Students may fly to Hartford or to Providence and then arrange overland transport to New London.  In general, it is significantly easier and faster to travel from Providence. We recommend that students fly to T. F. Green Airport (Providence, RI), use the MBTA Commuter Rail  (Providence/Stoughton Line) to travel from the airport (South Station) to Providence Station, and then use Amtrak to travel to New London. Importantly, when making reservations, students should budget enough time to travel between terminals and stations.

The field school staff will meet all students at the New London train station and transport them to the Connecticut College campus.

If your flight is delayed and/or you miss your train, please contact Prof. Graesch on his mobile (phone number will be provided to enrolled students during orientation) and come to Connecticut College and check-in at the Campus Safety kiosk near the main entrance.  We will be staying at Connecticut College throughout this field program.

VISA REQUIREMENTS:

All students should have a valid US passport .

HEALTH ISSUES:

For specific information regarding travel health issues pertinent to the US, please read the Centers for Disease Control Website. Click here to be directed to the CDC website.

Student Testimonials

Working with Dr. Graesch was fantastic.  He ensured that we understood the theory involved and that we were comfortable with everything before we began fieldwork.  During fieldwork, Dr. Graesch worked with each of us to ensure that we became confident and competent in our [research] methods. We were also taught lab procedures and how to properly identify and catalogue artifacts. The time that Dr. Graesch spent with us individually or in small groups really made a difference in making sure we all learned as much as possible.   All of the 'extras,' such as the excursions, guest speakers and evening activities that were included as a part of the course added some extra fun and excitement to the experience as well as allowing us to see how what we were studying related to the world around us.  Attending field school gave me a perspective on archaeology that could have only have been gained in a hands on situation. The experience let me see what archaeology really was, rather than trying to visualize it from reading. Attending field school gave me an idea of what area of archaeology I was interested in and wanted to pursue as a career.

Crystal Wiens, University of British Columbia-Okanagan (2010)