Bio/Archaeological Techniques and Research Center
BIOARCH CANADA
About the Course
Location: Marneuli, Kvemo Kartli, Republic of Georgia
Dates: May 23 - July 18, 2027
· Session 1: May 23 - June 16, 2027
· Session 2: June 18 - July 16, 2027
Housing: a hotel, about 20km from the site, 2-3 participants per room, private bathrooms available in each room. Transportation provided to and from the site and lab.
Meals: breakfast and diner are served Mon-Fri; traditional country cuisine; we can accommodate vegetarian diets. However, we are not able to offer a vegan or gluten-free option.
Cost: US$ 2845 per 4 -week session (4 weeks mandatory)
Fee includes: registration and field fees, lectures, field and laboratory gear, housing and meals as described above
Project participants, students and volunteers, are integrated into the GRAPE research team. Everyone is welcome to participate in project workshops, lectures, activities and trips. All participants must adhere to the GRAPE code of conduct while on the project. GRAPE is an inclusive research project. We, as a community, hold each other accountable to a high standard of scientific and professional conduct.
To achieve a more encompassing archaeological field experience, we encourage all our participants to consider our Roman or Medieval Cemetery Funerary Excavation in Romania as well, for a total of 8 weeks in the field.
Gadachrili Gora Regional Archaeology Project Expedition (GRAPE)
The Gadachrili Gora Regional Archaeology Project Expedition (GRAPE) is a Georgian-Canadian cooperative effort investigating the prehistory of the Caucasus Region, in the Republic of Georgia. GRAPE began its inaugural season in 2016 with renewed excavations at Neolithic sites in the Kvemo Kartli Region. The project is also part of the larger: “Research and Popularization of Georgian Grape and Wine Culture” effort. During its initial seasons GRAPE recovered evidence for the earliest known wine, dating to 6,000 – 5800 BCE. The evidence for wine was found in residues of pottery recovered from Shulaveris Gora. Our ongoing excavations at Gadachrili, Shulavaeri and Imiris Gora continue to expand our knowledge of the Neolithization process in the southern Caucasus.
As part of our fieldwork we conduct ongoing experimental archaeology. We engage in: pottery making, kiln building, obsidian and clay sourcing, knapping, butchery, and awl-fashioning. These activities assist us in interpreting the past communities that we study.
This course is designed as a general practicum in archaeological field methods. As a field course, emphasis will be placed on active participation in the ongoing research of the Gadachrili Gora Regional Archaeological Project Expedition (G.R.A.P.E.) in the Republic of Georgia. Students will receive extensive training in excavation methods, recording procedures, and the preliminary processing of artifacts. Weekend field trips exploring the archaeology and culture of the region will supplement the primary focus on field experience. All students are eligible to participate. No prior field experience is necessary.