Archeological Studies
Archeology is the study of the past through material remains. Archeological Studies at Oberlin is based on a program of interdepartmental offerings that covers a range of cultures—from prehistoric to early historic—in both the Old and New Worlds. This program of study also introduces students to the analytic tools that facilitate archeological research.
The Archeological Studies major is an interdisciplinary major administered by the Curricular Committee on Archeology. The major is interdisciplinary in two respects. First, it requires students, regardless of their specific interests, to become acquainted with a range of different archeological research perspectives among those represented in the College curriculum. Second, it permits students to explore the interrelations between archeology and science in a manner that is consistent with current trends in both study and research.
Majors will design their own curriculum in close consultation with their advisor according to the specific area of concentration within the discipline.
The core curriculum will consist of a selection of courses drawn from the regular offerings in anthropology, art, classics, religion, and geology and supplemented by appropriate courses in related disciplines such as biology, chemistry, environmental studies, history, mathematics, and computer science.Curricular Committee on Archeology 2006-2007
Susan Kane (Art) Chair
Karla Parsons-Hubbard (Geology)
Benjamin Lee (Classics)
Kirk Ormand (Classics)
Drew Wilburn (Classics)
Archeological Studies Major.
For a current description of the Major see the Oberlin Online Course Catalog.
Archeological Fieldwork and Laboratory Research Opportunities
Field and lab research opportunities can be arranged through participation in Oberlin faculty research, or through field schools, internships, or other arrangements outside of Oberlin. There are many sources for finding out about research opportunities. Students interested in gaining research experience in archeology should regularly check the Archeological Fieldwork bulletin board opposite King-320, and consult with faculty on the committee. The Archaeological Institute of America maintains a website and publishes an annual book on Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities.
Oberlin Faculty Projects in Archeology
The Sangro Valley Project <www.sangro.org>
Project Directors: Susan Kane, Oberlin College and Ed Bispham, Oxford University
The Sangro Valley Project in the southern Abruzzo region of Italy was established in 1994 by John Lloyd (Oxford University) with the aim of studying society, economy, and settlement change within the context of a Mediterranean river valley system—the Sangro River valley—in the territory of the ancient Samnites. Two phases of work by the SVP (1994-1998; 1999-ongoing) have convincingly demonstrated that this area of ancient Samnium, particularly from the Iron Age through the Roman periods, was a greater participant in the broader processes that shaped ancient Italy than previously thought.
The Sangro Valley Project, in partnership with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell'Abruzzo and the USDA Forest Service, Division of Heritage Management, is focusing its current excavation and survey work at the site of Monte Pallano and its environs. Monte Pallano was an important feature in the ritual and territorial landscape of the ancient Samnites. Ongoing excavation work includes a complex of public and sacred buildings on the mountain as well as at two nearby Iron Age and Roman domestic sites.
The Sangro Valley Project Field School trains both undergraduate and graduate students in the latest archaeological and technological methodologies. A group of volunteer archaeologists from the USDA Forest Service also excavate and provide geoprospection work. The fieldwork is supplemented by field trips to other sites and nearby museums, and by lectures on the history of the region, the principles of archaeological documentation, and discussions of the current problems facing professionals in the field of heritage resource management and in the stewardship and assessment of cultural and environmental resources. In addition, by working in Italy with an international team of senior specialists and students drawn from American, British, and Italian universities, participants have the opportunity to experience the increasingly global nature of archeology and cultural heritage work.
Archeological Links
Society for American Archaeology
Archaeological Institute of America
Archaeology Magazine
Society for Historical Archaeology
Frequently Asked Questions About Careers in Archaeology
Archaeology.com
ArchNet
Internet Archaeology journal