Antigua: Betty's Hope Archaeological Field School
Course Number: RCED 979-G

Location: Antigua, British West Indies - BWI
Dates: July 4th - August 1st, 2009
Cost: $2,600; including room and board, ground transportation, and insurance.
Participants may apply this field experience to earn academic credit; an additional fee will apply. Contact the instructor for permission and further information.

Application Deadline: March 30th, 2009.
Project Director: Dr. Georgia Fox

Betty's Hope, which is being considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is located on the Caribbean island of Antigua. Betty's Hope is a former British sugar plantation that operated from 1651 until its sale by the Codrington family in 1944; the plantation operated continuously for almost 300 years, pre- and post-emancipation, thus allowing for long-term historical continuity in one place.

The main focus of the field school is to provide hands-on training in archaeological field work:

• excavation
• mapping
• surveying
• analysis and processing of archaeologically recovered materials

The field school includes these activities:

• field archaeology
• lectures on Antigua's history
• plantation archaeology
• weekend fieldtrips
• trips to the beach

Working on the island will also allow students to experience contemporary Caribbean culture.

Room and board arrangements:

Accommodations and meals are provided by the field school. Living accommodations will be in cottages that are fully furnished and located in the quiet residential area of historic Nelson's Dockyard National Park at English Harbor. The houses are set on a hillside and are cool and spacious, with adequate workspaces and a great scenic view of the sea.

Three delicious meals a day are provided by our own fabulous cook. Everyone will meet at the main house for meals. All meals are varied, well balanced, and delicious. Breakfast is light - fresh fruit, cereal and toast; lunch is a brown bag sandwich affair to be eaten in the field during the week, with a warm lunch being served on weekends; dinner is a full hot meal. Meals can be supplemented with snacks that are available at local shops. Students are not permitted to cook in the accommodations houses. All students will be expected to assist with kitchen duties on a rotational basis.

Note: Due to logistical constraints, it is not always possible to provide meals to individuals with dietary restrictions (i.e. strict vegans). Since all students must be on the group meal plan, please contact the instructor if you have dietary restrictions.

Contact information
Dr. Georgia Fox
Department of Anthropology, CSU Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0400
(530) 898-5583
(530) 898-6143
gfox@csuchico.edu