PETRA & SHAWBAK

Archaeology Field School

JORDAN

JUNE 2014

V. 2013-10-15

The Medieval archaeology field School of Petra and Shawbak (Jordan, Ma’an) is a four-week intensive course in medieval Near Eastern Archaeology. Petra offers a unique occasion to

explore the transition between Classical and Medieval world. The focus of the 2014 field school is the transformation of Ayyubid’s Shawbak Crusader palace into the new royal palace of Saladin’s family.

The program combines on-site lectures and fieldwork in Shawbak (the Crusader capital castle of Transjordan, once named Mont Real,) and in Petra (the Crusader castles of Al-Habis and Al-Wu’aira). The field school includes excavation, artifact analyses, stratigraphic bu i ld ing archaeo logy, l andscape and architectural survey, restoration, tourist master planning and 2D/3D virtual modeling.

The course is conducted by an expert team of English speaking archaeologists, restorers, architectural historians, territorial and static engineers, computer scientists and geologists. Lessons and activities include excavation methods, “light archaeology”, archaeological dataset management, and post-excavation artifacts processing.

T h e p ro g r a m p ro v i d e s k n o w l e d g e o f archaeological techniques in the ongoing “light archaeology” research on Crusader-Ayyubid and Mamluk, two medieval settlements in southern Jordan. Students learn about the artifacts and architecture of the historic frontier between Mediterranean and Arabia. They also study

settlement dynamics from the Middle Ages, such as Mediterranean exchanges of goods, ideas, and architectural models. Governing practices and territorial exploitation are also covered, with

specific reference to Crusader-Ayyubid relationships in the age of Saladin (AD 1171 - 1189) and to Syrian/Egyptian confrontation in the period of Ayyubid-Mamluk (AD 1189 - 1350).

The field school includes weekly visits to the major archaeological sites and museums of the region and gives the possibility to interact with students from Jordan and Italy.

The field school is based at the Shawbak site, located 25 kms north of Petra, in the fertile stripe between the rift valley of Wadi ‘Arabah and the eastern desert. Accommodation and post-excavation

premises will be available both in Shawbak and/or in Petra (University of Florence dig house and field lab).

The Medieval Petra Project was created in 1986 by the University of Florence, in collaboration with

the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Union. As of today, the Medieval Petra Project is the longest operated international archaeological mission in Petra and it plays a key role in the contemporary scientific re-interpretation of the Middle Ages in the Mediterranean area.

DURATIONArrival Sunday June 1 2014 Departure Monday June 30 2014

LOCATIONWadi Musa and Shawbak, Ma'an (Jordan)

TUITION See separate price list on web site

PREREQUISITES No archaeology experience or knowledge of Italian or Arabic language is required. This program requires cooperation in a professional research project of the University of Florence, and a serious full-time commitment, with a six day involvement per week, including archaeological activities and visits. Only Fridays are off.

OUTLINE OF SCHEDULEDuring the course, participants follow lectures that introduce them to the historical setting of the two sites as well as to basic archaeological theory and practice. Students also visit a number of local archaeological sites and have field trips to some world famous locations, such as Kerak castle, Madaba, Jerash, Wadi Rum desert, Umm al-Rasas, and the Archaeology Museum of the Amman Citadel. During the four weeks of the course students participate in the excavation of important Crusader and Islamic site, it is therefore requested full cooperation and hard fieldwork labour. Participants must bear in mind that working days go from Saturday to Thursday. Day-off is Friday.

REQUIREMENTS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDSAs is standard procedure in archaeological excavations, a current tetanus vaccination and an international health insurance (valid for study abroad) are mandatory. Students must provide certification of immunization before departure.Students must be in good health and physical condition. This program includes physically demanding fieldwork, including any combination of the following: hiking, climbing hilly slopes, bending, kneeling, digging and exposure to the elements. The program is scheduled during dry, hot summer (where temperatures can reach 30°C/86°F). The field school is not recommended to students with allergies to sun, dust, or insects, or to students with asthma. It is of paramount importance that students communicate any a l lerg ies , food intolerances or medical issues when enrolling.

REQUIRED MATERIALThe below-mentioned equipment and materials are MANDATORY to work on the archaeological dig and must be brought from home. If students are found devoid of any of these items, the director of the project may deny excavation access.• Comfortable clothing for working in hot weather• Safety-shoes (i.e. with a steel toe)• Good-quality 100% cotton hat• Strong sunscreen• Bug spray• An A4 size note-book to be used as an Activity JournalStudents will be provided with necessary work and study materials, covered by the tuition. Further details will be given during the first class.Students are responsible for proper usage and storage of their assigned tools and materials.

TO ENROLLProspective applicants must contact LdM for further details about the program and how to apply. See contact address or web site links on the last page.A maximum of 12 and a minimum of 4 students are accepted, with preference given to early applicants.

Deadline for applications: MARCH 15th, 2014

The Tuition Fee includes• a minimum of 148 contact hours and 6 credits (no additional registration fees required)• round tr ip transpor tat ion from Amman International Airport ‘Qeen Alia’ to Wadi Mousa• accommodation in the University Dig House, in double rooms with shared bathroom• workday breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dig House• travel connected with course related activities• scheduled museum entries• social and cultural events organized by the Mission

The Tuition Fee does NOT include• meals other than scheduled (i.e. day-off meals)• beverages (to be paid on site)• required personal materials (to be brought from home)

Further details about expenses will be given during enrollment and first classes.

FIELD SCHOOL GENERAL INFORMATION

12-11 cent. AD painted Jug

LdM Main Office:

Florence, Rome, Tuscania and Venice

Via Faenza, 43

50123 Florence, Italy

PHONE: (+39) 055.287.360PHONE: (+39) 055.287.203FAX: (+39) 055.23.98.920

MAIL: info@lorenzodemedici.itWEB: www.ldminstitute.com

LdM Academic Relations & Students Services

3600 Bee Caves Road, Suite 205B

Austin, TX 78746, U.S.A.

PHONE: (+1) 877.765.4LDM (4536)PHONE: (+1) 512.328.INFO (4636)

FAX: (+1) 512.328.4638MAIL: info@lorenzodemedici.org WEB: www.lorenzodemedici.org

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR DETAILS ON HOW TO ENROLL :

CAMNES Main Office:

Via del Giglio, 15

50123 Florence, Italy

PHONE/FAX: (+39) 055.23.99.257MAIL: info@camnes.orgWEB: www.camnes.org