The American Indian Program at Cornell University announces the availability of scholarships for American Indian students to attend a three-credit archaeological field school that will be offered through Cornell’s Summer Session (July 7-August 4, 2009). The scholarship fully covers tuition and dormitory lodging expenses during the course, as well as providing an allowance for food and/or transportation.
Students will enroll in American Indian Studies/Anthropology/Archaeology 2220, Field Course in Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Archaeology, for three units of academic credit. No prior training in archaeological methods is required. Taught by Assistant Professor Kurt Jordan, the class offers hands-on training in archaeological field methods through survey and excavation at Postcolumbian Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) sites in New York's Finger Lakes region. The goals of the project and the field methods to be used during class excavations have been developed in consultation with representatives of the Haudenosaunee community.
The majority of class time will be spent engaged in supervised fieldwork at the 1688-1715 Seneca White Springs site, located near Geneva, New York. Fieldwork will be supplemented by lectures introducing archaeological methods and Haudenosaunee history and material culture. Excavations will gather data on residential architecture and domestic activities. Students will master field procedures, record-keeping, and interpretation of field data; study Haudenosaunee material culture; and write a short research paper (7-10 pages) using data generated by the project. The class meets from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays from July 7th through July 31st; the final two days of the session will be used to complete the term paper. Most class time will be spent off-campus at archaeological sites; transportation between the Cornell campus and sites will be in University-owned or rented vehicles arranged by the instructor. Students will engage in laboratory work at Cornell on days when the weather does not permit excavation.
For additional information about the course or for paper copies of application materials, please contact Kurt Jordan at kj21@cornell.edu or (607) 255-3109. The application deadline is Friday, May 15th, 2009. We particularly encourage Cornell and/or Haudenosaunee students to apply. Click here to view the application.
2008 Cornell Field Class Participants at the White Springs site. Photo by Michael Rogers.
Previous Scholarship Recipients:
2007: Christian DeHoyos (Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe of San Gabriel)
2008: Brian BroadRose (Cattaraugus Seneca), Kylan Hallett (Tonawanda Seneca), Richard W. Hill, Jr. (Tuscarora)