Talaiotic Necropolis of Son Real
Talaiotic Necropolis of Son Real
Talaiotic Necropolis of Son RealTalaiotic Necropolis of Son Real

Location: Mallorca, Spain

Season Dates: June 30, 2013 - July 27, 2013
Application Deadline: May 15, 2013

Website: http://www.archaeospain.com/real

Program Type
Field school
Volunteer

Affiliation: ArchaeoSpain, Santa Margalida Town Hall

Project Director: Dr. Jordi Hernández-Gasch, Margalida Munar, and Bernat Burgaya

Project Description

Those who join the crew at the Iron Age necropolis Son Real will take part in the ongoing archaeological excavation and restoration of a unique burial site located only a few meters from the Mediterranean Sea on the northern edge of Mallorca, the largest Balearic Island.
 
Participants will be restoring the circular, stone tombs and excavating their interiors, so chances are good that we'll be practicing our skeleton-excavation skills.
 
Son Real is the most well-known necropolis from the Talaiotic culture, the indigenous, pre-Roman Balearic people who lived around 850-500 B.C.E. Archaeologists have already uncovered a huge area of small, circular structures containing graves of what scholars consider the local aristocracy. In these burials, archaeologists found metal weapons. They also discovered a secondary phase of smaller graves and a site around 200 meters away that was used as a sanctuary.
 
Archaeologists have also uncovered Greek and Carthaginian pottery, allowing scholars to study the presence of these naval traders on the island.
 
The current project, led by one of the world's leading experts in Talaiotic cemeteries, began in 2007, and since then we have aimed to preserve and restore the remains uncovered during the 20th-century excavations, especially the standing structures surrounding the graves. So far the graves uncovered have provided some of the best evidence for studying the Talaiotic society.
 
This summer we will focus on the excavation and restoration of the western area of the necropolis, currently at risk due to its proximity to the sea. In the afternoons, we will work at the Son Real museum, washing and cataloguing artifacts.
 
ArchaeoSpain at Son Real involves restoration, excavation, mapping, and artifact conservation. Participants will be guided by a local archaeologist who speaks English, Spanish, and Catalan.

Period(s) of Occupation: Talaiotic/Iron Age

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 1 month

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: None

Room and Board Arrangements

The group will be staying at a house in a nearby village for the duration of the program. All bedding is provided. The Mediterranean Sea is on our doorstep.
Food for breakfast will be provided at the house, lunch will be eaten at a restaurant near the excavation, and we will prepare our own dinner at the house. We will have a mid-work snack on site.

Cost: $2,350

Academic Credit
Number of credits offered: none

Contact Information
ArchaeoSpain
5 Ironwood Lane
West Hartford, Connecticut 06117
United States
programs@archaeospain.com
Phone: 8669320003
Fax: 8669320003

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