Turkey: Boncuklu – Institute for Field Research

Location: Hayiroglu, TR

Season: June 24, 2023 to July 22, 2023

Session Dates: June 24- July 22, 2023

Application Deadline: May 12, 2023

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/turkey-boncuklu/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Institute for Field Research, Connecticut College, University of Queensland, University of Liverpool

Project Director:
Dr. Andrew Fairbairn, Prof. Douglas Baird

Project Description:

The Boncuklu project is investigating the appearance of the first villages and farmers in central Turkey. At Boncuklu we are also exploring the origins of the remarkable symbolism seen in paintings and reliefs at the nearby famous Neolithic town of Çatalhöyük. The course will take place at the Neolithic site of Boncuklu, dating to c. 8500 BCE, the earliest village in central Anatolia and the predecessor of the famous Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük. The site is located in the Konya Plain in central Turkey, 40 kms east of the major city of Konya, a famous Medieval centre where the ‘whirling dervish’ sect was founded by the Medieval philosopher Celaleddin Rumi. There are many medieval buildings of the Seljuk period to visit in Konya, a booming city. The field school also includes visits to other sites and museums in central Turkey including Çatalhöyük, the Hittite capital Hatussas, the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara and the dramatic Neolithic site of Aşıklı, with evidence of repeated rebuilding of houses and an experimental village. Aşıklı is located about 3 hours east of Konya in Cappadocia, also famous for its underground cities and painted medieval churches which there will thus be an opportunity to visit. For the project website, go here.

Period(s) of Occupation: Neolithic Prehistoric Archaeology

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Participants are required to stay for the full duration of the field school.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No prior experience is required to participate in this field school.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Students will spend 4.5 weeks at the Boncuklu Project excavation centre. The first days there will involve lectures. There are weekend site visits around central Turkey including Cappadocia and local sites. The main four weeks will be spent in the field in survey and excavation at Boncuklu with laboratory training as well. The dig house has good communal facilities with kitchen, several showers and toilets, washing machine, and laboratories. There is outdoor covered dining and social space. Field school students will be housed in shared dorm rooms on bunk beds. There is also the option of large well insulated project tents that offer more space. All meals will be communal events and will provide plenty of nutritious but basic food in the tradition of local cuisine. The daily diet in Turkey is heavily based on pasta, rice, legumes bread other vegetables, with some meat. Vegetarians/Vegans are catered for. Note: our website boncuklu.org gives a flavor of life for the team at the site, you are encouraged to visit the site.

Academic Credit:
8 Semester Credits credits offered by Connecticut College. Tuition is $4,035.