Ammaia Roman Archaeological Project, Portugal – Institute for Field Research

Location: 7330 Marvão, Portugal

Season: June 21, 2020 to July 25, 2020

Application Deadline: April 3, 2020

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/ammaiaportugal/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Institute for Field Research, Connecticut College, Lisbon University, Ammaia Foundation, CIDEHUS, UE, Portugal

Project Director:
Dr. Carlos Fabião & Joaquim Carvalho

Project Description:

The Roman town of Ammaia is one of those rare cases where fortunately for archaeologists and lovers of Roman history, no trace of cities from other historical periods have been built over the town. This field school is part of a larger research project developing in Ammaia. Although the first scientific archaeological work started in 1994, the Roman remains of Ammaia were classified as a Portuguese National Heritage Monument in 1949.

With the first archaeological interventions initiated in Ammaia, archaeologists have identified an important monumental complex, which is the main entrance of the town designated as the South Gate (Porta Sul), leading toward the provincial capital, Emerita Augusta, which at the Roman time was the administrative center of Lusitania. Another important monument of Ammaia is the Forum, the main center of political, economic, social and religious life of the town and the surrounding region. We have identified many of the Forum’s monumental buildings: a cryptoporticus evidenced by some structures that formed the posterior and lateral boundaries facing northeast; and the podium of the temple, possibly dedicated to the imperial cult, and part of the frontal square including the Forum entrance, shops and warehouses and part of the remains of the Basilica.

In recent years the archaeological team has worked mostly in the Forum monumental complex and most recently in 2019, at the Roman Amphitheatre, the most recent discovery in Ammaia. In 2020 we will continue the archaeological component of our investigation with excavations at the Forum Complex and in the Roman Amphitheater.

We will also be testing some non-invasive geophysical techniques to check if we can identify some architectural structures by matching the new results with the urban plan of Ammaia and the Radio-Past project results. We will also continue to work in the Laboratory on preventive conservation and restoration of archaeological artifacts, such as ceramics, metals (coins and different objects), glass, etc. Besides this, we will continue to carry out several projects of conservation and restoration of the exterior structures belonging to the Roman town.

Period(s) of Occupation: Roman Period

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:
Ammaia is located in a small village near Marvão, called São Salvador de Aramenha. Field School accommodation will be in the Quinta dos Olhos de Água farm, a five-minute walk to the Ammaia ruins. Students will be accommodated in a recently constructed building (with 10 apartments) in Olhos de Água farm. In the same area there’s a kitchen and a living room. Shared rooms hold a maximum of 4 people. There will be separate rooms for male and female students. There will be a bed for each team member, and you will need to bring your own sleeping bag and towels (see What to Pack for a checklist of items you need to bring in syllabus). The apartments will be cleaned once a week. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain and clean the house for the rest of the week. Students will go to Ammaia field school on foot, about a five minutes’ walk. Breakfast is the responsibility of each student, but other meals will be provided by the project staff. Lunch will be provided by a restaurant outside the Lab near the ruins and dinner will be at a restaurant in São Salvador, a 10-minute walk from the lodging apartments. Food and other amenities can be purchased at local stores. Different supermarkets are about a 10-15-minute drive from the Ammaia archaeological camp. All meals are provided from Monday to Sunday (students are responsible for their own meals at weekends if they go to explore the region or do other activities).

Academic Credit:
8 Semester Credits credits offered by Connecticut College. Tuition is $4,400.