Fieldwork

Bondi Cave: Palaeolithic Field School

Location: 87MG+JM Tabagrebi, Georgia

Season: July 6, 2025 to August 3, 2025

Session Dates: Bondi Period 1: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 13th July 2025
Bondi Period 2: Sunday 13th July to Sunday 20th July 2025
Bondi Period 3: Sunday 20th July to Sunday 27th July 2025
Bondi Period 4: Sunday 27th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025

Bondi Phase 1: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 20th July 2025
Bondi Phase 2: Sunday 20th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025

Bondi All: Sunday 6th July to Sunday 3rd August 2025

Application Deadline: June 29, 2025

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://pasttopresent.org/palaeolithic-georgia/bondi-cave-field-school/?v=79cba1185463

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Past to Present Archaeology, Historic World Georgia, Ilia State University

Project Director:
Dr. Niko Tushabramishvili

Project Description:

Bondi Cave, located in Georgia’s Imereti region, is an exceptional Palaeolithic site offering a unique perspective on the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition, approximately 45,000 to 35,000 years ago. Set within a rugged karst landscape, Bondi Cave preserves stratified layers documenting early human migration, adaptation, and tool-making in the Caucasus. Despite its potential, the cave has seen limited excavation, with only a single trench revealing deposits dating back to the Later Middle Palaeolithic. Vast areas of the site remain untouched, with deposits that may reach even deeper, possibly revealing earlier periods of human activity.

In collaboration with Historic World Georgia, and Ilia State University, Past to Present Archaeology launched its field school at Bondi Cave in 2024. This inaugural season drew participants from around the world, providing hands-on training in archaeological techniques and contributing to groundbreaking discoveries. Highlights included the excavation of over 2,000 stone artefacts, among them hundreds of Upper Palaeolithic blades, and a significant find—a Neolithic juvenile burial accompanied by a polished stone axe. This discovery drew the attention of Georgian national television, leading to a broadcast segment and plans for an annual documentary series that will follow ongoing excavations at the site.

Hands-On Archaeological Training at Bondi Cave

Under the guidance of archaeologists from Past to Present Archaeology and Historic World Georgia, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a range of essential archaeological techniques, specifically tailored to the unique challenges of cave excavation. Your training will include:

 

  • Single-Context Excavation: Receive guided training in precise excavation techniques, with support throughout as you learn to document complex cave stratigraphy accurately.
  • Maintaining Accurate Site Records: Develop skills in record-keeping, with guidance to ensure each discovery is properly documented.
  • Archaeological Site Photography: Learn basic photography techniques for capturing excavation details, with hands-on support from our experienced team.
  • Artefact Retrieval and Cataloguing: Gain practical experience in carefully retrieving and cataloguing artefacts, under the supervision of our archaeologists.
  • 3D Survey of Artefacts: Participate in 3D surveying, creating digital records that aid in analysis and preservation, with step-by-step instruction.
  • Lithic Identification and Typological Analysis: Begin learning to identify and classify stone tools, an essential skill for studying early tool-making, with expert guidance.
  • Drawing Archaeological Plans and Sections: Receive instruction on producing scaled drawings, essential for interpreting cave sites.
  • Archaeological Interpretation and Sequencing: Work alongside our team to interpret artefacts and layers, developing a deeper understanding of the site’s history.

Period(s) of Occupation: Previous excavations at Bondi Cave have uncovered a stratigraphic sequence of eight lithological layers, divided into two main complexes. The upper complex (Layers V to II) holds a substantial Upper Palaeolithic assemblage, while the lower complex (Layers VIII to VII) contains artefacts from the Middle Palaeolithic. These findings illustrate the technological shift from Neanderthal to early modern human occupation, with notable distinctions in tool size and typology between the two periods. To date, excavations have yielded a remarkable 10,950 lithic artefacts, alongside an extensive faunal collection, which includes long-bone shaft fragments from a variety of large and medium ungulates. These remains provide insight into the diet and subsistence strategies of Bondi’s early inhabitants. One of the most significant discoveries is a human tooth, attributed to Homo sapiens and dated to approximately 39,000 to 35,800 cal BP. If this fossil is in its original context, it represents the oldest known Homo sapiens remain in the Caucasus. With vast unexplored areas still to investigate, Bondi Cave offers the potential for future discoveries that may deepen our understanding of early human occupation and adaptation in this region.

Notes:
One-Week Intensive: Immerse yourself for a week with accommodation at £1,000 per person.
Two-Week Deep Dive: Extend your learning with a two-week stay for £1,800.
Four-Week Exploration: Master your skills over four weeks for £3,000.

Additional Information and Extras
Our archaeological sessions run Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with a break for lunch at 1:00 pm. Saturdays are dedicated to excursions, where participants will visit an archaeological site each week. These excursions include lunch, then dinner at a local restaurant, and a Georgian wine-tasting experience (see the website for more details). Sundays are reserved as transfer days and for rest.

Project Size: 25-49 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 1 week

Minimum Age: 16

Experience Required: None

Room and Board Arrangements:
Participants will stay in comfortable shared accommodation across two houses—one located at Bondi and the other in Chiatura. Rooms are primarily twin-shared, with communal bathroom and toilet facilities.

All meals are included in the package, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience throughout your stay. You’ll enjoy a variety of dishes prepared by trainee chefs, offering a taste of local Georgian cuisine. For a true cultural experience, select meals will be accompanied by carefully chosen local Georgian wines, adding a touch of the region’s renowned hospitality to your stay.

Academic Credit:
We will sign Archaeological Skills Passports

Contact Information:


Hazel Taylor

Past to Present Archaeology, 4 Gedling Street, Suite 80, Unit 6 Sneinton Market

Nottingham

Nottinghamshire

NG1 1DS

United Kingdom

projects@pasttopresent.org

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