Community Archaeology Program

Location: Binghamton, NY, USA

Season: July 8, 2024 to July 19, 2024

Session Dates: July 8-12, 2024 (Adults and Teens); July 15-19, 2024 (Kids)

Application Deadline: July 1, 2024

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://www.binghamton.edu/programs/cap/

Discount for AIA members: No

Program Type:
Volunteer

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Public Archaeology Facility, Binghamton University

Project Director:
Laurie Miroff, PhD

Project Description:

The Community Archaeology Program (CAP) is the public outreach program of the Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) at Binghamton University. Through CAP, members of the public can learn more about archaeology. Each summer, we offer week-long programs designed to teach kids (Grade 5 and 6), teens (Grades 7-10), and adults about archaeology by doing it alongside professionals.

This summer we will be working at the precontact Ayers 2 site (AD 900-1300) in New York’s Susquehanna Valley. The site represents a Late Woodland period village with longhouses, hearths, and storage features. Numerous stone tools and pottery sherds also have been found.

CAP for kids (entering Grades 5 and 6) teaches youth about the science of archaeology through hands-on, interactive classroom projects, laboratory tours, outdoor activities, and a field trip. Students will also receive an “Archaeology for Kids” workbook full of important facts about archaeology and historic preservation. Additional activities include experimental archaeology, artifact re-creation, survey work with GPS, simulated site excavations, and many others.

The Archaeology For Teens program is designed for students entering Grades 7-10. In addition to facility tours, classroom activities, and fieldwork, students will participate in experimental archaeology, in-depth survey and mapping techniques, and other activities tailored for this age-group.

CAP Adults is designed for members of the public (ages 16+) to join an archaeological field project, and help excavate at a nationally important site alongside professional archaeologists. Participants will learn basic archaeological techniques, as well as an overview of the precontact history of New York State.

Period(s) of Occupation: Most cultural material dates to the Late Woodland period (AD 900-1300), but material dating as early as ca. 1800 BC also has been recovered.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Age: Grades 5 and 6 (Kids); Grades 7-10 (Teens); Age 16+ (Adult)

Experience Required: No experience required.

Room and Board Arrangements:
There is no room/board available.

Academic Credit:
None