Fieldwork

Katskhi Survey and Excavation Field School

This listing expired on January 1, 1970. Please contact projects@pasttopresent.org for any updated information.

Location: katskhi

Season: September 21, 2025 to October 19, 2025

Session Dates: Katskhi Period 1: Sunday 21st September to Sunday 28th September 2025
Katskhi Period 2: Sunday 28th September to Sunday 5th October 2025
Katskhi Period 3: Sunday 5th October to Sunday 12th October 2025
Katskhi Period 4: Sunday 12th October to Sunday 19th October 2025

Katskhi Phase 1: Sunday 21st September to Sunday 5th October 2025
Katskhi Phase 2: Sunday 5th October to Sunday 19th October 2025

Katskhi All: Sunday 21st September to Sunday 19th October 2025

Application Deadline: September 14, 2025

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://pasttopresent.org/katskhi/?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:

The Katskhi project focuses on the rich archaeological landscape surrounding the Katskhi Pillar in Georgia’s Imereti region. This area, known for its dramatic limestone cliffs and prehistoric sites, provides an exceptional setting for studying the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic periods. Katskhi’s deposits offer valuable insights into the technological and cultural evolution of early humans, including lithic assemblages, animal remains, and environmental data that reveal how prehistoric communities adapted to this unique environment.

In collaboration with Historic World Georgia and Ilia State University, Past to Present Archaeology has launched an immersive field school at Katskhi, where participants can work on open-area excavations to uncover artefacts and study the region’s complex stratigraphy. The field school provides hands-on training in excavation and survey techniques, making it an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in contributing to Palaeolithic research while working in Georgia’s breathtaking natural landscape.

 

Learn Hands-On Archaeology and Survey Techniques with Expert Guidance

Under the supervision of skilled archaeologists from Past to Present Archaeology and Historic World Georgia, you’ll gain comprehensive training in both excavation and survey techniques, experiencing the full scope of archaeological fieldwork. From unearthing artefacts to interpreting archaeological layers, you’ll learn essential skills in excavation and site analysis while using survey equipment to map artefact distributions across the landscape.

 

  • Single-Context Excavation: Develop precise excavation and recording techniques that bring each layer’s story to life.
  • Maintaining Detailed Site Records: Ensure every discovery is thoroughly documented, by learning how archaeologists document sediments and artefacts.
  • Professional Site Photography: Capture each stage of the excavation process by learning how to photograph archaeological artefacts and features on site.
  • Artefact Retrieval and Finds Analysis: Gain hands-on experience in recovering, cataloguing, and identifying artefacts.
  • Lithic Analysis: Learn to identify and classify stone tools, a key skill in understanding early human activity.
  • Survey Techniques and GPS Mapping: Use GPS equipment to plot artefact distributions and conduct landscape surveys, providing insight into past human activity across the site.
  • Environmental Sampling: Implement sampling strategies to reconstruct ancient environmental conditions.

Period(s) of Occupation: The Katskhi area holds evidence of Lower and Middle Palaeolithic occupation, with deposits potentially dating back over 300,000 years. Previous work in this region has revealed lithic artefacts characteristic of early human tool-making, such as Levallois cores, flakes, and handaxes. These tools demonstrate the resourcefulness and adaptive skills of early hominins who inhabited this landscape, taking advantage of nearby volcanic raw material sources for tool production.

The Katskhi site’s unique stratigraphy allows researchers to examine long-term changes in human behaviour and environmental adaptation over millennia. The well-preserved artefacts and faunal remains offer a glimpse into how these communities survived in the Caucasus during challenging climatic periods, making Katskhi a significant site for understanding early human life in Georgia.

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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