North Macedonia: Stobi Excavation (IFR)

Location: Stobi, E75, North Macedonia

Session Dates: June 7- July 5, 2025

Application Deadline: February 1, 2025

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/north-macedonia-stobi/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Institute for Field Research (IFR), Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF)

Project Director:
Dr. Silvana Blazhevska, Dr. George A Bevan, Dr. Angela Pencheva

Project Description:

Transport yourself to the ancient city of Stobi and dig in to help unearth the lost buildings, roads, structures, and objects from the daily life of this once-thriving center from the Roman Empire. You’ll work alongside researchers and professors from around the world as you learn and apply skills in excavation, field documentation, recording techniques, surveying, and more. Join us to make your own meaningful contribution to a large-scale excavation and conservation project supported by the national Ministry of Culture, Balkan Heritage Foundation, and multiple global universities. Located about an hour’s drive from the modern-day capital of North Macedonia, you can hold history in your hands as you consider the contemporary efforts of this newly established country to build its sense of national past and identity after a turbulent 20th century.

Field school highlights:

• Gain hands-on experience that contributes to ongoing research and cultural conservation at a heritage site actively visited by the locals and tourists.
• Live a traditional fieldwork experience with an international group of students, researchers, and staff living on-site, often described as an adult summer-camp!
• Connect with history and your surroundings through excursions to UNESCO world heritage sites and other area spotlights.

Period(s) of Occupation: Classical, Roman

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Students are expected to stay the full length of the program.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: None

Room and Board Arrangements:
Participants stay at the recently renovated, air-conditioned cabins at the archaeological base camp next to the ancient site of Stobi. Students will be housed in rooms with 2–3 beds each. Each cabin has 4 bedrooms, a living room, and 2 bathrooms with showers. A washing machine and Wi-Fi are available for free. The Stobi cleaning staff will clean and disinfect the rooms & bathrooms and common spaces every day. In the beginning of the field school students will be introduced to the safety protocol for the hotel, the shuttle and the site upon arrival. The closest village to Stobi is Gradsko (5 km), where there are grocery stores, a pharmacy, an ATM, and medical facilities. The closest big supermarket, drug-stores, pharmacies, banks with ATM and hospitals are in the city of Negotino (13 km from Stobi). Meals: Three meals (fresh, homemade food) are provided each day. Meals usually take place at the field house premises, except for lunch packages during excursions. This field school can accommodate vegetarians, vegans and individuals with lactose-intolerance diets. Kosher and gluten-free diets are impossible to accommodate at this location.

Academic Credit:
8 Semester Credit Units (equivalent to 12 Quarter Units)