The Archaeological Project Rio de Los Pescados will be hosting an archaeological fieldwork program in a peaceful country area near Los Pescados River outside of Xalapa, capital of Veracruz State – Mexico, from January 5th through February 3rd, 2013. Excavations will be conducted for first time at the Agua Caliente Site by Archaeologist Rodolfo Parra Ramirez.

Agua Caliente is a large archaeological site with monumental buildings. It has three different Mesoamerican occupation periods: Late Preclassic (100 B.C. - 250 A.D), Classic (250 - 900 A.D), and Postclassic (900 - 1521 A.D).

Excavations will primarily concentrate at the main Plaza and the Ballcourt for getting to know the development and settlement patterns of the Mesoamerican cultures established at the riverside, moreover to set up a chronology and a stratigraphic prototype throughout the cultural data collected during the field season.

Additional opportunities will include theoretical classes, surveying, site recording and assessment, in addition a field trip to an important archaeological site associated to the Central Gulf Coast of Mexico.

We will work Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Select evenings will include brief lectures focusing on the archaeology and history of the region as well as different archaeological tasks. On Saturdays, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm the program will include academic classes related to the Mesoamerican history and the way Archaeology is done in Mexico with all the legal background. Sundays will be days off to relax and visit the touristic places around.

Participants will be trained in a wide variety of important techniques, including identifying and exposing cultural features, mapping and artifacts recording, profiles, collecting specialized samples, photography, site recording and screening.

Archaeological field experience is desirable, but no required. The total number of fieldwork participants will be limited to 20, so apply early. The total cost of the program will include tuition, school credits, meals, camp arrangements, field trip, pick-up and drop-off from and to the airport. Spanish or English are required.

Period(s) of Occupation: Late Preclassic (100 B.C.–250 A.D), Classic (250 A.D.–900 A.D), Postclassic (900 A.D.–1521 A.D)