ITALY- PRANE SIDDI FIELD SCHOOL

Website: http://www.ifrglobal.org/programs/eu/italy-pran-e-siddi

Dates: July 10 - August 13, 2016

Project Description: Pran'e Siddi, or the Siddi Plateau, is a high basaltic plateau located in south-central island of Sardinia. The area around Siddi was inhabited by prehistoric villagers beginning in the Neolithic period (ca. 4,000-3,200 BCE). During the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1,700-1,450 BCE), the previously egalitarian people began to develop a hierarchical social system with an elite who expressed their power and prestige through the building of monumental stone towers called nuraghi. By 1450 BCE, however, the elite sites on the Siddi Plateau were abandoned and the population moved away. Previous archaeological work in the area suggested that the Nuragic elites may have been using unsustainable agricultural practices to gain wealth and support their power. In 2014, students will conduct archaeological survey, soil studies, and artifact analysis to reconstruct changing patterns of land use and look for evidence of environmental depletion. During survey, students will use data collected from satellite imagery and receive basic training in GIS by using collected artifact data to build maps.  Students will also engage in intensive classification and seriation of the ceramic record recovered from the region in previous years.  

Syllabus: https://www.ifrglobal.us/images/Syllabus/Syllabus-Italy%20-%20Prane%20Siddi.pdf

Academic Credits: Attending students will be awarded 8 semester credit units (equivalent to 12 quarter units) through Connecticut College.

Total Cost: $ 4,600

Accommodations: Students will live in comfortable, but modest, field housing in the town of Siddi (ca. 700 inhabitants). Conditions at the field house are basic: there is only one bathroom, hot water may run out, and students will share communal rooms. Mattresses will be provided, but it may be necessary for some students to sleep on mattresses on the floor. The house includes cupboards and a full-sized refrigerator where students can keep any snacks they wish to purchase.  

Meals: All meals during the week will be communal events that will introduce students to the traditions of Sardinian cuisine. Sardinian food is delicious and hearty, but students should be aware that meat plays a large role in it. Specialized diets (vegan, kosher, etc.) are impossible to maintain in the context of this field school; vegetarians may attend but will find their options quite limited and may find it necessary to supplement group meals with foods they purchase themselves. The format of weekend meals will vary according to the field trip schedule, but their cost is included in the program fee.

Travel Information:Students will be met by the field school director at the Cagliari airport (CAG) on Sunday, July 10, at 4:00 pm local time. Students must be sure to be at the airport by 4:00 pm. For students who choose to travel in Sardinia before the project begins, the airport is easily reachable by bus from the main Cagliari bus/train station; buses leave for the airport roughly every hour and trains leave a little more frequently.

If you missed your connection or your flight is delayed, please call, text or email to the project director.  Local cell phone numbers and other emergency contact information will be provided to all enrolled students.

Visa Requirements: Italy is a party to the Schengen Agreement. As such, US Citizens may enter Italy for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Stiff fines may be imposed for overstaying the 90-day period. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of your stay. For more information, please visit the US State Department Travel Advice page.

Health: For specific information regarding travel health issues pertinent to travel in Italy, consult with the Centers for Disease Control website.

Project Directors and Contact Information: Dr. Emily Holt, Oberlin College (Emily.Holt@oberlin.edu)

Apply Now: http://www.ifrglobal.org/apply