Dmanisi Field School
25/07-20/08, 2011
The Dmanisi Field School is a four week program offered annually by the by the Dmanisi Field
School Network and Georgian National Museum. The Dmanisi Field School runs from July 25th
through August 20th and offers an opportunity to acquire practical archaeological skills in
combination with theoretical knowledge. The Field School is open to young scientists,
archaeology and anthropology students and interested persons.
The school will be held at the Dmanisi Paleolithic site (village of Patara Dmanisi, 80 km from
Tbilisi, Bolnisi Region, East Georgia) and students will be accommodated in the camp or village
near the archaeological site.
About the Dmanisi Paleolithic site
The Lower Paleolithic site of Dmanisi (East Georgia) has the fascinating and unusual context of
being located underneath the medieval ruins of an ancient town and fortress frequently visited by
tourists. In fact, the Paleolithic excavations have all been conducted from within the walls of
these ancient structures. From paleontologists, the site has been known since 1983 when
fossilized bones of extinct animals were found by medieval archaeologists in the walls of
household pits of the Dmanisi medieval town. It quickly became clear that scientists were
dealing with late-middle Villafranchian fauna, of approximately 1.8-1.7 million years in age. The
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discovery of primitive stone tools in 1984 began a new page not only in the history of the site
excavations, but in understanding one of the major events in human evolution: the hominin
dispersal out of Africa – from the cradle of mankind. It is since that time that systematic
controlled archaeological excavations have been undertaken at Dmanisi, and yet to this day, each
year of fieldwork brings more information and more surprises, new species, new specimens of
Homo, and new paleoenvironmental evidence.
Dmanisi field school program

The first three weeks is a combination of theoretical course and practical training. The
theoretical course features lectures in archaeology, geology, anthropology, paleontology,
taphonomy; the practical training involves instruction in archaeological techniques and
excavation. By the end of the third week students will choose a topic for a potential
research project focusing on Dmanisi. Students will work with each other and the Field
School faculty to finalize their proposals during the final week at the site.

Sundays are days off. Students will have an opportunity to take part in offsite excursions
to other historical and prehistoric sites of interest in the Dmanisi region. The last Sunday
of the field school is the day of departure.
Faculty
The faculty for the Dmanisi Field School features prominent academics from around the world,
including Prof. Dr. David Lordkipanidze (General Director of the Georgian National Museum),
Prof. Dr. Abesalom Vekua (Leading scientific researcher of the Georgian National Museum),
Prof. Dr. Reid Ferring (University of North Texas), Prof. Dr. Philip Rightmire (Harvard
University, Binghamton University), Prof. Dr. Martha Tappen (University of Minnesota), Prof.
Dr. Jordi Agusti (University of Tarragona), Prof. Dr. Christoph Zollikofer (University of Zurich),
Dr. Marcia Ponce de Leon (University of Zurich) , Prof. Lorenzo Rook (Univeristy of Florence),
Dr. Adam Van Arsdale (Wellesley College), MA Ann Margvelashvili (Georgian Nationa
Museum, University of Zurich).
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Outcomes – After completing the course students will acquire or deepen their skills and
knowledge in:

Excavation, sediment washing and microfauna search techniques in archaeology.

Fossil preparation techniques in the field lab

Assessment of site geological potential.

Site dating techniques

Biostratigraphic analyses

Identification of faunal remains

Identification of human bones

Age assessment of human remains basing on dentition, skull and postcranial bones

Sex determination of human remains

Basics of taphonomic analyses of faunal remains

Paleontology and Archeology of Dmanisi site

New culture, new friends, new contacts

ECTS: Participants in the Dmanisi Filed School are able to receive academic credit in
accordance with their host universities. Accreditation of the program comes through
Wellesley College and the Wellesley College Summer Program.
At the end of the
course, all students will be awarded completion certificates.
Tuition Fees
The tuition fee for the program is 3000 USD per student and covers work materials, lodging and
catering at the Field School site, transportation to and from the Airport and site, excursions and
Tbilisi housing covering one or two nights of stay in Tbilisi upon arrival and in anticipation of
departure. Tuition fee does not include transportation costs to Georgia, although we will
work with students to find as affordable air rates as possible.
Students receiving academic credit will pay a separate fee to the credit-granting institution to
cover the cost of the credit. The Wellesley College program provides credits equivalent to an
extended lab course at the rate of 2500 USD.
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Admission Rules
Applicants should e-mail CV and application form to dmanisifieldschool@gmail.com.
Application deadline – 15th of February 2011
Applications will be selected by the Dmanisi Field School admission committee. Maximum
number of field school students: 15. The decision will be e-mailed to applicants by 1st of March
2011 with the instructions of how to proceed with the next steps of application.
Contact:
Ann Margvelashvili
Adam Van Arsdale
e-mail: dmanisifieldschool@gmail.com
Tel: 00 41 76 411-8228
Tel: 00 1 781 283-2935
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