ARCH20630

This module is an introduction to the skills of Archaeological Fieldwork, obtained primarily through participation in a two week training excavation held at Glendalough in Co. Wicklow. The recovery of data in the field is central to archaeology - although not all archaeologists are fieldworkers - and a basic understanding of how this data is created through the craft of fieldwork is central to the discipline. Field skills will include practical tasks, such as cleaning, defining and excavating features, but also a wide range of recording and sampling processes: from archaeological survey through to filling in context sheets and soil descriptions and laboratory analysis of samples. The latter will be facilitated by a small number of follow up sessions in the Archaeology laboratories during the Autumn Trimester.

Fieldwork is a fundamental community building experience for archaeologists, and the Glendalough fieldschool a key part of the life of the School. We are committed to running an excavation that is open for all, and any students with potential health or access concerns should discuss this with the module coordinator as soon as possible - we have always been able to tailor the programme to individual's needs.

This module is not available for general registration, registration is managed by the School of Archaeology. Please contact the School of Archaeology - student.archaeology@ucd.ie - for details.