Samshvilde Summer School is  intensive  program in archaeological  and Bioarchaeological practice. Trainees will have the unique opportunity to participate in excavations at Samshvilde’s royal medieval citadel (11th13th cent. AD) and Sioni ‘cemetery’. In this course, trainees will learn a variety of methodological skills and gain hands-on experience necessary for becoming a professional archaeologist. The objective for this course is to give trainees a wide variety of basic knowledge about archaeological practice. Because we consider field experience to be essential we will focus on hands-on tasks that can only be learned while on the field. 

    Training includes:

1) Field work. You will learn archaeological  context excavation methodology, field data recording techniques, elevation measure taking and finds collecting. Additionally, you will receive a safety training about on-site procedures.

2) Post-excavation finds processing. You will learn how to efficiently clean, describe, record, draw, photograph, conserve, and archive finds. There is a wide range of artifacts at Samshvilde, including (but not limited to) ceramic and glass vessels, ceramic building material (CBM), coins, gemstones, metal artifacts, human and animal bones.

3) Seminars. These will be mainly to teach trainees about South Caucasus’ history and archaeology, but will also be held in various related topics (to be determined). 

   At the end of this course, trainees are expected to be proficient in:

• Archaeological  context excavation

• Documentation and archiving

• Basic artefact conservation

• Scientific photography

• Technical drawing

• Basic osteology

Will be updated in April, 2025

  Prerequisites. No academic status or performance prerequisites are necessary for this summer school. Applicants must be fit for light physical work and interested in archaeology & history. Furthermore, applicants must be proficient in English as activities will be held in this language.  A final and very important prerequisite for applicants is that they have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. Fieldwork is an extremely enriching experience but it can also be demanding physically and psychologically at times, so a positive mindset can go a long way in making your experience memorable.

Will be updated in April, 2025