Send me to an excavation in Italy

This summer, I have the opportnity to participate in an archaeological field school in Vacone, Italy. As someone who intends to pursue graduate-level work in Classics and to go into education, this program will give me invaluable hands-on experience that will make me a better scholar and educator.

And remember, every little bit counts.

A complete explanation is below:

WHAT THE PROJECT IS: 

Near the modern village of Vacone, Italy (about 40 miles north of Rome), there lie buried many Roman villae, or countryside houses for wealthy aristocrats. Throughout the late Republican/Early Imperial Period, we know the region offered a pleasant rustic retreat to many influential Romans including the poet Horace, whose countryside home formed the backdrop for several of his greatest works. However, many of these villae remain unexcavated and the exact patterns of habitation in these countryside homes remain unclear. Studying the villae in detail offer a unique glimpse into life in a Roman country house and give scholars a glimpse into agricultural practices and economic development of the period. As part of its Upper Sabia Tiberina Project, the Rutgers University Archaeological Field School began in 2012 to excavate one of these sites, the "Villa con Criptoportici." The five-year project focuses on making academic discoveries and also on training future archaeologists. 

WHAT I'LL BE DOING:

Rutgers University Archaeological Field School exists to train undergraduates and graduates in archaeological methods. The university offers a five-week summer program (July 7th to August 9th) in Vacone where participants receive extensive training and hands-on practice on a real archaeological site. As a participant in the program, I will receive instruction on proper excavation methods such as cataloging, identifying later disturbances to a site, and preservation before getting hands-on experience. Actual excavation work will take place between 7am and 1pm every day. Several afternoons per week, all of us will gather to work in the small finds lab, where we will work on sorting and preserving materials found on the site such as pieces of wall paintings and pottery shards. In addition to my activities with the program, I will also pursue collaborative research with my professor who will also be participating in the program. He took part in the excavation last summer as well and steered me towards research areas likely to be relevant on our particular site. Four weeks prior to departure, I will begin research on Roman murals and their preservation as well as Roman construction practices. My archaeological experience will serve as an extension of this research and further my knowledge of Roman life.
     
Throughout the project, I will be staying in an agristurismo close by the excavation site. The lodging is a hotel/restaurant that will provide me with all meals during the week. Every day, the program leaders will provide transportation to and from the site. Lodging, food (during weekdays) and transportation to and from site are all included in the program fee. On a few weekends, the program leaders will bring us to local museums relevant to the site. Otherwise, we are free to travel independently.

WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THIS PROJECT:

I have been interested in archaeology and archaeological field schools since I began taking Latin ten years ago. After speaking with my advisor, I realized this program presented a great opportunity to pursue this interest. The excavation in particular captured my imagination. When reading about the project, I could not stop thinking of Horace inviting Maecenas to his country home and praising the joys rustic life. Since I began translating Horace's work in high school, I have always been especially fond of that poem. Learning that I could help excavate a villa from the same region and in the same era as Horace's own was an astonishing realization. The opportunity to participate in this project is an opportunity for me to bring the literature I have studied back to life and I am thrilled.
     
Beyond appealing to my interests, this program offers me a major chance to further my academic career. I am a Classical Studies major focusing primarily on Ancient Languages. So far in my coursework, I have concentrated on the textual side of classical studies, especially literary analysis and translation skills. Having hands-on experience with physical evidence both fulfills a deep interest of mine and fills a major gap in my perspective of the ancient world. Archaeological evidence forms a huge component of our knowledge of antiquity, so I need this sort of experience in order to develop as a scholar both for my current undergraduate studies and for my later involvement in the field. After receiving my Bachelor's degree, I intend to pursue graduate level study in Classics. My eventual goal is to enter education, whether it is at the secondary or university level. The great educational opportunity the Archaeological Field School program presents will facilitate my success in graduate school and especially in teaching future students.
   
Education means a lot to me, so I look for opportunities to improve my academic skills. I have pursued tutoring in Latin in the hopes of developing my skills and becoming a more effective educator. This project is no different. I believe firsthand experience with the material culture of antiquity through the Rutgers Field School will make me a better teacher of classics to future students.

WHAT I NEED TO GO:

Expenses are as follows:

Program cost*: $6534
Airfare: ~$1800
Other costs**: ~$300

*includes food on weekdays, lodging and transportation to and from airport
**food on weekends, personal travel expenses, a trowel and steel-toed boots (required under EU laws).

Funding received thus far:

$3500 from a Mellon grant through my university. Still a long way to go but, hey, it's progress!