📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The Allegheny Valley Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for all people regardless of age and previous abilities to participate in archaeological discovery.
💼 What the programme involves
No experience is necessary as new volunteers are teamed up with experienced volunteers for hands on learning. Volunteer opportunities range from field excavations to laboratory processing of artifacts. This year we will be investigating the Bockmier pre-contact site, dated between 1200-1250 AD. This appears to be an ancestral Iroquois village but also contains components from other time periods. This is an archaeological field school where volunteers will learn site layout, excavation techniques, soil sampling, plan and profile mapping and processing artifacts (projectile points, pottery, tools etc.).
The workday is from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. The work is done in a friendly and supportive environment. Please understand that this is hard physical labor and includes digging with a trowel or shovel, screening soil and carrying buckets of dirt. Each person will work at their own pace according to their physical condition.
The temperature can be quite hot or cool and rainy. BRING work gloves, work shoes and clothing, including a warm coat or sweatshirt, sun hat, rain coat, long sleeve shirts and pants as there will be mosquitoes. The work site can be dirty and muddy so multiple sets of work clothes are a good idea. Sunscreen and bug spray will be provided.
Study Theme:
#1 Archaeology and Native American culture.
🏠 Accommodation on site
American and international volunteers will stay in apartments, which are a short drive away from the dig site. Separate rooms will be available for female and male volunteers. BRING sleeping bag or your own bedding. All food and meals will be provided for volunteers. We will cook meals together or eat out at local restaurants. Vegetarian options will be available.
Be sure to tell the other volunteers and the co-leader if you have any special diet needs.
📍 About the location
Volunteers will attend the very special Seneca Nation Pow Wow, an amazing Native American festival where a wide range of activities will be held. This is an opportunity to take an in depth look at Native American culture. Ample time is provided for trips to local parks, a Native American museum and local points of interest.
There will be many opportunities to enjoy beauty and nature and there will be formal and informal discussions about topics of interest to the group. Bring music, games or other activities to share.