Restarting SIAP for Summer 2026!
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| Sketch of Smith's Island and St. George's from St. David's by Edmund Hallewell, c1842-1844, courtesy Dr. Edward Harris |
COME DIG WITH US IN 2026 AS WE UNCOVER BERMUDA's FIRST CAPITAL
The Smith's Island Archaeology Project invites applications to join the Summer 2026 Field School running from May 25 to June 29. Our work will focus on expanding the excavations of the 1612 First Town site at Smallpox Bay, featured as the cover story of Dec. 2024's Smithsonian Magazine. We will start by fully defining two partially excavated early buildings and then open new units in an area that has numerous deep anomalies revealed by using Ground Penetrating Radar.
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| First Town Site Locus A, Incomplete excavation of a major structure measuring 16ft by at least 30ft |
We will also excavate areas near Oven Site based on Ground Penetrating Radar survey data, in order to locate the Smith's Fort Captain's Mansion, dating c.1615 to c.1712.
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| Oven North - Ground Penetrating Radar anomalies, 15-45 cm slice |
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| Oven North - Ground Penetrating Radar anomalies, 30-70cm slice |
Lab analysis in the Bermuda National Trust Globe Museum Archaeology Lab will include study of excavated faunal material, cross-mending of early modern ceramics, processing of floatation samples for bioarchaeological investigation, and further research on early Bermuda's unique daub.
Accepted students will be instructed in all aspects of historical archaeology excavation fieldwork, artifact analysis, and archival research and learn about Atlantic, Bermudian, and European colonial history based on an island at its center. The program includes guided visits to sites spanning 500 years of history, most notably to the Town of St. George's, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Students will enroll in HIST258 - Archaeological Field and Research Methods or HIST 358 - Advanced Archaeological Field and Research Methods (for students who have already completed a field school or have one year of previous professional experience) -see BELOW for course descriptions. Graduate credit is available upon request.
Program Fee: $5,500 + airfare
Cost Includes room and board food, tuition, travel within Bermuda, and excursion admission fees.
Enrollment for 2026 is limited to only EIGHT students and selection will be decided on a competitive basis. The application deadline is March 20, 2026.
To apply click.... HERE (https://studyabroad.rochester.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=11477)
or email Michael.Jarvis@Rochester.edu to request a paper application.
HIST 258 This course introduces you to historic research and field methods in historical archaeology. In the broadest sense, you will learn about cultures and colonization in the early modern Atlantic world through a multidisciplinary approach that draws on documentary, material culture, and architectural sources. Although most of our time will be spent in the field excavating sites on Smith's Island, we will use the entire island of Bermuda and its 400-year history as a classroom for exploring topics such as landscape archaeology, maritime archaeology, historical research, slavery, gender, creolization and ethnogenesis. You will learn about Bermuda’s local history and contemporary culture through field trips, lectures, readings, personal exploration and working alongside Bermudian volunteers. Through public involvement with this dig and visits to local museums, you will gain insights into the fields of public history and archaeology. By the end of this course, you will be competent in basic field excavation techniques, early modern artifact identification, archival research, and the identification of architectural trends. HIST 497, a graduate credit version of this course is also available for enrollment.
HIS 358 This course expands and deepens fieldwork, research, and lab analysis skills for students who have already completed an accredited field school or have substantial professional archaeological experience. Students will choose a specialized track of professional development such as site management and supervision, lab management and collections processing, digital archaeology documentation and recording, ground penetrating radar survey, GIS and database management, public archaeology & community outreach, or a specialization developed in consultation with the SIAP director. HIST 399 students may be required to stay an additional week after fieldwork ends to process data and contribute to the final site report.
HIS 358 This course expands and deepens fieldwork, research, and lab analysis skills for students who have already completed an accredited field school or have substantial professional archaeological experience. Students will choose a specialized track of professional development such as site management and supervision, lab management and collections processing, digital archaeology documentation and recording, ground penetrating radar survey, GIS and database management, public archaeology & community outreach, or a specialization developed in consultation with the SIAP director. HIST 399 students may be required to stay an additional week after fieldwork ends to process data and contribute to the final site report.
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