Fieldwork

The fieldwork, the archaeological bread and butter, is definitely a great way to involve the students in the research program. The aim of the synergy between research and teaching (see «Integrating Inquiry-Based Teaching with Faculty Research» by Tadashi Fukami at http://www.sciencemag.org) is to use fieldwork projects as case studies for the students to practice the same approaches taken by professional researchers in archaeology. Only through fieldwork students can gain specific new skills and knowledge (how to excavate ancient layers of debris, recover artefacts, or to record the remains of past dwellings). Furthermore, the fieldwork is a great way to involve the best and more promising students in research programs and publishing. During my courses, students gain the ability to manage different types of evidence (e.g. stratigraphic units, finds, architecture, burials, etc.) from various areas, understand general trends and significant variances. Also, I provide side activities - a unique way of engagement: restoration, analysis and drawing laboratories; tours of museums and archaeological sites; dissemination of scope and results of the archaeological fieldwork among the local communities.