Active Learning

Archaeology Training

Our program provides hand-on training in archaeological field methodology. We have opened a number of cuttings within the medieval castle and within the associated Deserted Medieval Village (DMV), whose presence the project confirmed following extensive geophysical survey completed in 2015. In 2023, our excavation will focus on Cutting 3, which is a 20m x 7m trench that is opened within the castle entrance area. It has already revealed a series of construction phases, adding insight to the complex history of castle construction here.

Students will learn the following skills:

• Stratigraphic excavation techniques

• Identification of anthropogenic soil formation

• Profile drawing and illustration

• Soil Profile Description

• Site Photography

• Artifact recovery

Traditional and Geophysical Survey Methods

Our program offers a robust array of high tech equipment (Ground Penetrating Radar, Magenetometry, GPS, DGPS, Drones/UAV, and Laser Theodolites) for students to learn and master. All of our artifacts are precisely located with Leica Laser theodolites. This data is incorporated into previously acquired 3D Laser scans to provide a large-scale model of the excavations. In partnership with the National University of Ireland, Galway, we have captured a widening area of geophysical coverage using ground penetrating radar and magnetometer instruments. These data sets have contributed a rare glimpse of the layout of a medieval castle and village complex in the west of Ireland. Each year our foot survey teams extend our understanding using hand held GPS units to locate other related features.

Students have training with:

• Traditional Foot Survey (GPS units, Site ID, Mapping)

• Geophysical Instruments (Ground Penetrating Radar and Magnetometer, Post-processing, Interpretation)

• Laser/DGPS Surveying (Datum, Topographic modeling, Cartography, Database management)

• Drones/UAV (Photogrammetry, Topographic modeling)

• Laser Surveying (Total station mapping, Database management, Topographic modeling)

• GIS (Cartography, Landscape Archaeology)

• Software (ArcGIS, Adobe Suite)

Laboratory Methods

All artifacts, environmental samples, and data collected are processed in our field laboratory which allows students to work directly with items recovered in the field. We clean, describe, and input our information into a database. Each student rotates from the field to experience the entire process from recovery to curation. Students gain exposure to metal, ceramic, bone and soil. We have a robust soil processing unit to capture organic samples using a floatation unit.

Student are trained in:

• Curation and preservation

• Flotation and soil processing

• Photography

• Artifact Description

• Database management

Community Archaeology

The Castles in Communities project is driven by our partnership with the Ballintober community. Academically speaking, the premise of Castles in Communities is that the construction of knowledge about the past and its use as heritage today to help illuminate pathways ahead is best served through both excavation and ethnography. The idea is relatively simple in theory, but understandably complex in practice. In short, as its name implies, Castles in Communities seeks to conduct a research and field training programme that expands the traditional archaeology project itself in favour of a fully integrative approach. This means that all stakeholders—landowners, communities, researchers and regulators— work together at all levels to develop a programme that performs research, trains students and constructs interpretative materials about the ancient past and its modern heritage from the varied perspectives of each of those stakeholders.

Students are immediately drawn into the purpose of our program. We encourage all community members to work alongside our students, invite the village to discuss our work in evening lectures and participate in planning heritage events. We are actively working with community organizations in leveraging our data sets and use our presence to further advance community goals.

During your stay you will be involved in:

• Weekly Community Lectures

• Community Organized Heritage Month Activities

• Cutting Turf on "Day In the Bog"

• Traditional Irish Dancing with Mildred

• Blessing of the Well

Local Explorations & Field Trips

Each field season we move beyond the local village of Ballintober and begin to embrace the importance of the wider landscape and its significance to the Irish people. These journeys transport our imagination through time as we better situate ourselves within a long Irish history and its deep symbolic nature. These are guided experiences with leading scholars and national institutions who actively work toward raising consciousness about those who came before us and promote locally driven sustainable preservation.

Each year we visit sites that include and not limited to:

• Rosocommon Town and Castle, County Roscommon

• Rathra - Ceremonial Complex in County Roscommon

• Carrowkeel - A megalithic passage tomb complex in County Sligo

• Knocknarea, County Sligo - The Neolithic cairn known as Queen Maeve's tomb

• Other archaeological excavation projects that may be taking place in the neighbourhood