Maritime Panama: A Terrestrial and Underwater Archaeology Field School
26 May - 29 June 2003

In cooperation with the Instituto Nacionál de Cultura, Florida State University Panama, and the Florida International Corps of Volunteers, Florida State University’s Department of Anthropology and International Programs announce the first season of excavation in historic Portobelo, named in 1502 by Christopher Columbus during his fourth voyage to the New World. This intensive five-week program provides students with experience and instruction in supervised archaeological fieldwork on land and under water, documentation and recording standards, and report preparation.

The field school will explore the maritime environment near Portobelo, once the best natural harbor on the Spanish Main. From 1572 when Sir Francis Drake destroyed the port at nearby Nombre de Dios until 1669 when the pirate Henry Morgan destroyed it, Portobelo served as the central receiving and distribution point for Spanish ships and cargos. Our work will provide some of the first documentation for both historic and aboriginal communities in this region, an area that today includes a variety of ethnic groups.

Team members will conduct archaeological survey and testing at Spanish forts and other historical sites, search for pre-Columbian farmsteads and shipwrecks, and excavate and map a shipwreck at the foot of the ‘Iron Castle’ fort. The terrestrial portion of the field school, taught by Dr. Rochelle Marrinan, will provide basic instruction in techniques and procedures that the underwater portion, taught by Dr. Cheryl Ward, builds upon. A terrestrial-only option is also available.

Visit http://www.international.fsu.edu/college_level/clpmain2.html for more information, or contact Cheryl Ward at [log in to unmask]