Archaeological projects

Archaeological field projects

Students in the Department of History and Archaeology have the opportunity to participate in field surveys and excavations overseas.

The list below includes our current fieldwork projects:

Croatia

Bribirska glavica is one of the largest and best-preserved archaeological sites in Croatia occupied from the Bronze Age through to the 19^th century. The aim of the project is to shed light on the dynamics of the occupation of Varvaria/Bribir in antiquity through to the “Slav migrations” of the 7th—8^th centuries AD.

Egypt

Beni Hassan is an ancient cemetery located 270 km south of Cairo. Our goal is to make a new record of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1780 BC) tombs at the site, recording their well-preserved wall paintings as well as excavating the burial chambers.

Dendara, which is located 75 km north of Luxor, was originally the capital of the 6^th nome of Upper Egypt. Our project beside the Temple of Dendara aims create new knowledge about the site in the Early Dynastic period (c. 3500–2600 BC).

El-Hosh, which is located in southern Egypt, is renowned for its predynastic rock art depicting animals, boats, and abstract figures. We are surveying and recording this important collection of ancient images to conserve and better understand them.

Meir is a necropolis near the modern town of Assiut in middle Egypt. The project focuses on tombs dating from both the Old and Middle Kingdom periods (2570–1780 BC) to record their wall decorations and architectural features.

The Theban Tombs Project focusses on the Dra abu el-Naga cemetery near Luxor, where we are excavating and documenting a sample of tombs, recording both art and texts dating from the 18^th Dynasty (c. 1550–1290 BC).

Deir el-Gebrawi (the mummy of the Djaw): using a combination of fieldwork and radiocarbon dating in Egypt, this project aims to generate new dates for the period by sampling the mummy of Djau at Deir el-Gebrawi. Djaw was vizier (prime minister) of King Pepy II (c. 2280 BC) and one of the country's most important high officials at this time.

Greece

The Perachora Peninsula Archaeological Project in the Peloponnese focuses on intensive surface survey that will clarify the diachronic use of the landscape surrounding the 8^th–2^nd century BC Sanctuary of Hera.

Israel

Khirbet el-Rai recently identified as the lost Biblical city of Ziklag, associated with King David. The site is 40 km south-west of Jerusalem. An on-site chemistry lab enhances training in archaeological techniques. The project aims to unravel the puzzle of inter-cultural relations in the Early Iron Age.