International Summer Institutes

PROGRAM CLOSED FOR 2011

MSU Faculty Led Short-Term Study Abroad Institutes Global Education Center Montclair State University 22 Normal Avenue Upper Montclair, NJ 07043

Tel: 973 655-4185 Fax: 973 655-7654 simonw@mail.montclair.edu

Montclair in Genzano
Archaeological Fieldschool at Genzano di Roma
July 2011

 

View photos from the Genzano 2011 Season

 

Program Overview
Sponsored by the Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies and the Department of Classics and General Humanities, this field work project will continue to explore the remains of a Roman imperial villa located along the route of the ancient Via Appia, adjacent to the modern town of Genzano, in the Alban Hills region only 18 miles from Rome. The villa is a noteworthy site and is believed to have been property of the 2nd C. CE imperial family of the Antonines, on the basis of literary references and the discovery of several busts of emperors that today are on display in the renowned Capitoline Museums in Rome. In spite of its importance, this villa has been only partly explored by archaeologists. The 2011 excavation will aim to improve our understanding of the layout and the history of the villa by further investigating the known structures.
During the four week program each student will be introduced to all aspects of field archaeology and will receive hands on experience in on-site recordkeeping, documentation, and laboratory practice, including data management and the interpretation of the archaeological evidence, especially ceramics. Students will also be exposed to the rich ancient and contemporary ways of life of  Italy through cultural activities and weekend excursions to historical and archaeological sites in Rome, the Alban Lakes region (including the ancient Santuary of Diana at Nemi), and the Tivoli area (Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este).

Accommodation and Meals
Participants will be housed at a 3* hotel near the excavation site. Each room accommodates from 2 to 4 people and has a private bathroom, a TV, a telephone, and a hairdryer. Laundromat facilities are available nearby (laundry service is not offered by the hotel). The program costs cover all meals 5 days per week. Breakfasts and dinners will be taken at the hotel restaurant, while box lunches will be eaten in the surroundings of the excavation site. Breakfast is provided on Saturday and Sunday; other meals weekend may be arranged at additional cost.

Faculty
Project Co-Director
Dr. Deborah Chatr Aryamontri holds a B.A. and a M.A. in Classical Archaeology from La Sapienza University of Rome, and a Ph.D. in Ancient Topography from the University of Salerno. She is a field archaeologist and has participated in excavations and laboratory activities with several archaeological projects. She is currently teaching in the Classics & General Humanities Department at MSU and is visiting lecturer in the College of Arts and Letters at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. She is also Research Associate in the Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies (CHAS) at MSU, where she previously served as visiting specialist, and she has been the recipient of several scholarships and grants from academic institutions in Italy. Her main research interests include ancient Roman topography and urban planning, theory and methodologies of archaeological research, ancient technology and engineering, and numismatics.

Project Co-Director
Dr. Timothy Renner earned his B.A. in Classics at Yale University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Classical Studies at the University of Michigan.  He is Professor of Classics and General Humanities at Montclair State University, where he teaches Classics and ancient Mediterranean history, with a particular emphasis on the Hellenistic and Roman worlds.  His research focuses on Greek and Latin literary and documentary papyri as well as the evidence of inscriptions for ancient social history.  He has a particular interest in Roman imperial slaves and freedmen.  He has traveled extensively in Italy and excavated in the Middle East.  Since 2007 he has directed MSU’s Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies, which brings together researchers and students in anthropology, Classics, art history, and earth science.

Academic Offerings and Course Descriptions
Each participant will register for a total of 6 semester hours of undergraduate or graduate course credit offered through the Department of Classics & General Humanities. No prerequisites or prior field experience are required. Trips to Rome, the Alban Hills and the villa of the Roman emperor Hadrian at Tivoli (Rome) will be an integral part of the courses.

Undergraduate students:
Field Methods in Mediterranean Archaeology (GNHU 362) (3 credits)
This course is a practical introduction to how archaeology is conducted in the field. During the four week program each student will be introduced to fundamentals of field methods. Students will learn basic techniques of background research, field work, and laboratory practice working directly on the archaeological site of the villa of the Antonines in Genzano di Roma. The field class will offer direct, hands-on experience in on-site record keeping, mapping, graphic and photographic documentation, and artifact recovery. In addition to working at the excavation site, students will engage in laboratory activities related to the excavation workflow, such as washing, labeling, cataloguing and restoration of the artifacts (especially ceramics).

Selected Topics in Mediterranean Archaeology: Roman Baths and Villas (GNHU 361) (3 credits)
This course teaches research methodology in archaeology particularly as conducted by specialists in the field of Classical archaeology. It consists of in-depth study of Roman baths in general and of the archaeological evidence acquired during the excavation of the thermae of the Villa of the Antonines in Genzano in particular. Special attention will be given to the role which field archaeologists play in reconstructing and interpreting the past.

Graduate students:
Field Methods in Mediterranean Archaeology (GNHU 552) (3 credits)
In addition to learning the fundamentals of field research in Classical archaeology as described for undergraduate students (see above), graduate students will specifically expand their familiarity with project design, field workflow, and laboratory management. Students will explore in more depth the implications of the role each archaeological field investigation plays in a broader research framework, and they will complete a paper on the subject of Roman imperial villas.

Selected Topics in Mediterranean Archaeology: Roman Baths and Villas (GNHU 551) (3 credits)
In addition to learning the fundamentals of field research in Classical archaeology as described for undergraduate students (see above), graduate students will specifically expand their familiarity with the research goals of an archaeological investigation. Students will explore in depth the archaeological data collected for the Villa of Antonines in the broader context of Roman villas.

Note:Studentswill work on site from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Long hours of work in hot weather conditions can be physically demanding and mentally challenging. For these reasons proof of good health condition is required (see Application Procedure section). Knowledge of Italian is not expected, although learning some basic vocabulary and expressions before your departure is strongly encouraged.

Program Cost:
The cost of the program is $3,500 plus airfare and tuition for six credits.
The program cost includes:

• Transfer from a meeting point in Rome to the hotel
• Transfer to/from the hotel and the airport in Italy
• Shared occupancy rooms
• All meals (3 meals per day; including week-ends)
• Transportation from and to the excavation site
• Necessary equipment for the excavation and lab activities (personal basic equipment like proper clothing attire and sturdy work shoes are responsibility of the student; additional trowels are welcome)
• Field trips to Rome; the ancient sanctuary of Diana and the Museum of the Galleys at Nemi; and Hadrian's Villa and the Villa D'Este at Tivoli

Note: The program cost does not include airfare. Participants are expected to arrive on their own. Housing is included from July 4 through July 31. Program prices are based on 15 participants and current exchange rates and are subject to change. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates will be reflected in the final payment.

Application Procedure:
All participants are required to provide:

1. proof of a minimum GPA of 2.75
2. a 1-2 page statement of your reasons and motivations for wanting to attend the program, including a description of previous relevant coursework or fieldwork experience, if any
3. a letter of recommendation from a professor other than one of the faculty members leading the program (2 letters required for non-MSU students)

All applicants must be in good health, have passed a recent physical examination, and provide up-to-date records of current inoculations (especially tetanus vaccine).

All applicants being considered for the program will be notified and will be required to go through an on-site interview (for MSU students) or telephone interview (for all other students) with one of the faculty directors.

Non-MSU students:
Applicants should submit two reference forms and an official transcript from the home institution, plus a $100 non-MSU administration fee, in addition to the items noted above. Non-MSU students will need to request an MSU transcript at the end of the program for submission to the home institution.

Pre-Enrollment form

Faculty Led Short-Term Study Abroad Institutes Forms

Payment and Forms Schedule:
Once accepted into the program, the payment schedule for the program costs will be as follows:
Non-refundable application fee: $100
By March 15:                              $900         (Medical Clearance Form Due)
By April 15:                                 $1,500 (Proof of Tuition Payment Due)
By May 15:                                 $1,000

Make checks payable to “Montclair State University”.
Tuition is paid to the Bursar when registering for the Summer Sessions course.

Note: The Global Education Center offers a limited number of $500 scholarships for matriculated Montclair State University students. The application form (available on the website), essay and letter of recommendation would be due to the Global Education Center by March 1.

For further information contact the Global Education Center at 973-655-4185 or simonW@mail.montclair.edu or contact Prof. Chatr Aryamontri (aryamontrid@mail.montclair.edu) at 973-655-3479 , or Prof. Renner (rennert@mail.montclair.edu) at 973-655-7420.
Or visit us on the web at www.montclair.edu/globaled.