THE SANTA RITA B ARCHAEOLOGICAL / BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL, 2008 FACT SHEET

THE PROJECT: Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) and the California Institute for Peruvian Studies (CIPS) are offering interested persons the opportunity to participate in the Summer, 2006 Field Expedition to Northern Peru for work at the Santa Rita B archaeological site. The MSCD/CIPS project is in its tenth season of research.

The project is structured as a field school in archaeology and biological anthropology. Credit is optional, and up to six semester credits are available for those wishing college credit. No previous experience is required, simply the desire to participate in a scientific research project in conjunction with other U.S. and Peruvian team members. Spanish is not required, but it certainly doesn't hurt to know some.

FIELD SCHOOL APPLICATION

THE SITE: The Santa Rita B Archaeological Site is located in northern coastal Peru in the Chao River Valley, about 25km inland and at an elevation of 360m above mean sea level. Occupations range from approximately 1000B.C. through the 16th century A.D.

In 2008, the focus will be on investigating a part of the site with occupation dating to the Middle Horizon (A.D. 700 - 1000).  Materials associated with this portion of the site are very similar to those produced elsewhere in Northern Peru and may represent an intrusion by foreign peoples.  The relationships between these newcomers and the local residents of the site are a major focus of the work planned for the upcoming season. 

DATES: Participation in the archaeological field school is for three or six weeks from June 19, 2008 through either July 11 or August 1, 2008.

COLLEGE CREDIT AVAILABLE: Participants may elect to receive up to six credits for participation. However, credit is optional.

PARTICIPANT COSTS: $2,450.00 (which includes a $250.00, non-refundable deposit) for three weeks and $2,850.00 for six. Payment covers housing at the research center; meals six days a week at the research center (beverages separate); transportation to/from the site; general archaeological field gear, research equipment and supplies; preparatory materials including details on the project's objectives, a recommended readings list, and any project updates; pre-departure lectures (for those in Denver only); lectures and seminars in the field; suggestions for packing; and, any current travel advisories. Not included are: R.T. travel costs from U.S. city to Trujillo, Peru; taxes and departure fees; passports; immunizations; personal gear; health insurance (proof of coverage is required); and, if applicable, college tuition (check with college on cost). Because the project is conducted under the auspices of the California Institute for Peruvian Studies (CIPS), a not-for-profit scientific and educational organization, part or all of the participant's costs may be tax deductible.

FIELD SCHOOL APPLICATION

DEADLINES: A completed questionnaire and $250 deposit (made out to MSCD if seeking credit, otherwise to CIPS) due by February 22, 2008.

CONTACT: For questionnaires, sending applications, deposit, payment, or for any additional information, contact Dr. Jonathan D. Kent, Campus Box 28, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver, CO 80217-3362.
Telephone: (303) 556-2933; Fax: (303) 556-5360; e-mail: kentj@mscd.edu.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Michael Moseley, The Incas and their Ancestors. New York, 1992.

Garth Bawden, The Moche. Malden, Mass, 1999.

Helaine Silverman, Andean Archaeology. Malden, Mass, 2004.

Richard Burger, Chavin and the Origins of Andean Civilization. New York, 1995.

Project Photos
FIELD SCHOOL APPLICATION

JONATHAN KENT Jonathan Kent received his MA in Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University and his doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis in 1982. His research has focused on the exploitation and domestication of Andean camelids. He is currently professor of Anthropology at The Metropolitan State College of Denver, where he has taught since 1986. He is also a professor at The Universidad Nacional de Trujillo in Peru. He is currently the co-director of the Proyecto Arqueologico Santa Rita B along with Professor Teresa Rosales-Tham of the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo. The project began in 1998 and is projected to last a minimum of ten years.