BALKAN HERITAGE FIELDSCHOOL

BH projects 2008
• LATE NEOLITHIC COLLECTION “KALOYANOVETS” CATALOGING PROJECT

Project type: field school (cataloging and documentation project + fieldtrip)
THE PROJECT IS ALSO SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS!
Site: Prehistoric collection “Kaloyanovets” originates from the Late Neolithic settlement near Kaloyanovets (10 km away from Stara Zagora). Excavations in 1960s discovered here a new prehistoric culture synchronized with horizon - Tell Karanovo 4, widespread in Upper Thracia region in Late Neolithic. 2 consequent periods of occupation are registered in Eastern and Western part of the site covering app. 0,6-0,7 ha. Materials from the excavations remain still unpublished.
Period(s) of occupation: Balkan Late Neolithic (5300-5000 B.C.)
Travel/access to the site: Malka Vereia – a village next to (4 km) Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, which is a major transport junction and may be reached by both bus and train from major Bulgarian cities with air terminals and Bulgarian border points. The nearest air terminals are Sofia (200 km), Plovdiv (90 km) and Burgas (200 km). If participants arrive by plane on these airports, a transfer to Malka Vereia may be arranged by request (Specify this in your application form!). Individual or group transfers’ price may vary depending on both distance and number of participants from 25 to 55 EUR. Ask for details!

Description: The “Kaloyanovets” collection belongs to the Stara Zagora Regional History Museum and is stored in the Museum’s depot in the village of Malka Vereia, 4 km from the town. In the last 40 years, many “new” sites have been correlated with the Kaloyanovets culture without basic publication of the eponymous site. Now, in a time of increasing discoveries, the need for scientific publication of the artifacts is greater than ever. The project task is to catalogue the whole collection creating a digital profile of each item and a relevant typology of every kind of object. The catalogue will be created essentially for the Museum’s needs, but statistical results, typologies and synchronizations with neighboring sites and cultures will be published to help scholars researching the Balkan Late Neolithic. Participation in further publication may be negotiated depending on participants’ capacities and motivation. One field school sessions will be available in 2008, consisting of three modules: fieldwork: inside in the Museum’s depot and outside during the fieldtrips; educational course (lectures, workshops and training) and excursions to the Rose valley, Thracian tombs around Kazanlak (5th – 3rd centuries BC), Stara Zagora thermal baths and Plovdiv. (refer to the Course description and Field school agenda!). All participants are to receive BH field school certificate specifying fieldwork hours, educational modules and sightseeings visited.

Bibliography:
Hiller, Stephan and Nikolov,Vassil.
Karanovo. Salzburg-Sofia 1997

Nikolov,Vassil.
Spaetneolithishe Siedlungen in Thrakien: das Problem Karanovo IV
in: SASTUMA 2,1993

Mikov, Vassil.
The prehistoric Mound of Karanovo in: Archaeology 12, 1959

Mikov,Vassil.
Karanovo-Bulgaria in: Antiquity 13,1939

Affiliation: BH field school and Regional History Museum – Stara Zagora (Bulgaria)
Project Directors: Donka Koleva, Prehistoric department in Stara Zagora Regional History Museum. BH field school affiliate. Alumni of Sofia University-Bulgaria, specialized in prehistoric (New Stone, Copper and Bronze age) pottery production in Thracia region and Ivan Vasilev, Balkan Heritage Fieldschool, Alumni of Sofia University-Bulgaria, specialized in Balkan Neolithic studies
Season dates: June 2008
Session dates:
Field school session 1: 15 –29 June 2008
Application Deadlines:
For Field school session 1 – 15 May 2008
Minimum length of stay for volunteers: 1 session (15 days)
Minimum age: 18 but 16-17 y/o high school students may also be admitted under certain conditions. Ask for details!
Number of field school places available: Maximum 3-6 per session
Language: English
Special requirements: Apart of strong motivation for participation in all field school activities, elementary skills in technical drawing, computing and digital photography are required.
Experience required: No

COURSE DESCRIPTION
BH field school lectures, workshops and field trainings cover following areas:
Survey
-Introduction to cartography
-Techniques of archaeological survey
-Archaeological charts
-How to project an archaeological survey
-Field trips

Recording process and documentation
-Excavation diaries and recording sheets
-Stratigraphic and spatial records
-Archaeological photography
-Mapping
-Cataloging
-Artefact recording and drawing

Restoration
-Cleaning: extraction of salts and limes, washing
-Restoration of pottery works

Historical and cultural context of Kaloyanovets
-History of Neolithic studies in Thracia
-Characteristics of Neolithic in Thracia and Eastern Balkans
-Typology of Late Neolithic pottery ware from Upper Thracia
-Typology of Neolithic stone artefacts

FIELD SCHOOL AGENDA:

Dates	Activities	Notes
1-st day	Arrival, registration and check-in before 19.00 h	Participants will be picked up from Stara Zagora train/railway station or one of nearest airports (upon request).
2-nd day	Lectures, workshops. Stara Zagora sightseeing. Visit to the Neolithic Dwellings’ Museum.	Lectures and workshops in the area of Neolithic Archaeology/Documenting and cataloging
Working days	8.30 am to 1.30 pm – “fieldwork” in the museum’s depot including 30 min break 1.00-4.00 pm - Lunch and Siesta break 4.00-6.00 pm – Lectures/Workshops	Lectures and workshops in the area of Neolithic Archaeology/Documenting and cataloging/Preparing field trips.
First Saturday	9.00 am – 1.00 pm - field trip to a prehistoric site 1.00-3.00 pm - Lunch and Siesta break 3.00 -7.00 pm - Stara Zagora sightseeing/Visit to the Starozagorski bani - thermal bath resort/Free time	During field trip will be taken notes on present site’s condition and collected visible artifacts.
Weekends	Visit to the Valley of Roses and Thracian kings	Kazanlak Archaeological Museum, Thracian royal tombs (5th-3rdcent. B.C.)
Weekends	Visit to Plovdiv	Plovdiv is the second biggest town of Bulgaria (500 000 inhabitants) rich on cultural heritage sites and monuments.
Last day	Departure	Participants will be given a lift to Stara Zagora train or railway station.

Room and Board arrangements: In 2- and 3-bed rooms with WC & Showers & TV & air condition (single rooms available upon request for an additional fee of 170 EUR) , Internet in a comfortable town hotel in the city center . 3 meals per day are served in the hotel restaurant. Requests for vegetarian food are also accepted. Participants are not expected to bring any additional equipment. Local food is a mix between heavy meaty Balkan cuisine and light Mediterranean food, characterized by great variety of salads and milk based meals. Requests for vegetarian food are also accepted.
Free time: Guided visits around the town of Stara Zagora and to the Valley of Thracian kings as well as Plovdiv are organized for all field school participants. The town of Stara Zagora offers a lot of opportunities for sport and entertainment. http://tour.starazagora.net/. There is also an opportunity to join an extra excursion before or after the fieldschool.
Admission fee: 750 EUR (app. 975 USD but check current exchange rates! ) including all educational and fieldwork activities, full-board and lodging, excursions/sightseeing tours/entrance fees, medical insurance and administrative costs. 15% discount from the admission fee available in case of:
1. Early registration (before 10 January 2008)
2. Participation in more than 1 BH project/project session.
NOTE – 7% OF EVERY ADMISSION FEE SUPPORT DIRECTLY BALKAN HERITAGE PROTECTION FUND’S ACTIVITIES!

APPLY ONLINE FOR PARTICIPATION IN LATE NEOLITHIC COLLECTION “KALOYANOVETS” CATALOGING PROJECT