Curaçao Environmental Archaeology Field School 2025

Summer 2025 Curaçao Environmental Archaeology Field School

Field Director: Dr. Christina Giovas
Location: Willemstad and Jan Thiel, Curaçao 


The summer 2025 Curaçao Environmental Archaeology Field School will run during the summer semester, and will consist of two courses: ARCH 433-3 Background to Fieldwork and ARCH 435-6 Field Work Practicum. Students who have not previously completed 434-3 Archaeological Field Methods will be required to enroll in this course as well. ARCH 434 will be held on-campus in Burnaby, May 12-23, and will consist of students from both the Squamish and Curaçao field schools. Classes will take place Monday to Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

Field School Activities:

  • Participate in an active research program, the Curaçao Cultural Landscape Project
  • Work with a local NGO community partner
  • Receive hands-on training through field and community engagement activities
    • Excavation & record keeping, profile/unit drawing
    • Pedestrian survey, GPS mapping/measuring
    • Zooarchaeological sampling
    • Geophysical survey (ground penetrating radar)
    • Geoarchaeological sampling
    • Paleoecological sampling
    • Lab field activities, finds processing, sample selection for technical analyses        
  • Local area field trips

Program Costs:

  • Standard SFU tuition and fees for 9 or 12 units
  • Mandatory course fee of $1160.17 (covers accommodations, field trips, and field transportation)
  • Students are responsible for airfare, meals, airport ground transfers, insurance, and incidentals

Dates & Times:

  • ARCH 434-3 if required (on campus)
    May 12 - May 23 | Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm

  • ARCH 433-3
    Pre-departure in May

  • 435-6 (field)
    June 1 - June 26

Applications due: February 24, 2025
2 letters of reference due: March 3, 2025 (sent directly to cgiovas@sfu.ca)