NIC is excited to announce the opportunity for students to travel to Croatia for a four-week field school to Zagreb in central Croatia and the village of Gorjani in the Osijek-Baraja area. The field school is focusing on analyzing and recovering archaeological materials from Gora/Gara, a medieval fortified settlement located in the vicinity of the present-day Gorjani village. An interdisciplinary project, students will work with the Croatian Conservation Institute (CCI) in analyzing materials for one week at lab space in Zagreb, at the Institute for Anthropological Research. The following three weeks will be spent excavating with the CCI team at the site of Gora/Gara.
Date: May 16 – June 15, 2025 (dates may change slightly dependent on available flights)
Cost: Approx. $6,500*
Courses: ANT 291 (6 credits)**
Instructor: Jenny Botica
* Cost is estimated and subject to change
** Course pre-requisite is ANT 151 Physical Anthropology and Archaeology which is scheduled in Winter 2025.
Description:
The remains of Gora/Gara, the medieval fortified settlement, are in the immediate vicinity of the present-day Gorjani village. First recorded excavations at the site occurred in the late 19th century, and the CCI started systematic archaeological research in 2017. Geophysical research points to a preserved urban structure of a medieval settlement, unimpacted by later development. Gora/Gara, a larger urban settlement with a parish church, a Dominican monastery and a developed defense system, experienced its peak during the second half of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century. With the arrival of the Ottomans, the remains of the medieval Gora/Gara were demolished and used to build new structures, and the area has been excavated in search of valuables.
Gora/Gara has long been a crossroads of significant traffic routes since prehistoric times and, due to this location, this area became one of the most important centers in the former Vukovska County, with its development closely tied to the Gorjanski noble family, one of the most powerful noble families in the Kingdom of Hungary.
Students can expect to gain experience in laboratory, conservation, recording and excavation procedures specific to human remains, masonry, and metal objects. Students will be contributing to research that seeks to understand medieval lifeways, burial practices, settlement and social organization, and architecture of this region. Please note that students will be in the presence of and working with human remains.
Itinerary: To be finalized and will be shared with participants at pre-departure sessions.
How to Apply
- Complete the OGE Field School application form
- Submit your completed application form via email to istudyabroad@nic.bc.ca. Application Deadline: November 12, 2024.
- Check your NIC email for important communications and next steps
Please note, as we often have more applicants than available seats for field schools, there is often a selection process (eg. interview with field school leaders).
- Interviews will take place between December 2 – 5, 2024
If selected, students will be required to complete the following as part of participation in the Field School program:
- Make an initial deposit of $300 by December 15, 2024 to secure their seat in the Field School. The deposit is refundable up to the withdrawal deadline of January 15, 2025.
- Ensure all applicable payments are made in full two weeks prior to the start of the Field School program dates
- All tasks associated under Participation Responsibilities & Commitment
