University Field Schools 2012

Montpelier has hosted field schools for two decades, with James Madison University field school starting in 1987, and from 2002 universities from the State Unviersity of New York system (formerly Potsdam, now Plattsburgh). While the field school is accredited through these schools, the Montpelier archaeology field school has been attended by students from the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Mary Washington, SUNY Potsdam and Plattsburg, Sweetbriar, Harvard, and the University of Florida.

The dates for the 2012 field schools are:

• James Madison University Archaeology Field School: May 15 to June 15, 2012.
• SUNY Plattsburgh Archaeology Field School: July 1 to July 27, 2012.

In the 2012 field season, the field schools and Archaeology Expeditions and Excursions will be conducting an extensive archaeological investigation of the Tobacco Barn Quarter, or the homes and work areas for Montpelier's field slaves. Previous work in this area has identified work yards and features associated with the homes for the field laborers. This year we will be looking for not only evidence of the structures themselves, but also identifying the domestic and everyday material remains that will allow us to reconstruct their lifeways.

Questions that will be addressed by both the excavation and intern programs will include:

• What structural remains exist for the field laborers and how do they compare to those of the Stable Quarter (log cabin with stick-and-mud chimneys) or the South Yard (timber frame, masonry chimney)?
• How large are the yards associated with these homes and what sort of activities took place (e.g. cooking, laundry, etc.)?
• What sort of household goods did the field slaves own (ceramics, glasswares, clothing items, jewelry, etc.)?

During the field school, students stay in our intern house, Arlington House. For more information on the field school, or about intern housing, please contact Dr Matthew Reeves using the Montpelier contact form, selecting "Archaeology" as the contact department, or call (540) 672-2728 x160.

The James Madison University Archaeology Field School 2010 and Montpelier Archaeology Department staff sitting on the front steps of the mansion after a month of excavation and learning.