Archaeology Summer Field Program
ANTH 312 - Field Course in Archaeology, 12 credits
Summer Quarter Tentative Dates: July 21- August 22, 2025
The Western Washington University Archaeological Field School is a six-week intensive program that will provide participants with hands-on experience in modern methods of archaeological data collection, analysis, interpretation, and collections curation. The Field School is a component of a broader program to survey a section of the Baker Lake Archaeological District, in Upper Skagit ancestral homelands. The program is a collaboration between the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Puget Sound Energy, and Western Washington University.
Prerequisites: Introduction to Archaeology course (ANTH 210) or permission from instructor.
This six week program will incorporate classroom, field, and laboratory components, providing students with hands-on experience in modern methods of archaeological data collection and interpretation. Participants will learn basic techniques in archaeological fieldwork, as well as a broad understanding of the ways that archaeologists create and evaluate theories about the past. Most importantly, through participating in this work student will gain practical experience in archaeological field methods and community-based participatory research.
Project Directors
Jerald Ek Romero, Department of Anthropology, Western Washington University
Field School Contact
Jerald Ek Romero, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Western Washington University ekg@wwu.edu
Participants in the program will gain practical skills in the following areas:
- Surface Survey
- Shovel testing
- Stratigraphic excavation
- Laboratory collections curation and analysis
- Cartography and orienteering
- Geographic Information Science (GIS)
- Remote sensing
- Landscape archaeology and geoarchaeological methods
- Communication and collaboration skills essential for Community-Based Participatory Research
Program Cost: $600 plus tuition