BALKAN HERITAGE FIELD SCHOOL (BHFS)

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Each of the Balkan Heritage Field School Projects (could be either excavations or workshops or expeditions etc.) combines 3 basic modules: theoretical (lectures, presentations and trainings), practical (excavations, workshops, lab work, field trips) and excursions to attractive archaeological and cultural sites around the project’s location.

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Balkan Heritage FIELD SCHOOL PROJECTS 2003-2013:

10 years of promotion and support for THE heritage OF THE BALKANS

NEW PROJECT: Rise and Fall of the First European Civilization - Tell Yunatsite Excavations, 2013 (Yunatsite-Pazardzhik, Bulgaria) - The field school is accommodated in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria and provides opportunities for archaeological fieldwork at Tell Yunatsite - one of the first European urban settlements (4900-4100 BC). Along with excavations field school participants will be able to attend presentations and lectures on European Prehistory and Field Archaeology given by prominent Bulgarian archaeologists, workshops for finds'processing and documentation as well as excursions to the ancient city of Plovdiv and the Museum of the Europe's best preserved Neolithic (5600 BC) dwellings in Stara Zagora. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Tell Yunatsite Excavation Team and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

Workshop for Conservation, Restoration and Documentation of Roman Mosaics, 2012 - present ( Stobi, Macedonia) - During the workshop participants are guided by professional conservators through the consequent stages of  the conservation, restoration and  documentation, as well as the history and technology of Roman and Late Roman mosaics. They employ their skills in a real conservation project thus supporting the efforts of N.I. Stobi to maintain and preserve a large number of Roman mosaics found and kept in situ in the ancient city of Stobi (nowadays an archaeological park under jurisdiction of N.I. Stobi). The first workshop took place in 2012 and contributed significantly to the complete conservation of one floor mosaic in the Theodossian Palace in Stobi (4th century AD). Balkan Heritage Project Partners: N.I. Stobi (Macedonia) and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria). 

Apollonia Pontica Excavations, 2011 - present (Sozopol, Bulgaria) - The field school project is among the most popular in our field school. It takes place at the Ancient Greek, Late Antique and Medieval sacred area of Apollonia Pontica/Sozopol on St. Kirik island. Together with Appollonia Pontica Excavation Team, BH participants seek the ancient temple of Appollo and the pedestal of his colossal bronze statue. The field school program combines fieldwork at the site, presentations and lectures on Field Archaeology and Ancient Greek colonization and culture with workshops for finds' processing and documentation and excursions to the ancient peninsular town Nessebar and megaliths of Begliktash. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Appollonia Pontica Excavation Team, Archaeological Museum of Sozopol and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

Birth of Europe - Excavation of the Early Neolithic Settlement Ilindentsi, 2011 - present (Ilindentsi, Bulgaria) - The field school offers an amazing opportunity to dig at an Early Neolithic settlement (6000-5500 BC) just under your feet. Due the natural erosion Neolithic layer is just 20 to 30 cm under the present surface. It keeps evidence about the earliest Neolithic farmers who migrated to Europe in the seventh millennium BC. Field school team consists of international specialists from Bulgaria and France. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Regional Museums of History Blagoevgrad, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria) and  Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Nanterre (France).

Stobi Excavations, 2010 - present (Stobi, Macedonia). The field school project takes place every year at the site of Stobi - the capital of the Roman province Macedonia Secunda. Excavations at this magnificent site offer an amazing opportunity for all field school participants to study textbook clear stratigraphy, to practice all basic excavation techniques in the field and to look through centuries of the everyday life of the Roman citizens of Stobi. So far the field school participants excavated so-called “House with a well” from the 5th century AD, twenty five Roman  graves (1st century BC - 3rd century AD) with cremated or skeletal remains at the Western Necropolis (very exciting find was a grave with nine terracotta bulls) and a spacious building from the second half of the 6th century AD, surrounding the “Semi Circular Square” (presumably shops and stores). Balkan Heritage Project Partners: NI Stobi (Macedonia) and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

During the field school sessions the participants are going to have organized excursions to the archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis and Bitola, the town of Ohrid and Ohrid lake (UNSCO World Heritage Site) and an optional one to the ancient cities of Pella and Vergina in Greece.  

Workshop for Conservation and Restoration of Roman Pottery, 2009 - present (Stobi, Macedonia). The first workshop took place in 2009 in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria but since 2010 it has been hosted by the N.I. Stobi at the archaeological park Stobi, Macedonia. During the workshop participants are guided by professional conservators through the consequent stages of  the conservation, restoration and  documentation, as well as the history and technology of Roman and Late Roman pottery. All participants employ their skills in a real conservation project - it usually results in complete conservation of 5 to 7 Roman and Late Roman vessels from the Stobi’s Collection. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: NI Stobi (Macedonia) and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

Workshop for Conservation, Restoration and Documentation of Ancient Greek Pottery, 2009 - present ( Emona-Sozopol, Bulgaria) - The workshop takes place every year consequently in Emona and Sozopol on the Bulgarian Black sea coast. During the workshop participants are guided by professional conservators through the consequent stages of  the conservation, restoration and  documentation, as well as the history and technology of Ancient Greek and Hellenistic pottery. All participants employ their skills in a real conservation project, that usually results in complete conservation of 8 to 20 Ancient Greek vessels from the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Sozopol. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Apollonia Pontica Excavation Team,  Archaeological Museum of Sozopol and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

"Fresco-Hunting” Photo Expedition to Medieval Balkan Churches, 2008-present (Sofia, Bulgaria) – For the last five years the “Fresco-Hunting” Photo Expedition has either created or upgraded a significant number of iconographic schemes, architecture plans and sections, developed a vast photographic database and added new data on history and art of twelve medieval churches and chapels in risk. The first e-publication with expedition's results is on its way and is going to be a fact in 2013/2014. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: New Bulgarian University, Fulbright Commission (USA-Bulgaria), Queen’s University and Conservation Of Sculptures, Monuments And Objects (Canada).

Workshop for Conservation, Restoration and Documentation of Late Roman Mural Paintings, 2011 (Stobi, Macedonia). The one and only workshop supported N.I. Stobi to complete small-scale but important conservation of frescoes on the eastern wall of the Old Episcopal Basilica in Stobi. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: NI Stobi (Macedonia) and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria).

Mezek Heritage Workcamp, 2009 ( Mezek, Bulgaria) - the workcamp project supported maintenance of cultural heritage sites (Thracian tomb and Medieval fortress) in the village of Mezek. As a part of the workcamp program, participants visited various cultural sites in the region and assessed their potential as tourist attractions. Balkan Heritage Project Partner: Municipality of Svilengrad (Bulgaria).

Augusta Traiana-Beroia-Borui Resque Excavations, 2007-2009 ( Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) - In the course of three years our field school took place at various rescue excavation sites in the town of Stara Zagora. Our participants took part in excavation of a Roman aqueduct crossing the moat that once surrounded the Roman city, public and private buildings and found numerous artifacts of Roman and Late Roman urban culture (2nd - 6th century AD). All of them were introduced to the reality of rescue excavations, methods of Field Archaeology and Lab work as well as to the history and rich cultural heritage of the region. Balkan Heritage Project Partner:  Regional History Museum – Stara Zagora (Bulgaria).

Stara Zagora Heritage Workcamp, 2007-2008 (Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) - both work camp projects, organised consequently in 2007 and 2008, assisted rescue excavations of AUGUSTA TRAIANA-BEROIA-BORUI - an archaeological reserve under the contemporary town of Stara Zagora, and other cultural heritage sites' maintenance in the town. Two cleaning campaigns of the Town's Roman forum attracted local journalists and as a consequence media raised the issue of neglected cultural sites in Stara Zagora. Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Regional History Museum - Stara Zagora, Open Society Club - Stara Zagora (Bulgaria), SEEYN Network (BiH).

Dragoman Heritage Workcamp, 2006 (Dragoman, Bulgaria) - The  project assisted an expedition tracking the Roman road Via militaris on the territory of the municipality of Dragoman (Western Bulgaria). Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Dragoman municipality (Bulgaria), Eko Obshtnost Foundation (Bulgaria), SEEYN (BiH)..

Dragoman Heritage Workcamp, 2005 (Dragoman, Bulgaria) – The very first “fresco-hunting” photo expedition to medieval churches (thirteenth-fourteenth century) in Nishava region (Western Bulgaria). Balkan Heritage Project Partners: Dragoman municipality (Bulgaria), Eko Obshtnost Foundation (Bulgaria), SEEYN (BiH).

Mezdra Excavation Project, 2004 (Mezdra, Bulgaria) – (field school and workcamp). A humble number of very enthusiastic participants achieved a great progress in excavation of one Late Copper age house in sector 2 of Mezdra Fortress (NW Bulgaria) and contributed significantly to the documentation of artifacts related to Krivodol – Salcutsa - Bubanj Hum I A (Balkan Late Copper age culture spread out over the Central Balkans between 4400-4000 BC). Balkan Heritage Project Partners: SEEYN Network (BiH), Vratsa Historic Museum (Bulgaria), BAA Ivan Venedikov (Bulgaria).