ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOLS

Choose your excavation

The IMPERO Project offers two four-week training programs combining supervised stratigraphic excavation, specialist seminars, finds processing and digital archaeological documentation. Previous excavation experience is not required.

Rusellae: layers of an ancient city

May 23–June 19, 2027. Rusellae, near Grosseto, was an important Etruscan and Roman urban center occupied into the medieval period. Ongoing research in its cathedral district explores how an ancient urban landscape transformed into a medieval religious and funerary setting.

Excavations investigate the cathedral precinct, Roman structural remains including a bath complex, stratigraphic sequences, and burial contexts. Participants contribute to active research into urban continuity, architecture, religious space and burial practices.

Training includes stratigraphic excavation and recording, architectural documentation, careful investigation of funerary contexts, finds processing and digital recording. Where the contexts and specialist availability permit, sessions introduce osteology, bioarchaeology and related sampling strategies.

Field activities run Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM–5:30 PM, with scheduled breaks and lunch. Actual work is subject to field safety and weather conditions.

Monteverdi: life across centuries

July 4–31, 2027. The Monteverdi Archaeological Field School investigates the evolution of rural landscapes and communities in the middle Ombrone Valley.

Participants in the Monteverdi session choose between two excavation sites: Podere Cannicci, focusing on Late Etruscan and Roman rural archaeology, and Castellaraccio di Monteverdi, a deserted medieval village. The session has a maximum of 12 participants in total, with only 3 places available at Castellaraccio di Monteverdi.

Podere Cannicci

Recent work at this late Etruscan and Republican settlement has revealed productive and domestic areas, a storage complex with dolia in situ, and a necropolis. Research addresses everyday life, economic organization, and the settlement’s transformations.

Castellaraccio di Monteverdi

The deserted medieval village, occupied in the late twelfth and thirteenth centuries, preserves buildings, storage facilities and material evidence for rural life in medieval Tuscany. This excavation is ideal for participants particularly interested in medieval archaeology and settlement history.

Availability: 3 places only within the 12 participants admitted to the Monteverdi session.

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Excavation runs Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM–1:00 PM to avoid the hottest hours. Afternoons include scheduled material-culture seminars, finds processing, cataloging and work in the project’s archaeological storage facilities. The afternoon timetable may vary.

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Fieldwork, laboratory skills & digital archaeology

Participants work directly with archaeological contexts and join scheduled research and training activities directed by the project’s specialists.

Archaeological practice

• Stratigraphic excavation, context recording and documentation
• Archaeological drawing, photography and architectural recording
• Cleaning, sorting, inventorying and preliminary classification of finds
• Introduction to ceramic and other material-culture studies
• Specialist sessions appropriate to each excavation context

Digital methods

• Photogrammetry and three-dimensional recording
• GIS and spatial documentation
• Digital databases and archaeological records
• Selected AI-assisted approaches to archaeological interpretation and documentation, when scheduled
• Research workflows and public communication

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Your home in southern Tuscany

Participants in both field schools stay at the Monteverdi Estate near Paganico, with lodging included throughout their entire program, weekends included.

Accommodation

Furnished four-person apartments with double-occupancy rooms, kitchen, washing machine, Wi-Fi and shared common facilities. Room assignments are made by the project.

Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided Monday to Friday. Vegetarian and vegan options are available subject to advance notice. Gluten-free catering cannot be guaranteed.

Meals on Saturdays and Sundays are not included; participants may prepare their own meals in their apartment kitchens.

Weekends

Weekends are free for rest or optional, self-organized excursions. Off-site activities, travel, admission and weekend meals are not included in the fee.

Station transfers

One organized pickup at Grosseto Railway Station on each designated Sunday and one return transfer on the final Saturday are included, as is daily transport to archaeological sites.

Rusellae: Sunday, May 23 · Monteverdi: Sunday, July 4. Be at Grosseto Railway Station by 4:00 PM. Late arrivals or those coming on another day must arrange and pay for their own transfer. No additional pickups are provided, including for travel delays.

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Field School Fees 2027

All fees are per person, per four-week field school. Special rates are limited and cannot be combined.

Included

• Supervised fieldwork and scheduled seminars/labs
• Accommodation for the full four weeks, including weekends
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday–Friday
• One arrival pickup and one departure transfer at Grosseto station on official dates
• Daily transfers to/from excavation sites
• Project-provided excavation and recording equipment

Not included

• International/domestic travel to Grosseto
• Weekend meals and self-organized excursions
• Extra transfers, including late arrival
• Travel and medical insurance
• Personal expenses, clothing, protective footwear, personal WHS trowel
• Academic tuition or registration fees for optional credit

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Deposit and Payment Options

Following acceptance, each participant must sign and return the official participation agreement and waiver BEFORE making any payment. The €1,000 deposit is part of the total fee. All payments go to Associazione Archeologica Odysseus according to the instructions sent upon acceptance.

All participants must sign and return the official participation agreement and waiver before making any payment. All amounts must be received by March 31, 2027 (Early Bird: December 31, 2026).

The initial €1,000 deposit is credited toward the tuition fee. On the 3-payment and 5-payment plans, a €50 administration fee is charged for each installment following the deposit; the standard single balance payment carries no surcharge. Returning-student balances are calculated from the discounted €4,700 rate. Early Bird applicants must pay their €4,800 fee in full by December 31, 2026. All other balances are due March 31, 2027.

All payments are non-refundable unless IMPERO cancels the field school session. The official agreement and waiver will provide full participation conditions and must be signed before any payment.

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Independent Study Opportunities

Students from partner institutions may discuss registering for an Independent Study for academic credit, subject to their home university’s regulations and approval. Credits are not awarded automatically by the field school, and any university tuition/fees are separate.

Michigan State University: Prof. Todd Fenton

The College of New Jersey: Prof. Jared Beatrice

University at Buffalo (SUNY): Prof. Alessandro Sebastiani

Students at other universities should consult their home institution about academic recognition.

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How to Apply

Open to participants aged 18 or older, including students and others interested in archaeology. No prior excavation experience is required. Each field school accepts at most 12 participants.

Application materials

• One-page motivation letter explaining your background, interest, and the school(s) selected. Specify whether you are applying for Rusellae, Podere Cannicci, or Castellaraccio di Monteverdi. Returning participants are exempt.
• Current CV/résumé.
• Dietary requirements, including allergies.

Email your materials to as424@buffalo.edu. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis; applicants normally receive a decision within two weeks of a complete submission.

Key dates

• October 16, 2026: Applications open
• December 15, 2026: Recommended date to apply for Early Bird
• December 31, 2026: Early Bird full-payment deadline
• February 28, 2027: Standard application deadline
• March 31, 2027: Final balance deadline

Late applications may be reviewed if places remain available. After acceptance, students receive payment instructions and the mandatory agreement/waiver.

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Practical details & safety

What do I need to bring?

Protective steel-toe footwear, suitable outdoor clothing, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, reusable water bottle, personal medication and a 4-inch WHS archaeological trowel. Other excavation tools are provided.

Is insurance required?

Yes. Participants must obtain suitable travel and medical insurance covering their stay and archaeological fieldwork. Proof may be requested before arrival.

Can I receive university credit?

Possibly, through an independently approved Independent Study with a partner or home institution. Credits and tuition are determined by that institution, not automatically granted by IMPERO.

What if my train or flight is delayed?

Arrive at Grosseto railway station by 4:00 PM on your official Sunday. Anyone arriving later must make and pay for independent transport to the estate. No additional project transfers are available.

Can I get a refund?

Participation payments are non-refundable unless IMPERO cancels the session. Further terms are set out in the agreement and waiver signed before payment.

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Archaeology starts here.

Places are limited to 12 participants per field school. Apply by email to Prof. Alessandro Sebastiani, Department of Classics, University at Buffalo (SUNY).

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