Foothill Ecuador Program Archive
June 28 to July 25, 2009
FOOTHILL ECUADOR PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ARE STILL WELCOME
Although the program has been filled, drop outs are taking place and there is a WAITING LIST.
ORIENTATION MEETING FOR BAY AREA RESIDENTS' WILL BE IN EARLY JUNE.
Learn more about the program and meet Foothill Anthropology Instructor Sam Connell, who will lead Foothill's Ecuador program, by attending a free information session at Foothill College. Admission is free; parking is $2.
Join us in the Ecuadorian Andes this summer for an excellent archaeology and cultural experience with course work, field trips, and service learning projects.
Discover with us the beauty of Ecuador as we continue our investigation of the landscapes surrounding the Pre-Columbian fortresses of Pambamarca.
Live with us and other project members in the Andes of South America.
Work on all aspects of the research project, including archaeological survey and excavation and community development activities.
Project Directors & Professors
Samuel Connell, Foothill College and Chad Gifford, Columbia University
What will you be doing in Ecuador?
- You will be living in the majestic Andes of South America at 10,000 feet
- You will be excavating incredible archaeological sites
- You will learn about a country by immersing yourself in the culture of a people.
- You will visit places you won't believe exist.
- You will be happy you came.
Daily Activities
Days will be spent immersed in the culture of Ecuador both past and present. To learn about the past the student will learn the basic field techniques of archaeology, including excavation, survey and laboratory analysis. Classwork will cover some archaeology methods and theory, as well as South American archaeology. For more details about our research and the past findings, please see the Pambamarca project website http://www.columbia.edu/itc/anthropology/v1007/PAP_PUBLIC/public_access.html
Field trips for students will be called Faculty Developed Practica (FDP) designed to foster intercultural knowledge. Students will be required to take part in these trips. For example students will travel to indigenous communities, market towns, ancient archaeological sites and museums.
Service learning projects will be designed by the students as a way to apply your newfound anthropology background to discover real-life solutions to practical community problems. These will be conducted in a dynamic format with students conducting field research to determine a course of action.
We are a short ride to the town of Cayambe, and a little over an hour from Quito on the weekends. Also, the world famous artisans and market of Otavalo are located only an hour to the north. Buses are cheap and direct. For the adventurous, the headwaters of the Amazon River, the majestic Pacific coastline, and even the Galapagos Islands are a short plane trip away. Ecuador is a truly remarkable place, and we are excited to share its wonders with you, and meanwhile to do some really interesting archaeology!
Description of the Archaeology
The Pambamarca project area contains the largest concentration of pre-Columbian fortresses in the New World. The purpose of our study is to examine the sequence of occupation and activity in and around the Pambamarca forts. Previous years of investigation by our project have shown that there are two types of fortresses, Inka and Cayambe, and that they are arranged along either side of a bitterly contested frontier. There is evidence of warfare everywhere.
Our work in 2009 will continue researching these amazing fortresses. Our aim is to find out why so many forts were built in this critical geographic location. In addition, we hope to uncover the differences between the Inka and Cayambe warfare tactics. Finally, we will be trying to understand what made the Cayambe so successful at resisting the Inka when the rest of South America fell so quickly.
Student field work begins at a Spanish era colonial hacienda where we learn field techniques, and quickly move to the other sites for the rest of the field season. Plans in 2009 will include excavations at important Cayambe sites and Inka fortresses. Survey and exploration of ancient road systems will continue into the Amazon basin.
Students are trained in mapping, field excavation, and laboratory analysis. The project also utilizes Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect subsurface features and uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyze data.
Food and Lodging
Foothill Program students will be residing in Pambamarca in the small town of Cangahua, which is located in the County of Cayambe on the northeastern limits of the Province of Pichincha (all about one hour north-north-east of Quito). The capital city of this county is also named Cayambe, which you will find on any map of Ecuador (Cangahua, however, doesn't always appear). Cangahua sits in the hills south of the city of Cayambe and it takes about 20 minutes to travel between them by bus. As you will discover, Cangahua itself is wonderful place to live-- small, open and enjoyable.
Participants will stay in a dormitory-styled house located behind the main church in the town of Cangahua. This ‘Casa Comunal’ is a large, two-story building with electricity, running water, showers, a kitchen, a mess hall and plenty of beds. When the project is up and running meals will be prepared for the project by two cooks that are hired from year to year.
If the idea of the dormitory-styled living in Cangahua is uncomfortable, students can elect (for extra cost) to stay in the Hacienda Guachalá. Check it out at www.guachala.com.
Class Numbers
Foothill College Summer Quarter: (Variable Units 6 to 12)
ANTH 11 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD METHODS (4 units)
ANTH 11B ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY (2 units)
ANTH 8LX ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY (2 units)
ANTH 36Z SOUTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY (4 units)
Program Fees & Tuition: (Includes food, lodging, and travel in country- NOT airfare). Basically all project activities between the above dates while in Ecuador. Many participants take advantage of being in one of the most beautiful places on earth and spend time adventuring either before or after the field school.
Program Fees: $1500.00
Tuition (6 - 12 units): variable cost
CA In-state ($13.00 per unit). Total registration fees: $156
Out-of-state ($105.00 per unit). Total registration fees: $1260
International ($116.00 per unit). Total registration fees: $1392
All ages are welcome from high school graduates to long ago retired. We believe in letting people go at their own pace. If you are concerned about your abilities to keep up with the group, please don't be worried.
Contact information
Samuel Connell
Foothill College Anthropology Department
12345 El Monte Rd.
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
USA
650-949-7197
connellsamuel@foothill.edu
Bibliography
Connell, Gifford et. al, "Hard Times in Ecuador." Antiquity. 77: 295. 2003.
D'Altroy, Terrence, The Incas (The Peoples of America). Blackwell Publishing, 2003.
Newson, Elizabeth, Life and Death in Early Colonial Ecuador. University of Oklahoma Press, 1995.
Cieza de León, Pedro de, The Discovery and Conquest of Peru: Chronicles of the New World Encounter. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1998.
Athens, J. S., II, "Ethnicity and Adaptation: The Late Period-Cara Occupation in Northern Highland Ecuador." in Resources, Power, and Interregional Interaction, edited by E.M. Schortman and P.A. Urban. 193-219. New York: Plenum Press., 1992.
FAQ
Q. Who Can Apply?
A. Anyone with a high school diploma.
Q. Do I need to be an archaeologist?
A. Certainly not.
Q. Will there financial aid?
A. We are working on this through the Foothill Foundation and Financial Aid at Foothill.
ALL OTHER QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED VIA THE PROJECT WEBSITE
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/anthropology/v1007/PAP_PUBLIC/public_access.html
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