Excavation on the Roman sanctuary and fortress near town of Mezdra, Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Archaeological Association (BAA) Archaeological Field School was founded in 2001 as a training school for students of archaeology, and is based in Northwest Bulgaria. The field school is involved in a study of the Roman culture in the region. The project includes excavation work on a Roman site, lecture courses on excavation methodology and site interpretation, and organized visits to nearby archaeological sites. The fortification of the site near Mezdra represent one of the earliest well preserved Roman military buildings on the Balkan Peninsula. The excavations in 2005 provided extensive material, among which several architectural details with certain provenance from Antique temple, the rich collection of coins, dated to the first half of the third century A.D. and pottery with exceptional high quality. In 2006 the project will include number of additional courses focused on the professional development of the participants (drawing and sketching, photography, ceramic workshop) provided by highly skilled artists. The practical courses will provide an ideal introduction to the world of archaeology. The project incorporates also daily laboratory work and several lectures focused on architecture, ceramic remains and artifact illustration. The project is suitable both for beginners and professional archaeologists wishing to develop their skills and knowledge.