“Archaeology Majors See the World,” proclaims the bulletin board outside the archaeology lab in Hyde Hall; beneath the words, lines of strings and pins on a world map depict the endeavors of some of the department’s former students. UE archaeology has a long tradition of equipping students with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to undertake exceptional summer learning experiences locally and abroad, as early as the summer after freshman year. At the departmental welcome-back party in the fall, every student had a story to share for the incurable question, “What did you do this summer?” Here are some of those stories highlighting the recent adventures of nine of our current archaeology students.

“In the summer of 2023, I, alongside some of my classmates, had the opportunity to join professor Dr. Ebeling at the Tel-Hazor Excavations in Rosh Pinna, Israel. The city of Tel-Hazor is one of the major cities mentioned in the Bible, along with others such as Megiddo, Jerusalem, and Bet She’an, . I worked in the lower city, which was first occupied in the Middle Bronze Age and primarily consisted of everyday dwellings and facilities. While excavating, I sketched, took elevations with a total station, and labeled potsherds. On the weekends, I traveled to both Jerusalem and Akko, where I could see remarkable landmarks such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall. My favorite memory from then, if I had to choose, would be when in Akko a kind local shopkeeper invited me to have lunch with his wife and son. I feel thankful that I had a chance to connect with Akko’s local community, and I will always remember their generosity. The whole trip solidified my love for archaeology and travel, and I will consider it forever as one of my most cherished memories.”

– Brenna, a junior archaeology major and classical languages minor

 “This summer, I joined a small archaeological expedition crew called the Shipwreck Survey to perform underwater archaeological survey work in the remote islands of the Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. We primarily worked under the turquoise-green waters around Salt Cay. The small island has about twenty modern residents, but the island itself and its shores were full of unrecorded history. The locals were extremely friendly and welcoming: they caught, cooked, and served fresh conch for our one meal every day. In addition to performing non-invasive archaeological work on several known shipwreck sites, we discovered two new shipwrecks. My favorite dive site was the HMS Endymion, a British warship that sank in 1790. As you can see from the size of the anchor, the ship was massive—but alas, the mighty Endymion was no match for a cluster of submerged, uncharted rocks. After the dive, I was marooned on the remote and uninhabited island of Great Sand Cay, but I managed to make it back to civilization. How? ‘Sea turtles, mate.’” 

– Kirby, a sophomore archaeology major

 “In the summer of 2023, I attended Poggio Civitate Field School at Vescovado di Murlo in Tuscany, Italy, where I helped excavate an ancient Etruscan palace dating to the 7th-6th century BCE! Poggio Civitate is one of the world’s longest continuously-running archaeological excavations. UE even ran the excavation around 20 years ago! Over five weeks, I rotated between digging at either a workshop or elite residence on the site (called “The Hill”) and processing artifacts in the lab. One of my favorite parts of the experience occurred in the lab, where I was allowed to hold my hand up to an ancient Etruscan handprint on a piece of terracotta pipe–my hand was the exact same size as that of the handprint! I also traveled to five different Italian cities, including Rome, which ultimately fulfilled one of my major dreams in life.” 

– Julia, a senior archaeology major and anthropology and art history double minor 

“This past summer, I worked as a field technician for an archaeological firm in my home state of Minnesota. Performing archaeological surveys and laboratory work was a great way to connect to the history of my area and gain experience working in my field. Later in the summer, I attended a three-week study tour of Greece put on by the Hellenic Education and Research Center. A group of students from around the world visited over twenty-three sites and museums in twenty-three days and frequently went behind the scenes with excavation and museum directors. Some highlights included exploring the fortification walls at Messene, snorkeling over a sunken Roman villa off the coast of Epidaurus, touring the Athenian Agora with the head archaeologist, and holding the sword-slashed leg bone of a soldier who died in 338 BC at the Battle of Chaeronea! The trip gave me in-depth knowledge of individual sites, as well as an understanding of both ancient and modern Greece that will impact my learning for the rest of my time at UE and beyond.” 

– Grace, a junior archaeology and classics double major 

“In the Spring of 2024, I had the pleasure of completing my semester abroad at Harlaxton. While I enjoyed my classes and went on several incredible trips, I also had the unique opportunity to conduct a research project as part of an Undergraduate Research class, where I studied how archaeological organizations in Britain interact with various communities to allow better access to archaeology. I interviewed five people representing different organizations across Britain for this project and, as a result, I was able to publish an article about ways that disabled communities can have better incorporation into archaeological fieldwork. While I was not able to participate in archaeological work while at Harlaxton or over the summer, I nonetheless had a unique and exciting experience that I will be able to call from and build upon for years to come.”

– Sophia, a senior archaeology and anthropology double major 

“I spent a month working on an archaeological salvage excavation in northern Romania where we worked on uncovering medieval human remains of the Szekler population, a project that has been active for a decade. There have been close to a thousand burials discovered at this site dating as far back to the 11th century. Alongside excavation, we also worked on properly washing remains recovered from previous years and sorting bones from the project’s nearby ossuary to estimate the minimum number of individuals. The field staff taught lectures to give us a deeper understanding of the local history and myths and how they have affected the current population, as well as how their own research is helping to uncover and preserve Szekler history. We spent the weekends exploring places nearby such as salt mines, local fortified churches, Bran (Dracula’s) Castle, fortresses, and a UNESCO heritage site called Sighisoara. Once our session ended, I spent three days exploring Bucharest, Romania’s capital city. ”

-Maddy, a sophomore archaeology and anthropology double major 

“I participated in an excavation in Portugal, called the Caladnhio Archaeological Project, just outside of a small town called Redondo in the eastern part of the country. We excavated on a Roman hilltop fortification from the first century CE. This settlement oversaw important roads from Spain towards Lisbon, which was a Roman town at the time. Some of the material we found included pottery, slag (a by-product of metalworking), a couple of nails, and loom weights (used in fabric making);I even found a small bead! It felt amazing to find, and I have a picture of me holding it, even though you can hardly see it. In the mornings we excavated, and in the afternoons, we cleaned and sorted artifacts. In addition to learning about archaeology, we got to eat traditional Portuguese meals and experience small-town Portuguese life.”

– Sara, a senior archeology major

“This summer, I spent four weeks in Northern Belize at a dig site with the Maya Research Program. I worked with a team trying to uncover the architecture of Classical Maya buildings. I enjoyed visiting and climbing pyramids at the nearby site of Lamanai that had already been fully excavated and were open to the public. The food we had was amazing, even though we had beans with every meal—a taste that got old fast. I spent a lot of time sifting, so I was the one to find most of our obsidian blades! It was overall a great experience, and I learned a lot!” 

– Paige, a sophomore archaeology major

“Over the Summer, I attended an archaeological field school excavating at the acropolis of ancient Thouria on the Greek Peloponnese. During the trip, my classmates and I stayed in the modern village, immersing ourselves in Greek culture and practicing what we knew of the language. As someone who had never travelled before, this was an impactful and life-changing experience. Not only did I work on a fascinating archaeological site, but I also visited ancient Messini and Mycenae—two amazing sites—not to mention the several trips made to nearby Kalamata Beach. Following field school, I stayed in Athens and visited the Acropolis and its Museum. I am so grateful to have had this experience because I know the memories I made will stay with me the rest of my life.”

– Zoe, a junior archaeology major 

Want to hear more about what the University of Evansville’s archaeology majors are up to? Follow @uearchaeolgy on Instagram and Facebook for more photos and stories! 


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