Participation in Archaeological Fieldwork at the Olynthos Project

Participation in Archaeological Fieldwork at the Olynthos Project

Grant:
Lecturers' Professional Development Fund (LPDF)
Academic Year:
2018 - 2019 (June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019)
Funding Requested:
$1,999.71
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
dlstone
Overview of the Project:
I am applying for financial support to carry out archaeological research in Greece in July and August of 2019. This research will further my professional development as an archaeologist, and will enhance my role as a Lecturer at the University of Michigan as I interact with UM students participating in my research project, and as I develop lectures and courses for the Department of Classical Studies. The grant will cover travel and living expenses for one month in Summer 2019 while I participate in the Olynthos Project, a multi-disciplinary investigation aimed at understanding the ancient city of Olynthos. On an average day, I will work with several Michigan students to collect and analyze data that will further our understanding of the extent, date, and spatial patterning of this ancient city. Specific skills I will teach the students include fieldwalking methods, ceramic analysis, database management, and Geographic Information Systems. Participation in the Project will advance the educational and research missions of the University of Michigan and the Department of Classical Studies in which I teach.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

I received financial support to participate in the Olynthos Project, an archaeological research project jointly sponsored by the University of Michigan, the University of Liverpool, and the Greek Ministry of Culture in 2019. My objectives were, first, to conduct research on an ancient Greek city and its hinterland, and second, to instruct University of Michigan and other undergraduate students in research methods.

Project Achievements:
  1. I was able to complete my research on the 8 square kilometer study area including and surrounding the city of Olynthos. The data gathered has helped me to understand the city better. For example, from the research conducted in 2019, I can map the density of artifacts within the walls ancient city, identifying probable areas of housing and empty zones — probably where the city had not expanded at the time of its destruction. I can also plot the line of the aqueduct approaching the city from the North. And I can see a decrease in the concentration of artifacts as one moves away from the city. These are the sorts of activities that can be documented through my work that will help us to understand questions like: how densely occupied were ancient cities?; what modifications to the urban environment were necessary to support dense populations?; what control did cities have over their countrysides?
Continuation:
I will continue to research ancient Olynthos in the future. Although the data collection phase of the project has finished, the examination of data will continue for several years as final reports are prepared.
Dissemination:
My research in 2019 appears in presentations at the Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting (2020) and the Archaeological Research in Macedonia and Thrace Annual Meeting (2020). Publications have been submitted to the Annual of the British School at Athens (2020) and Archaeological Research in Macedonia and Thrace (2019).
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