About the Antigua Field School

The Antigua Field School has been operating since 1995, first through Trent University but has been offered by the University of Calgary from 1997. Throughout this time, the field school has brought from 15 to 22 students to the small island of Antigua, West Indies in order to investigate a variety of archaeological sites. Research has been conducted at a variety of sites representing all facets of the Caribbean past from the Archaic Period (ca. 5000 B.C. to 500 B.C.) to the Historic Period (ca. 1492 to present). The field school periodically changes its focus in order to incorporate various significant archaeological sites that are in danger of destruction due to impending development.

The field school has always sought to provide a wide range of experiences ranging from professional archaeological training to Antiguan cultural events. Our archaeological instruction includes academic method and theory as well as historical resource management-style excavating techniques, in order to help prepare students for a variety of career opportunities in archaeology.