Have you ever wanted to take part in an archaeological dig? Fancy yourself as a bit of an Indiana Jones? Like to travel to the Near East and see one of the great cradles of civilisation for yourself? Well, the Pella volunteer scheme might be for you. We can't promise you the Holy Grail; but we can offer you an exciting adventure working alongside qualified professionals. Enjoy being part of a dedicated team as you trowel your way back through history. No prior archaeological experience is required.
The University of Sydney has been conducting excavations at the ancient city of Pella in the Jordan valley since 1978, and it has long been used as a training ground for the archaeologists of the future. In 1993 we decided to open this experience to the public, and launched the Pella Volunteer Scheme, under the auspices of the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation (NEAF). Since then, well over 150 paying volunteers have come to Pella to work as integral members of the excavation team. Our volunteers come from all backgrounds and ages. You don't have to be an Olympic athlete or rocket scientist to enjoy the archaeological experience. If you care about the past, and like the idea of getting to know it better, then this might be the holiday you've been waiting for.
The next field season is in the preliminary planning stages. We will work either in November/December 2006 or January to February 2007. Volunteers will be invited to apply for a position in one of our groups. Each group consists of about fifteen volunteers, who will spend a period of three weeks on the dig.
We plan to concentrate excavations once again in the Bronze & Iron Age Temple sequence, as well as working on temple outbuildings, and late Roman areas.
If you are interested in participating in future seasons, please contact us & we'll add you to our mailing lists.
The team stays in the Pella dighouse, which is located in a compound on the main tell. Our rooms are comfortable, but not luxurious. If you want five star accommodation, we suggest you take a cruise down the Nile. But if you don't mind sharing a room, and being well fed with a comfortable mix of Arabic and Western food, provided by one of the finest dig cooks in the country, then we think you'll like what you find. All bedding is provided, and we can usually arrange separate accommodation for couples. The dighouse has hot and cold running water, western-style sanitary facilities; we'll even do your laundry for you. And because the excavations are there at hand, you can step out the door and into the past in a matter of minutes.
Volunteers are offered the chance to participate in all aspects of a working dig. To give you a full understanding of just what it is to be an archaeologist, we divide your time up between working in the trenches, and taking part in house activities. To this end, the team is divided into small groups, who each spend a few days in the house or field before swapping roles. This rotation continues until the end of your stay.
Field work
Each volunteer is assigned to a trench supervisor, who will be your buddy for the duration of the dig. You assist them in the day to day running of the trench; supervising local workmen, handling the more delicate excavation work, taking samples and bagging artifacts. We'll train you in archaeological techniques, and show you how we come to interpret the things we find. By following the progress in your trench, you will get to see every aspect of field recording. As your trench gets deeper over the weeks, so will your understanding of what archaeology is all about.
House work
Our work doesn't end when we step out of the trenches; half of any archaeologist's time is spent on processing and making sense of the things we find. So for some of your time at Pella, you will be working with our experts in the house in cleaning, sorting and identifying artifacts. You will be able to follow the progress your favourite objects, developing skills in the process which will help you recognise artifacts when you go back out into the field. As part of the daily house routine, we also arrange a short morning tour of the site, to let you keep up to date with happenings in your own trench, and gain a broader perspective of how your experience fits in with the overall archaeological and historical picture.
Pella is in one of the most beautiful landscapes in Jordan, and we know you'll like to take the time to get to know the area better. So we leave you with the option of some leisure time in the afternoons, which you can use to meet the local villagers, or explore some of the surrounding countryside. Investigate the Bronze Age and Byzantine rock-cut tombs around the area, or go searching for some of the many new sites discovered in the recent Pella Hinterland Survey. Climb up into the hills for a breathtaking view of the Jordan valley, and stop to smell and photograph the spectacular local wildflowers on the way.
We work a six day week at Pella, and on Friday (the Jordanian 'weekend') we rest. But for those of you who didn't come to Pella to lounge about, we arrange Friday trips to some of the many attractions in the area. One of the members of the archaeological staff will accompany you on these excursions to act as your guide. We find this experience often helps people 'acclimatise' to the Middle East, and is invaluable for preparing people for further touring once the dig is over. The latter is certainly worth doing for those who can take the extra time, as Jordan has an extremely rich archaeological heritage, and a vibrant local culture that will both surprise and delight you. Be amazed at the rose-red monuments of Petra, take a walk back in time down the Roman roads at Jerash, or follow in the footsteps of Lawrence down Wadi Rum, en-route to storming the shops and beaches of Aqaba. From the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, desert to hot springs, and castle to rock-cut tombs, Jordan has something to offer everyone.
The fee for taking part in the Pella Project is estimated to be around $3750 (Australian dollars) per person , plus the cost of your airfare and personal expenses. This may be subject to currency fluctuations; we will post more accurate information on this page as the season approaches. This will cover transfers to and from the dig, and full board and accommodation during your stay. We offer optional trips to visit other tourist attractions in Jordan once a week, at a small additional cost for the hire of a coach, site charges and lunch.
The money generated by this scheme goes directly to fund ongoing excavations at Pella. By taking part in the Volunteer Scheme, you are not gaining the opportunity to rediscover - and make - history; you are also making further archaeological work at the site possible.
If you think you might be interested, why not download an application form now? This is available in Word 6, Adobe Acrobat or Rich Text Format.
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