We are very excited to be able to offer a field season in association with Department of Anthropology of San Jose State University at the site of an early colonial sugar plantation and factory. The site is significantly undisturbed. Physical features include the boiling house, curing house, windmill, cistern, Great House, laborers encvlave and much of the industrial technology of early eighteenth and nineteenth century sugar production.

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Photos of Past Field Crews

Updated June 2

Final Update to Crew

Reminder. Keep your passport with you at all times. Check your travel packet for tips on getting to Nevis comfortably.

See updates on the Crew Page.

Send inuiries to Marco Meniketti, Ph.D.

Department of Anthropology

San Jose State University

One Washington Square

San Jose CA. 95192-0113

408) 924-5787

marco.meniketti@sjsu.edu

Who Can Participate:

Participation is open to San Jose State University students and other individuals intertested in Historical Archaeology, Caribbean Studies, Industrial Archaeology, African Diaspora, Labor, Colonialism, Plantation Studies, Caribbean History, Settlement, or historical geography. Must be over 18 years of age. Participants must have had any prior archaeological experience, or course work, but exceptions will be considered. SJSU anthropology students have priority in selection. Non SJSU student participants will have a special registration.

The project is being administered through the Program for International and Extended Studies (IES) at San Jose State and is operated as an Open University program. Tuition credits available in upper division GE. (Required of all participants).

Cost: Total cost: $2230.00 plus airfare.

Preliminary budget estimate: fees will be $1213 exclusive of airfare*. Fee covers materials, housing, all meals, island transport when required, museum entry, and phone service.Checks payable to San Jose State University. Additional University IES mandadted fees included for emergency contingency and medical insurance ($237.00)

*Participants will be required to make thier own travel arrangements to Nevis to arrive on the appropriate day. We can assist with travel advice. American Airlines is the usual way but there are other possibilities. Some find it less espensive to fly into St Kitts and come over to Nevis on the ferry.

Fees will likely be in two installments. A $500.00 non-refundable deposit due by December 1, 2008, The balance will be due in April. Registration through SJSU will be through the IES. Do not send any fees until directed to do so.

University credit:

Upper division credits required of all participants, ANTH 169 Field Practice. Some background in archaeology required. Cost $250 per credit, 3 credit minimum. ($750.00) This is included in overall costs.

Total cost: $2200.00 plus airfare.

Above: Bridge crossing drainage ravine at Bush Hill mill.

Objectives:

To document all above surface features and assess historical value. To determine boundaries of the physical site. To document industrial and technological components present at the site. To characterize the residential component. To assist in preparing documents for public interrpretation.

Goals:

This will be the second year of a three year cooperative program. Participants will be building on the work of the 2007 crew and setting the groundwork for future research. As a principal goal, we hope to demonstrate the value of historic preservation as having local economical value, beyond academic interest, benefiting all statke holders.

Students will be engaged in survey recording using either GPS and standard transit methodology to produce site topo maps for future field school operation. Students will be instructed in mapping.

Students will document structures using methods consistent with protocols for generating accurate measured drawings.

Students will conduct randomized quadrat surface collections of artifacts, catalogue and inventory artifacts for future analysis, and learn mapping skills. This will include drawing, photographing, and identification. Students will also be instructed in issues relavent to classification, typology, and vessel form/function.

Students will condust limited pedestrian survey of the surrounding environment to locate additional features associated with the plantation.

Students will tour additional historic sites across the island. This will provide broad exposure to a variety of site types and structures from different historic periods for comparative purposes. Sites will range from prehistoric Carib middens as to colonial forts.

Students will be encouraged to develop their own research goals.

Students will have a great time.

Above: View east of Bush Hill mill-complex. Both a windmill and chimney for steam mill are visible above forest canopy. In the foreground is an area possibly used for worker's housing.

Details:

The crew will be housed in a large guest house, dormotory style with a common room and kitchen. Separate bathrooms for male and female crew. Rooms are cooled by ceiling fans and tropical breezes. Meals as will be prepared by project staff and clean up is assisted by participants. We have a large veranda for evening meetings and refereshments. Overlooking a valley, we can on occassion see across the sea to Antigua.

The house has a washing machine (line dry). Linens will be changed weekly. We will have cell phones for emergency and local operations. In 2007 most people found they had cell coverage, but the cost was high. Check with your cell service provider. We also have access to the internet at various locations in Charlestown.

The project house is located less than 1 mile from the project site and is just as close to Nelson's Lookout, a fort improved by Horatio Nelson. By mini bus we are located 15 minutes from Charlestown and Pinney Beach.

Above: The guest house at Pond Hill that serves as field headquarters and lodging, less than a mile form our study site. Dormotory style accommodations. Some students stay in smaller apartmentsat ground level.

All participants must have valid passports and Hepitatus vaccinations. You should report any personal allergies to the project director at time of registration (for example, food allergies, bees, etc.) so that accommodations can be made. A tetnus shot during the past seven years is recommended, but not required.

Once a week students will spend an hour with household chores.

Please note! Participants must be able to engage in strenuous activity in what is always a warm and humid environment. We work under tropical canopy. Temperature at this time of year hovers around 85 degrees f. and i t rains frequently. Temps drop at night to the high 70s.

The water tempearature is usually 87 degrees at our favorite beach.

Students will be asked to work 51/2 days per week.We start early and end early to avoid the heat. The other days will be open for sightseeing, beach time, travel to St Kitts, climbing Mt Nevis (a real tropical adventure) and other leisure.

Above: Preliminary documentation of cistern at Bush Hill. Meredith Martin, Florida State University shown with tape.

Items of Interest:

Language on Nevis is English, although a local Creole slang is prefered.

Nevis uses the Eastern Caribbean dollar, fixed to US dollar. 2.65 EC$ = $ 1 US, more or less. Dollars and travlers checks can be exchanged at banks in Charelstown or simply use the ATMs, which automatically convert and take a %).

Drinking water on Nevis is safe from the tap. No need to purchase expensive bottled water as so many timid tourists feel they must. It comes from the same source of tap water anyway.

There are no snakes and no poisonous spiders on the island. The biggest danger is to remember Nevis follows the English custom of driving on the left.

We have been coming to Nevis for nearly a decade and have warm relationships will local residents. We intend to keep it that way and encourage friendly interaction. Drunkenness will be grounds for removing a student from participation and an early trip home. Intoxication is both a danger to the student and to others on the project and will not be tolerated. The same holds true for drug use and inappropriate behavior. Remember, we are guests on Nevis.

What to do if you want to attend?

Contact Dr. Marco Meniketti for additional information. Email works best.

Above: Arriving at Charlestown Harbor in Gallows Bay, aboard the ferry Carib Breeze from St Kitts. Mt. Nevis in background. The mountain climb can be very exciting. A local guide is highly recommended.

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