Call for Applications: Torre Mordillo Archaeological Field School

Location: Torre Mordillo (Spezzano Albanese-CS, Italy)
Season: June 30, 2025 – July 25, 2025

Project Description:
Be part of an exciting archaeological project in Southern Italy! The Torre Mordillo Archaeological Field School, established by the Department of Classics at Mount Allison University, invites undergraduate and graduate students to contribute to groundbreaking research at the Torre Mordillo site—an indigenous settlement near the Greek colony of Sybaris. The site, which was occupied from the Bronze Age until the end of the 3rd century BCE, offers a unique opportunity to study the interactions between indigenous groups and Greek communities in Southern Italy. Though the site has been intermittently investigated since the 1960s, the dynamics of its occupation, particularly during the period immediately following Greek colonization, remain poorly understood.

In the past two field seasons, the Mount Allison team has uncovered two exceptionally large dwellings dating from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. Over the next three years, excavation will focus on exploring these structures, shedding light on settlement organization during a pivotal period of Greek colonization along the coast.

The Archaeological Field School:
Each year, students from Mount Allison University and other Canadian institutions participate in this hands-on field school, enrolling in courses that cover archaeological methodologies and techniques. Through daily fieldwork, students gain experience in excavation, stratigraphy, and processing of finds. The program also includes a laboratory component led by a ceramicist, who will train students in the processing, drawing, and interpretation of artifacts.

The program includes the following key components:

• Excavation: Work on-site using modern archaeological methods and techniques.
• Laboratory Training: Learn to process, draw, and interpret artifacts.
• Lectures & Field Trips: Gain a deeper understanding of Southern Italy’s ancient sites through lectures and visits to local archaeological sites, including Sybaris, Francavilla Marittima, and Reggio Calabria.
• Community Outreach: Engage with the local community by presenting findings and participating in public events.

Program Details:

• Location: Torre Mordillo, Spezzano Albanese, Cosenza, Italy
• Professor: Dr. Ilaria Battiloro, Department of Classics, Mount Allison University
• Academic Credit: 6 credits (CLAS 3501 and CLAS 3511)
• Program Fee: $3200 (covers accommodation, meals, insurance, and in-country travel).
• Note: The program fee does not include travel from Canada to Italy, transportation from Rome to Sibari, Study Abroad fees, or tuition.
• Language: No formal language requirement; knowledge of Italian is an asset.

Application Deadline: January 20, 2025

To apply: https://mta.ca/current-students/department-classics/torre-mordillo-archaeological-project

For more information, please contact Prof. Ilaria Battiloro at ibattiloro@mta.ca.