Registrations for the 2025 academic program are open!
Dates
1 - 18 July 2025
The application deadline is April 15, 2025
Credits
Earning of 10 undergraduate UCF-ECTS credits through the University of Pisa
The excavation site
The Gallicano Field School in Medieval Archaeology and Bioarchaeology offers students a unique opportunity to engage in archaeological and bioarchaeological fieldwork. The program is centered around excavations at the Pieve di San Cassiano site in Gallicano, a municipality located approximately 20 miles north of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.
The Pieve di San Cassiano dates back to the early Middle Ages, though its exact foundation date remains uncertain. It was once a prominent religious center in the Serchio Valley, overseeing 23 churches. Following the Black Death in 1348, the Pieve gradually declined until its complete abandonment in the 15th century. Today, the site, nestled within a wooded area, offers a well-preserved archaeological context, including the remains of the church, outbuildings, fortifications, and extensive cemetery areas.
Previous excavations in 2024 uncovered an imposing medieval building (11th-13th century) measuring 24 meters long by 18 meters wide, with three naves and three apses. Significant cemetery phases were also identified in the churchyard and behind the apses. Additionally, the remains of an earlier medieval building with stone burials were discovered.
The 2025 excavation campaign will focus on further exploring the medieval and early medieval contexts, including the cemetery areas and the structures of the church and annexed buildings.
The 2025 excavation campaign will focus on further exploring the medieval and early medieval contexts, including the cemetery areas and the structures of the church and annexed buildings.
The Field School is part of a broader academic project led by the Division of Palaeopathology at the University of Pisa. This project aims to investigate the biocultural complexity of the region surrounding Lucca during the Middle Ages. Specific objectives include:
- Excavation and analysis of the medieval cemetery, focusing on demography, burial characteristics, and funerary rituals.
- Bioarchaeological analysis of the medieval population, including biodiversity, paleopathology, and activity markers.
- Reconstruction of the settlement’s evolution from the late antique period to the modern age.
- Analysis of the material culture of the religious center, with emphasis on commercial dynamics, economic activities, and the dissemination of technical knowledge related to the site’s life.
Beyond academic research, the project seeks to foster public engagement in archaeology. This involves the local community in archaeological research and implementing effective practices for sharing findings with the broader public, particularly regarding the significance of medieval human remains for contemporary society.
Learning objectives
The Gallicano Field School provides students with a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in archaeological excavation and bioarchaeological investigation under the guidance of leading researchers.
Price
EUR 2,200.00
Cost breakdown: EUR 1,000.00 (academic fees) / 1,200.00 (meals + accomodation)
The cost listed for each session covers Field School activities (excavation practice, lectures, laboratory activities and instruments), meals (MON to FRI: breakfast, lunch and dinner), accommodation and airport pick-up service (set schedule); registration and tuition with the University of Pisa for 10 CFU-ECTS credits (NOTE: most US institutions will convert 1 CFUs to 0.6 credit hours, that is, about 7 credit hours).
The course is open to up to 15 undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students in archeology, anthropology or allied disciplines from any country and institution. Current enrollment in a university is not a requirement; all applications are evaluated equally and acceptance decisions are primarily based on merit.
Housing
Housing is provided by the Summer School in a shared-room dormitory by the excavation site.
Meals
Participants in the Summer School will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday.
Monday through Friday, 8:00am-6:00pm (including one hour lunch break).
The course will be offered in English (with optional Italian translation) in the following formats:
- Field practice
- Lectures
- Labs
- Workshops
Two partial fee waivers – amounting to 500 euro each – will be awarded after an evaluation of the received CVs, giving priority to students coming from developing countries, to those who apply by 15 March 2025 and request the scholarship writing an email to Prof. Antonio Fornaciari antonio.fornaciari@unipi.it
IMPORTANT NOTICE: 15 March 2025 is the early bird application deadline for those interested in applying for the available scholarships.
How to apply
The Field School has no formal prerequisites; students will be fully trained for all the activities they experience.
Students interested in applying to the Field School must fill out and submit the Enrolment Form online, via Alice portal.
Prior to their arrival to Italy, the students are required to complete all readings included in the attached reading list. The readings will include topics such as bioarchaeology, stratigraphy, geographic information systems. An understanding of such topics is essential to maximize on-site learning.
Students are required to participate actively in both fieldwork and laboratory activities, and to demonstrate a good understanding of the concepts and techniques employed in the field.
Participation and overall performance in the field will be monitored throughout the entire field school.
A Final Examination will be administered during the last week of the program to assess the student’s mastery of the theoretical and practical concepts and techniques learned throughout the entire field school.
Required documents
- Identity Document (*PASSPORT in case you are a foreign student*)
- Enrolment Form
- Curriculum vitae
- Statement of interest
- Proof of tetanus vaccination
- Medical certificate of physical fitness
All the documents must be in pdf format, in order to upload them on the portal when required.
Application has to be submitted via Alice portal following the instructions of the “How to apply” page.
Request info
An occasion to visit Italy
Gallicano is located in a strategic position that allows you to reach the main cities and touristic localities easily. In 40 mins you can get to Pisa, the leaning tower city, in 20 mins to Lucca, a perfectly preserved medieval town surrounded by Renaissance walls. Florence, considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, featuring countless monuments and art masterpieces, is only 1 hour away by train. The connection to Rome is direct with a 3-hour trip. You can also reach the city of Volterra, located in the interior of Tuscany, with its many archeological monuments, and in 2 hours you can reach the pearls of Ligurian tourism, the Cinque Terre.