Overview
Located in the Shire region of Northern Ethiopia, this field school will allow students the opportunity to excavate a site which is virtually unexplored. This site is located near the ancient capital of the Aksumite Kingdom (first to sixth century CE) Mai Adrasha, located 50 KM west of Axum. The site, the region, and its complex cultural heritage, provide important information on the sub-Saharan counterpart of the Greco-Roman world. These societies economic base of agriculture and trade resulted in close contact with the North, and an adoption of early Christianity. The research area consists of almost 100 km² and is located east of the modern city of Inda Selassie. The Shire Archaeological Project concession comprises of extensive ancient remains dating from the prehistoric to the medieval period. It includes two large sites, Mai Adrasha and Mezaber Adi Menaber. During the 2021 season, students will work in Mai Adrasha, a site under threat of destruction due to continuing panning of natural gold by the local population. In addition to survey and intensive excavations, students will also have the opportunity to participate in community outreach and assist with crucial site management.
Instructors
The directors welcome emails and inquiries about the research elements of this project. More general information (tuition, health insurance, and payment schedule) can be found under the ‘Students’ tab above. Any further questions may be addressed to IFR staff. Additional details about research, course schedule, travel, accommodation, and safety can be found on the syllabus. Contacting the directors or the IFR office is encouraged and appreciated. It may help you determine if this field school is a good fit for you.
Testimonials
Coming soon!
Tuition Includes:
- Costs of instruction
- Cost of Academic Credits
- Room & Board
- All local transportation
- Health & Evacuation Insurance
Student Fees
This program requires an online application — there is no fee to submit an application. Once admitted, a payment of the nonrefundable deposit fee is required to secure a place in the program(s). The Tuition balance (total program cost minus the deposit fee) must be paid prior to the Tuition deadline as listed above under “Course Details.” A $200 late fee will be added to all accounts not paid in full by the Tuition deadline.
Early Decision Enrollment (Nov 1, 2019 through May 29, 2020): A reduced, nonrefundable $300 deposit fee is required to secure a seat in the program. This deposit is part of the total Tuition and NOT in addition to it.
Regular Enrollment (May 30, 2020 through payment deadline): A nonrefundable $500 deposit fee is required to secure a seat in the program. This deposit is part of the total Tuition and NOT in addition to it.
Late Enrollment (payment deadline forward): A nonrefundable $600 deposit fee is required to secure a seat in the program. In addition, a $200 late fee will be added to all accounts not paid in full by the Tuition payment deadline.
Withdrawal & Cancellation Policy: If you paid the deposit fee but did not cancel your participation by the Tuition payment deadline, you are legally responsible for the full Tuition regardless of attendance at any IFR program. Please carefully read our Withdrawal & Cancellation Policy for further information.
Credit Card Processing Fee: A 2.5% processing fee is automatically incurred for all credit/debit card/online payments.
Academic Credit Opt Out: Students who wish to participate in an IFR field school without earning academic credit units may do so and receive the following discounts: $300 off a full program (4 or more weeks in length) or $200 off a short program (2-3 weeks in length).
Trip Cancellation Insurance: The IFR does not provide trip cancellation insurance. Read this Wall Street Journal article about travel insurance — it may help in making a decision whether such insurance is for you. If you do wish to purchase such insurance, Insure My Trip or Travel Guard are two possible resources you may wish to explore.
Accommodations
Students and most staff members will be staying in a dedicated excavation house in a quiet neighborhood in Shire/Indaselassie. The accommodations are shared bedrooms, with two or three persons per room and a basic shower and squat toilet in each room. Sheets and pillows will be provided, but participants should bring towels and mosquito nets.
Once we start fieldwork, the day is fairly full. We will have breakfast in the dig house at 6:30 am and we leave for the field at 7:15am – arriving there by 7:30 am. A light lunch will be served at 12:00 am. Work in the field concludes each day at 3:30 pm. The late afternoons are reserved for lab work and daily lectures. At 6:00 pm we get together in the labs to discuss the day’s work. Every work group gives a brief report on the results, problems and successes. During these meetings we will discuss results and interpretations. You are urged to contribute information and suggestions. At 7:00 pm we will eat dinner as a group at a local restaurant.
Travel Info
Hold purchasing your airline ticket until six (6) weeks prior to departure date. Natural disasters, political changes, weather conditions and a range of other factors may require the cancellation of a field school. The IFR typically takes a close look at local conditions 6-7 weeks prior to program beginning and make Go/No Go decisions by then. This time frame still allows the purchase of discounted airline tickets while protecting students from potential loss of airline ticket costs if we decide to cancel a program.
Students should arrive to the Shire Airport on Sunday November 17, and will be met by project staff members. Multiple shuttles will be available based on students’ arrival times. Please make sure to arrive in Addis Ababa early in the morning of the 17th or the day before to catch a connecting flight to Shire. The domestic airport in Addis Ababa is adjacent to the international airport. When you leave the international arrivals hall turn left and follow the signs for a distance of approximately 600 meters.
If you missed your connection or your flight is delayed, please call, text or email to the project director. Local cell phone numbers and other emergency contact information will be provided to all enrolled students.
VISA REQUIREMENTS
U.S. citizens who travel to Ethiopia are required to obtain an Ethiopian visa. To apply for a visa, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry. It is recommended that you obtain a 3-month tourist visa before arrival, which is an easy online procedure through the government website https://www.evisa.gov.et/(in 2018 the cost was $72). Beware because there are “service” websites that ask for a lot of money to do the request for you, while it is a very easy procedure which only asks you to upload jpegs of a passport size photo and your passport. You can also obtain a visa at the airport upon arrival in Addis Ababa, or from the Ethiopian embassy or consulate in your country.
Citizens of other countries are asked to check the Ethiopian Embassy website page at their home country for specific visa requirement.
Student Safety
The IFR primary concern is with education. Traveling and conducting field research involve risk. Students interested in participating in IFR programs must weigh whether the potential risk is worth the value of education provided. While risk is inherent in everything we do, we do not take risk lightly. The IFR engages in intensive review of each field school location prior to approval. Once a program is accepted, the IFR reviews each program annually to make sure it complies with all our standards and policies, including student safety.
Students attending IFR international programs are covered by a comprehensive Health Insurance policy that includes physical illness or injury, mental or chronic conditions. No deductible and 100% of costs are covered up to $250,000. In addition, we provide Political and Natural Disaster Evacuation policy, which allow us to remove students from field school location if local conditions change. Our field school directors are scholars that know field school locations and cultures well and are plugged in into local communities and state institution structures.
Students attending IFR domestic programs (within the US) must have their own health insurance and provide proof upon enrollment. IFR field school directors are familiar with local authorities and if in need of evacuation, local emergency services and/or law enforcement will be notified and activated.
The IFR has strong, explicit and robust policy towards discrimination and harassment in the field. If students feel they cannot discuss personal safety issues with field school staff, the IFR operates an emergency hotline where students may contact IFR personnel directly.
Call us at 877-839-4374 or email us at info@ifrglobal.org if you have questions about the safety of any particular program.