NSC Field School in Trawas, East Java
July – August 2018
The 2018 Archaeology and Art History Field School took place between 22 July and 11 August 2018. The Indonesian leg was held in Trawas, East Java (22 July – 7 August) followed by the Singapore leg from 7 – 11 August. The archaeological excavation conducted was the first ever to be undertaken on Mount Penanggungan, considered a sacred mountain site with human activities and rituals dating back to the Majapahit era.
Local partners included Indonesian National Centre for Archaeological Research (PUSLIT ARKENAS), University of Surabaya (UBAYA), and Ubaya Penanggungan Centre (UPC). The 16 student participants were from the East Asia Summit countries including Indonesia, Singapore, China, America, New Zealand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India.
The art history component covered the material culture and artistic productions of the East Javanese period (10th-15th century). Field trips were made to ancient monuments, and museums with lectures conducted in situ. Lectures by international experts exposed students to art history methodologies and theoretical frameworks.
Led by a team of Singapore, and Indonesian archaeologists, the archaeological training component focused on field training such as excavation methods and documentation, site survey, mapping, photography, and illustrative documentation of artefacts and wall profiles. Regular tutorials on research design allowed them to be fully involved in the research process underlying the excavation.
The Mount Penanggungan excavation unearthed significant artefacts that helped underline the importance of the site and identify the presence of human occupation during the Majapahit period, thus confirming our initial hypothesis of the area. During the Singapore leg, the students worked in teams to present on several research topics related to the excavation site. This was a culmination of their field experience, and research design tutorials.
2018 NSC Field School Administrative History
2018 NSC Field School Booklet (pdf, 4.5mb)
2018 NSC Field School Announcement E-flyer (.pdf, 3.48mb)
2018 NSC Field School Application Form (.doc, 242kb)
2018 NSC Field School Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf, 375kb)