SAPELO AND OSSABAW ISLAND
FIELD SCHOOL FAQs
Where are Sapelo and Ossabaw Island?
Sapelo and Ossabaw Island are located south of Savannah, Georgia. They are two of the main barrier islands that front the Atlantic Ocean. There are no bridges to the island nor is there any public boat transportation. Therefore, access is only by private boat (Ossabaw) and ferry (Sapelo). Miles of sounds, salt marsh, tidal rivers and creeks separate Sapelo and Ossabaw from the mainland.
Where will we stay on Sapelo and Ossabaw and will there be bathrooms?
Once on the island, students will participate in communal style living with shared meals and duties. While on Sapelo Island, students will stay in ABAC Shack in dorm style rooms with bunk beds. On Ossabaw Island, students will live dorm style rooms with bunk beds in the Clubhouse, a pre-fabricated home built in the 1880s or 1890s. Yes, there are bathrooms and showers! There are also large kitchens at both the Clubhouse and ABAC.
How do I take the UGA field school if I'm out of state and/or go to another school?
Students not currently enrolled at UGA will need to apply for transient student status with their university and UGA. The admissions office of your university should be able to help with this part. For information on the way this process works see http://www.franklin.uga.edu/students/transient.php for information from UGA.
What classes do I sign up for?
What classes/number of hours do I sign up for if I’m eligible for in-state tuition (only applies to Georgia residents [e.g., UGA students, GSU, etc.).
You should sign up for ANTH 4200 and ANTH4240 both for 6 credit hours each (see course ID’s below).
What classes/number of hours do I sign up for if I’m NOT eligible for in-state tuition?
You should sign up for ANTH 4200 and ANTH4240 both for 3 credit hours each (see course ID’s below).
NOTE: Students taking the field school for graduate credit should sign up for the 6200 versions of these courses. See instructor for number of credit hours.
Course ID: ANTH 4200/6200. 3-6 hours. Repeatable for maximum 9 hours credit.
Course Title: Field Methods in Archaeology
Course ID: ANTH 4240/6240. 3-6 hours. Repeatable for maximum 9 hours credit.
Course Title: Laboratory Methods in Archaeology
How will I get to the island?
Flying: all flying arrangements should be into and out of the Savannah Airport, unless you discuss this with the instructor or graduate students. Please make these arrangements as soon as you are able. Email: Brandon Ritchison at b.t.ritchison@gmail.com or Matt Colvin at mhcolvin@uga.edu.
Driving: For those of you driving, I will provide a map and directions and boat departure times to get you over to the island in a separate email.
What do I need?
Tent
Lantern or flashlight
Extra Snacks if you want them
Flavoring for water
Laundry detergent
Ziploc bags- come in handy to keep your camera/personal items dry if backpack gets wet
Hand sanitizer/soap
Personal Hygiene items
Books
Cards/Games
Camera
Alarm clock
Advil/Tylenol
Towels
Pillow
Sleeping bag/ blanket/comforter
Music
Extra contact lenses if you wear contacts
Sunglasses
Bug suit or bug hat-it will be buggy
Camping chair for sitting around after work
Clothes
Field pants-make sure they are durable and will dry quickly
Raincoat that is lightweight/breathable
Long-shirts since it will be buggy in the field
Short sleeve shirts (please no profanity or questionable sayings or photos)
Wide brimmed hat-the sun will be hot!
Boots-may be a good idea to bring a backup pair in case one pair gets wet. Break in your boots before you start fieldwork!! Waterproof them!
Tennis Shoes or Flip-flops for after work
Bandanas
Socks-always a good idea to have extra
Personal Equipment
1 Backpack
Water bottles-it will be very hot and you must constantly drink water. One bottle will not be enough for the day. Bring several water bottles or 1 big one (Wal-Mart and Meijer sell 2 Liter bottles). We will also have a large water cooler on site but this is a backup. Whenever you are in the field it is always a good idea to bring enough water for the day.
Boots--flat bottom ones are the best for excavation. No cowboy boots
Hat
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Rain poncho
Snake Chaps- these are optional
1 covered clipboard
4 felt tip black Sharpies (fine point, NOT ultra fine)
6 mechanical pencils with #2 lead (medium quality kind)
Leather gloves
1 Marshalltown point trowel- 5’’—We will give you this one.
1 metal Bastard file
2 metric tape (3 meters)
2 plastic or metal line levels
Pocketknife
Orienteering compass (the Silva brand is inexpensive and reliable)
Cheap calculator
First Aid Kit-small enough to fit into your pack (chigger x, hydrocortisone, liquid skin, Advil, Tylenol, Band-Aids, act)
**LABEL YOUR EQUIPMENT**
Is there a syllabus?
Yes, there is a syllabus that provides a detailed outline of grading and expectations. I will send it in by email near the start of field school.
Should I be reading anything ahead of time?
Once registered for field school, I will send you information on readings.
Will we have drinking water, electricity, Wi-Fi on the island?
Yes, there will be drinking water on the island; however, the water on the coast can sometimes have a bit of sulfur smell, caused by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to it (don’t worry it is safe). However, it is not always pleasant, which is why flavoring comes in handy. The sulfur smell is dependent upon a host of factors, including rainfall, tides, and water table. Sometimes it is perfectly fine, other times not.
Yes, there will be electricity.
Yes, there is Wi-Fi at the Clubhouse on Ossabaw but no, there is no Wi-Fi at ABAC on Sapelo or any of the sites, unless you bring it with you. That is, you could turn your phone into a mobile hot spot (expensive for long periods of time). I’m not sure which carriers have good reception on the sites, but Verizon works very well (my carrier). I can usually get 4G.
Will I be able to go to the mainland during the week?
No, it will be difficult to make boat trips during the week.
Will I be able to go to the mainland on the weekends?
For Sapelo, this is dependent on the ferry schedule. Pickup at the ferry dock will only be once on Saturday and once on Sunday. For Ossabaw, we will schedule 1 boat trip on Friday, and 1 trip on Sunday.- This may be subject to change. We will figure out logistics of this once we arrive.
How will food work on Ossabaw?
Every student must pay $40 per week for food. We will be doing weekly grocery shopping and we will be able to make dinners of your choice as long as it is within reason and within our weekly shopping budget. If it becomes an issue, we will rotate the dinners (described below). We will divide you up into groups (equipment maintenance, cleaning, cooking) that will rotate weekly so that everyone does equal work. We will also require that each group do a weekend grocery shopping. Meals MUST pre-planned ahead of time. Remember, we are on an island and the food that we buy for the week. MUST last for the week. This means do not eat 4 bowls of cereal in the morning. Your group will help to plan meals for the week your group is cooking. We will have the first week of meals planned out. We will not be providing much extra goodies such as cookies, sweets, pop, alcohol, and ice for lunch in the field, etc. If you want those, you can buy them on your own. There is only 1 fridge. The fridge is communal, as such the priority for space goes towards the meals that everyone will eat. There may not be room for individual snacks or drinks that you bring onto the island. Breakfast and lunch will be the same for the entire time. There will be a grill available for our use.
Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Cereal
Juice
Pop Tarts
Fruit
Lunch:
Lunchmeat
Bread
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Chips, Pretzels
Fruit
String Cheese
Examples of Dinners:
Spaghetti
Homemade Pizza
Hot Dogs
Burgers
BBQ or Grilled Chicken
Tacos or Fajitas
Frozen Lasagna
Breakfast for Dinner
Black Beans and Rice with Mojo Chicken
Chili
Examples of Side Dishes
Salad
Mac n’ Cheese
Potatoes
French Fries
Baked Beans
Cornbread
Garlic Bread
Will there be vegetarian/gluten free/dairy free, etc. options, etc.?
Yes, we will accommodate the above but not food preferences. We must know if this is an issue ahead of time so we can prepare the first week of meals accordingly. This is especially important if you have a severe allergy.
How will I do laundry?
There are several ways this can work. You can save up clothes and do your laundry on the mainland when you go over at a laundry mat or you can do them by hand on the island. In years past, a few of the students brought little hand washing machines and shared them. There are plenty of places to string up a clothesline for drying.
What will be our typical schedule during the week for work?
Before 7:00: Breakfast
7:00 to 7:10: Research team meeting (everyone)
7:10 to 11:30: Fieldwork
11:30 to 12:00: Lunch
12:00 to 3:00: Field Work
3:00 to 5:00: On your own (beach time, games, sleep, etc.)
5:00 to 6:30: Lab (most days, unless we are all caught up)
6:30 to 7:30: Dinner
7:30 on: Free time (most days, except for special lectures)
What will be some of the skills that I’ll learn on field school?
Phase I Survey (Shovel Testing)
Phase II Testing (Unit Excavation)
Phase III Excavation (Block Excavation)
Troweling
Shoveling
Arbitrary Level Excavation
Soil Recognition and Description
Site Grid Systems
Keeping Notes on Forms and Field Books
Archaeological Provenience Systems
Total Station Mapping
Familiarity with Shallow Geophysical Survey (Ground Penetrating Radar, Resistance Survey, Magnetics)
Soil Coring
Archaeological Database Entry (ArcheoLINK)
Barcode Bag Systems
Washing and Rough Sorting
Water Screening
General Knowledge of Southeastern Archaeology (coastal Georgia especially)
Artifact Analysis (Ceramic Analysis)
Field Photography
Profile and Plan View Drawing
Basic Curation Skills and Standards (Acid Free Boxes, Bagging, Labeling)
And these are just a few!
Do I have to sign a wavier?
Yes, I will have a liability wavier that the University lawyers require us to sign. If you don’t sign the waiver, you can’t participate in field school.
Are there any awards or scholarships?
In fact, there are two monetary awards (usually around $500) called the Gumbert Awards. I will provide details on the Gumbert Awards at the start of field school and how to apply.
What kind of wildlife will I see on Sapelo and Ossabaw?
There are donkeys, snakes, alligators, raccoons, and pigs and lots of other critters on the island. It is best not to try and touch any of these—some donkeys bite.
How do I stay safe on Ossabaw?
Do not go off at night.
Do not play on the dock.
Do not go into the tidal creeks.
Do not bother the wildlife.
Do not go past the second sandbar.
Always tell someone (in charge) where you are going and when you’ll be back.
Always go places in pairs or groups.
Always drink plenty of water.
Always wear sunscreen.
What is there to do on Sapelo and Ossabaw?
Fishing (you must have a license)
Beach
Hanging with each other
Movie on projector
Tour of other archaeology sites
Games: Volleyball, badminton
Can I bring a bike, surf board, wake board?
Yes. Bikes are good for going to the beach on Sapelo but not Ossabaw.
What are the rules on the island?
Representing UGA- be appropriate in attire, attitude
Teamwork is a must. Everyone must contribute to their group’s duties.
Drugs- ZERO tolerance
Alcohol- 21 and older is only allowed to drink after all of your work is done in the evening.
No alcohol in vehicles
Keep your living and sleeping areas clean, be considerate.
Take care of yourself-health and hygiene
Be considerate with the shower facilities. If it becomes a problem we will create a schedule for people to shower. Be considerate of shower time and hot water.
Food: Do not eat each other’s personal food without permission.
Personal: Do not use each other’s personal items without permission.
Please be on time
No abuse to people or equipment
Field school is not easy-please practice endurance and patience
Will going on field school help me get a job in archaeology?
Yes, in fact, we often hire students from the UGA field school each year to work in the Archaeology Laboratory at UGA. Other than that, field school is a first step in a larger world. The skills you acquire will be essential to any job in archaeology, from CRM to going on to graduate school.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Dr. T.