II ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS AT EL CASTRO DE LA ENCARNACION (MELLANES-RABANALES, ZAMORA, SPAIN)

During the month of August 2019 the Scientific and Cultural Society Zamora Protohistórica will undertake the 2^nd campaign of excavations at El Castro de la Encarnación (Mellanes, Zamora, Spain).

THE PROJECT

In 2018 Zamora Protohistorica, in collaboration with the Council, proceed to survey the main sites within the municipality of Rabanales. Further on, in August 2019 the first archaeological dig took place in one of the sites, known as Castro de la Encarnación, an Iron Age Hillfort never excavated before. After one month of field work and all the post-excavation analysis that went on during the year after, we have lots of new information about the chronologies and characterisation of the settlement.

The Hillfort presents a walled perimeter, counting with several defensive ditches in the outside and a large dwelling space in the inside, barely excavated.

In this coming campaign we aim to extend the sondages opened in the defensive wall as well as in one of the internal spaces.

Also, this year we will carry on with intensive surveys in two other archaeological sites: a roman settlement named El Castrico, with high potential to be a relevant centre in this area, and a second Hillfort next to the village of Fradellos, as impressive as el Castro de la Encarnación, within similar timeframes.

THE CANDIDATES 

Zamora Protohistórica wouldn’t be able to do all this without the assistance of the volunteers that every year help us with the field work. In exchange for it, we provide volunteers with the following:

• As is traditional to us,  there’s no charge fee for application, nor to participate with us if the application is successful.
• Accommodation (we just need you to bring bed linens or sleeping bag)
• Food (all meals provided)
• Training: We have a whole teaching program covering the different aspects of the campaign:
• • Field survey
  • Excavation and register of archaeological features -expect walls and collapses! -
  • Post excavation duties: process and inventory of artefacts, like pottery, bone, lithics; Flotations, databases…
  • Participation on Community Archaeology, meaning workshops and talks with the local community.

What we don’t cover is the travel expenses to and from Zamora (Spain). Successful candidates will be notified the specifics once selected.

PERIODS 

The campaign will be divided in two turns of 2 weeks each. In the application form the candidate must select only one.

• From the 1^st to 15^th of August 2019
• From the 16^st to 31^th of August 2019

SELECTION PROCESS 

The candidates willing to collaborate with us in this new campaign will need to fill in the applicants form and send it to castrumzoelarum.zp@gmail.com before the 31^st of May 2019. Please bear in mind that we are looking for students in the branches of Archaeology, Anthropology, History, Restauration or similar.