The ruin mound of Tel er-Rub'a in northern Egypt marks the site of the ancient city of Mendes, one of the largest cities in the ancient world. The sometime capital of ancient Egypt (fourth century BCE), Mendes was a major trading center in contact with the eastern Mediterranean, Greece, and Rome. A riverine harbor is still in evidence, and the site boasts a temple to the Ram-god and a cemetery (ca. 2200 BCE) of nearly 9,000 internments. Occupied from prehistoric times to the present, though largely unencumbered by dwellings, Mendes offers an excellent prospect for excavation with a view to studying ancient urbanism, demographics, burial practices, and trade.

For the past decade, archaeologists and student volunteers have been excavating the site using cutting-edge research discovery and field training techniques. The latter includes digging techniques, recording, planning, photography, analysis of finds, and introduction to the history and archaeology of ancient Egypt. In addition, weekend field trips are led by the director to such neighboring sites as Tanis, the North Sinai, Alexandria, and the pyramid fields.

This program will occupy four consecutive six-day weeks. The participants will be put in charge of various tasks: excavation supervision, recording, registry, pottery sorting, and seriation. From time to time they will also be called upon to assist the technical core staff in such tasks as surveying, human and faunal remains recovery, pottery cleaning and restoration, and photography detail.

Mendes is located approximately 120 miles north of Cairo, 17 miles east of Mansourah, and 40 miles south of the Mediterranean coast. Cairo and Port Said may be reached in two hours of driving. The staff lives in a modern twenty-room field institute building, which was constructed on-site in 1992 and has electricity, running water, and plumbing.

Students are accepted ONLY as field school participants taking the course for credit. The field school at Mendes is operated in conjunction with The Summer Abroad Program of Penn State University. For information on the application process and on-line application go to the project website.

Number of credits: 6 credits

Tuition: approx. $625 per credit

Contact Person

Dr. Susan Redford
Dept. of Classics & Ancient Mediterranean Studies
University Park, PA 16801
USA
814-8638945