Overview
During the 7th-6th millennia BCE, farming and animal husbandry spread from Anatolia and the Near East through the Balkan Peninsula and to Europe. These were not new technologies adopted by local populations but newcomers who brought a completely new way of life and subsistence, initially co-existing and then taking over local populations. By the 6th millennium BCE, the local economy, social organization, trade, and cultural contacts evolved, to reach its peak in the 5th millennium BCE. Even newer technologies came to bear, when locals begin processing – and using – metals such as copper and gold.
Recent excavations at Tell Yunatsite indicate that the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic period settlement at the site covered an area far larger than the tell itself. The site had an uptown (acropolis?) sector and a downtown district. The uptown sector was surrounded by a five meter wide clay wall and a broad and deep ditch. Buildings in this part were placed close to each other, creating an almost unbroken urban fabric that is easy to close and defend.
Despite their defensive resource investment, the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic settlement at Yunatsite experienced a violent event at ca. 4,200-4,100 BCE. Evidence suggests deliberate destruction by outsiders. Skeletons of children, elderly men, and women were found scattered on floors, suggesting a massive massacre. Those who survived returned and resettled at the tell, but soon even they left. At that point, Tell Yunatsite and the area around it were abandoned for more than 1,000 years. During this time, a sterile layer accumulated over the last Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic layer.
To date, approximately one third of the tell has been excavated. This work yielded rich collections of archaeological materials, and the sterile soil has not yet been reached. There is a medieval cemetery at the top of the tell, followed by a Roman period level, two Iron Age levels, another dated to the Early Bronze Age, and finally a Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic level. It is unknown if the cultural history of the tell begins in the Chalcolithic/Final Neolithic period or whether older Neolithic occupation layers exist.
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Overview of Tell Yunatsite
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Removing an archaeological feature
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Using vacuum cleaners as excavation tools
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Excavating a ceramic vessel
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Students excavating a floor
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Ceramic artifact recovered at the site
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Exposing ancient walls
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Gold objects recovered at the site
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Student sifting excavation materials
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Students working at the site
Instructor(s)
All field school directors are experts in their field and passionate about their work. To discuss the suitability of this program for your career goals – whether within or outside academia – you are invited to contact the directors directly. For a broader discussion which ARC program to choose, you are welcome to contact our staff directly – you can do that through our “Contact Us” page.
Testimonials & Program evaluation
Student Fees (Tuition)
What is Covered
- DEPOSIT IS PART OF TOTAL TUITION COST
- Costs of Instruction
- Cost of Academic Credit Units
- Cost of Drones & Computer Time
- Liability & Accident Insurance
- Accomedations, Breakfast & Lunch
Read Before You Pay
- Application: You must apply online for this program – application is free
- Deposit: A $300 nonrefundable deposit (part of the total tuition cost) is required to secure a space in the program
- Credit Card Fee: Payments with credits cards incur 3% processing fee
- Late Fee: A $100 Late Fee will be added to the program costs if tuition is not paid in full by payment deadline
- Cancellation Policy: Carefully read our Cancellation Policy before committing to attending our programs
- Trip Cancellation Insurance: Trip cancellation insurance is not provided by ARC. Such policies have changed due to Covid 19. If you wish to purchase an insurance policy that covers pandemic contingencies, explore Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) plans. Insuremytrip or Travel Guard are possible websites where you may explore different insurance policies.
Accommodations
Students will stay at the Hotel Primavera, in comfortable rooms with two to three beds (bathrooms with shower and WC, TV, A/C and free Wi-Fi). The hotel is in the central pedestrian and shopping area of Pazardzhik, close to the many services the town can offer (shops, pharmacies, banks, markets, taverns, restaurants, bars, bars, hospitals, cafes, post offices, tourist attractions, parks etc.). Participants are not expected to bring any additional equipment, bed linens or towels.
Diet
Three meals – organic Bulgarian homemade food – will be served. During workdays, meals usually take place at the site. During the weekend, meals will take place at the hotel’s restaurant (except the brown-bag lunches during the excursions). This field school can accommodate vegetarians, vegans, and individuals with lactose intolerance. Kosher and gluten-free diets are impossible to accommodate in this location.
Travel Information
We suggest you 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 cancelation of a program. The ARC typically takes a close look at local conditions 6-7 weeks prior to program beginning and makes a Go/No Go decision by then. Such time frame still allows for the purchase deeply discounted airline tickets while protecting students from potential loss of airline ticket costs if the ARC is forced to cancel a program.
Project participants will reside at Hotel Primavera, in the town of Pazardzhik. If you arrive to Bulgaria and travel before the beginning of the program, please arrive to the hotel on the first day of the program (Sun) at 7:30pm. Otherwise, we will meet students at the arrival area of Sofia International Airport (SOF) Terminal 2 on Sun, at 5:30pm. From there, students will be transported by bus/shuttle to the hotel for an additional fee of approximately 40 EUR. Travel time is about 1.5 hours.
Visa Information
There are no visa requirements for U.S. citizen travelling to Bulgaria, if they do not stay longer than 3 months. Passport’s expiration date should exceed the stay by at least 3 months.
Citizens of other countries are asked to check the Bulgarian Embassy website page at their home country for specific visa requirements.
Meeting Point
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 2026 | 5:30pm | Sofia International Airport, Terrminal 2 Arrival area |
| Jul 4, 2026 | 7:30pm | Hotel Primavera (Pazardzhik) |
If you missed your connection or your flight is delayed, please call, text or email project director(s) immediately. A local emergency cell phone number will be provided to all enrolled students.
Safety
Our primary mission is student education. Traveling and conducting field work involves risk and students interested in participating in any field schools must weigh whether the potential risk is worth the value of education earned. While risk is inherent in everything we do, we do not take risk lightly. We engage in intensive review of each field school location prior to approval and continue to monitor conditions on the ground to ensure a safe and wholesome education experience.
Students attending our international programs are covered by a comprehensive Health Insurance Policy that covers physical illness or injury, mental or chronic conditions and medical evacuation – if needed. This insurance policy has no deductibles and 100% of the costs are covered up to $250,000 (for more, see here). In addition, we provide Political & Natural Disaster Evacuation policy, which allows us to remove students from program location if conditions change.
Students attending our domestic programs (within the US) must have their own health insurance. Program directors are familiar with local authorities and if in need of evacuation, local emergency services and/or law enforcement will be notified and activated.
We have an explicit and robust Harassment & Discrimination Policy, outlined on our Health & Safety page. If students feel they cannot discuss personal safety issues with program staff, they are welcome to call the ARC emergency hotline and talk directly with an ARC staff member.
Call (+1 323 740-1805) or email (admin@anthroctr.org) if you have questions about the safety of any program.