Buen Suceso Field School
The Buen Suceso Field School provides 5-weeks of hands-on training in archaeological methods to undergraduate and graduate students. Six hours of upper-level anthropology credits are offered through the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's Office of International Programs & Partnerships.
Students will live and work with the community of Dos Mangas while excavating and analyzing artifacts from the Buen Suceso site, a 6000-year old village. Weekend outings to archaeological sites, museums, and natural attractions will introduce students to the rich natural and cultural beauty of the Ecuadorian coast.
Interested students should contact Sarah Rowe (sarah.rowe@utrgv.edu) or Guy Duke (guy.duke@utrgv.edu) for updated information on dates, credits, and fees.
Applications for the 2023 Field School are now being accepted. Visit the UTRGV Study Abroad Application Portal. Non-UTRGV students should contact Dr. Rowe or Dr. Duke for further guidance.
Excavation is just the beginning
Buen Suceso is a village site that was occupied for nearly 3000 years, between 3700 and 1425 BC, and is one of the longest inhabited sites of the Valdivia tradition. Ongoing research at the site seeks to determine how poeople created and maintained their community over such a long period of time, and how that differed from what people were doing at other villages that were occupied at the same time.
Students will learn excavation and survey methods on site, and conduct artifact analysis in the field laboratory.
Dos Mangas learn and live
We live in Dos Mangas and work with community members to investigate their archaeological resources. The village is also a hub for ecotourism, and the local environment features amazing flora and fauna.
Tour the Coast weekend outings
Students will also get to know the Ecuadorian coast through weekend excursions. We start in Guayaquil with visits to the Museo Antropològico y Arte Contemporaneo and the Malecón. Other weekend visits include a trip to Santa Elena, with visits to Real Alto and the Museo Los Amantes de Sumpa, and a trip to Puerto Lopez where we go whale watching and visit the site of Agua Blanca. We also participate in a workshop to learn ancient pottery techniques.
