The Sicily trip introduced two new Archaeology days for the first time this year. As part of the Archaeology activities we visit two sites, Aci Castello which is a rather impressive Norman Castle built above a wave cut platform (Figure 1) and Giardini Naxos which is the site of the earliest Greek settlement on the island (c. 8th century BC – Figure 2).
Figure 1: Aci Castello
Figure 2: Naxos – first Greek Colony on Sicily
The overall aim of the Archaeology activity day is to gain an appreciation of the island’s history through an assessment of the Museum display seen in the Norman Castle of Aci Castello. Aci Castello is a strange mix of museum display (including one on Human Origins), succulent botanical garden, viewing platform and art gallery. Once we have examined the castle we head off to Giardini Naxos where the students are tasked with a practical exercise in archaeological site mapping.
On arrival in Naxos it was a pleasant surprise to find they were in the middle of updating all the museum content with bilingual (Italian and English) information boards attached to QR codes and excellent site maps. When the work is complete the site will truly be a pleasure to visit as well as being extremely informative for all levels of visitor.
In summary, the Archaeology activity day is designed to make the students think about two sides found in archaeology, how do you present the finds of the archaeological trench or site to the public in a meaningful way? Do all museums succeed in this task or are there varying degrees of success? When you work on an archaeological site and engage in archaeological activities like site planning why are such activities important and what may their relevance be to the public view of archaeology? The answers to these questions will help keep our discipline relevant in the modern day and I am looking forward to seeing what our students made of their tasks and seeing how Archaeology integrates into the Sicily fieldtrip.
Guest post: James Cole