Abomey Plateau Archaeological Field School
Benin
Summer 2010
Discover West Africa's history by participating in the Abomey Plateau Archaeological Field School. Situated in a ‘wet savanna’ zone approximately 100 kilometers north of coastal Bénin, the Abomey Plateau is a culturally and ecologically diverse region. It served as the political center of the precolonial Kingdom of Dahomey, example of a precolonial West African centralized state par excellence and one of the principle African partners in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
You'll work on excavation, survey, and laboratory duties in and around the town of Cana, a precolonial urban center on the Abomey Plateau. You'll explore rural villages, ritual centers, and palatial complexes, providing a truly diverse introduction to West African archaeology. Additionally, because of the Kingdom of Dahomey’s historical connections with the Atlantic world, you'll gain experience identifying and analyzing both local material culture and European imported objects.
We will stay in the bustling city of Bohicon, four kilometers from historic Abomey, while we explore together the archaeology of a truly exceptional people and culture. Learn more about this exciting program on the program Web site.