Seven Gettysburg College students recently returned from a trip to Belize, where they worked alongside professional academic researchers to excavate the Classic period Maya site of Chan Chich—specifically in a courtyard area where rulers or political elites were living between 600 and 900 AD.
The group of students, led by Anthropology Prof. Kirby Farah, spent three weeks in the jungle, conducting archaeological research, excavating sites, and handling artifacts, all while becoming familiar with Belizean culture.
“The trip was amazing,” reflected Kayla Tursack ’25, a history and anthropology double major and Kolbe Research Fellow. “It was one of those things that could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if I went back, I don’t think it would be the same. We were the first ones to excavate this site, so it was completely untouched. In our daily finds, we discovered pottery, chert, which is a type of rock to make tools, obsidian, a crypt, plaster floors, and more.”
On the last day in Belize, Farah took her students to the Maya site Xunantunich.
“This was super helpful for us to get an understanding of the architecture we were working on at Chan Chich. This is a picture of the students on the tallest structure at the site, El Castillo,” explained Tursack.
“I absolutely loved my time in Belize,” reflected Trevor Weakly ’26, another Kolbe Research Fellow on the trip. The experience was transformative for Weakly in expanding his skillset and exploring new intellectual curiosities.
“The trip was basically my introduction to archaeology,” he shared. “I am so glad that I had this opportunity, and my experiences in the field have definitely encouraged me to continue pursuing archaeology as an academic interest.”
“My experience on this trip was unlike any other,” reflected Rebecca Ashdot ’24, a recent Gettysburg College graduate who is now pursuing her masters in anthropology at Monmouth University.
“Learning important skills like how to properly uncover architecture, especially one as fragile as the ones in Belize with the plaster floors and limestone; handling artifacts, such as charcoal; proper note taking and other skills I never got a chance to learn was my favorite part of the trip.”
“Uncovering Unit C was my favorite memory as it was such an enigma,” she added. “Between a doorway with extending walls, a bench in the middle, and a perfect plaster floor, but also strange limestone rounded cylinders and tons of painted plaster, we had no clue what was going on. We lovingly called it The Throne Room.”
“A unique part about the experience was that I was the only one with undergrads,” shared Prof. Farah. “There were other researchers at the lodge with us, and these are my peers, my colleagues. The students got to witness what professional academic researchers do, how papers are born from the things we see, and the various specialties that those of us had on the project. This is a unique experience that students may not get elsewhere.”
Conducting student-faculty research is one of the Career Ready Experiences that Gettysburg College is committed to guaranteeing students in its Guided Pathways program, a core element of the Gettysburg Approach.
While in Belize, students not only learned how to perform archaeological field methods, but they were also able to strengthen professional relationships and explore different career paths.
“When you are doing something like this for three weeks and are around your professor 24/7, you have those after-dinner conversations and get to know them so well,” shared Tursack. “Not only are you asking questions in the field, but you get to ask a lot of questions about career stuff and how to deal with life in general. I don’t think I would have chosen another professor to go on this trip with. Farah was so helpful and so understanding the entire time.”
After returning to the states, some students are continuing various research projects on the site and their findings. Despite varying academic backgrounds and interests, each student gained an unforgettable experience through hands-on experiential learning in a different country.
Learn more about Gettysburg College’s Guaranteed Career-Ready Experiences and how they can equip students with skills that will prepare them for bright futures. To follow the Gettysburg College Archaeology Department and their upcoming campus dig, be sure to check them out on Instagram: @gettysburgarchaeology
By Brooke Askin ’25
Posted: 08/29/24