Excavation Application 2026

Thanks to the work of a great team of students supervised by our staff of competent and energetic archaeologists, the 2025 excavation season was a great success! We worked on interesting structures and reconstructed several exceptional vases, helping us to better understand the urban and economic development of Argilos during the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC.

We continued the excavation of two large porticos containing 22 shops. The porticos are in a remarkable state of preservation, and our excavations have shown that they date to the middle of the 6th century BC. In addition to these buildings, we have been excavating three other ones, also containing several rooms, some serving as small shrines, others as workshops and housing units.

2026 will be an excavation season. We will working in the following areas :

• we will continue our study of the commercial sector of Argilos, concentrating shop complex “P”, the large residential complex “Q” and the new “U” complex.
• we will also be excavating on the “Angelopoulos plateau”, were we have uncovered new and very exciting buildings as well as a large street leading to the acropolis.
• we will also be working at the Amphipolis museum to catalogue and analyse the finds uncovered.

Also, as we do every summer, field trips will be organized to important archaeological sites and museums in the region (Pella, Vergina, the archaeological museums in Thessaloniki, Philippi, Abdera…). An optional three day (two nights) visit of the beautiful island of Thasos is also organized.

Field Program

Work on the site and at the museum is supervised by experienced archaeologists.
Only 40 students will be accepted for this special season, which will combine three components:

1. Theoretical: history of the site and the vast region of Macedonia / Thrace, workshops on architecture and urbanism, pottery styles, etc.
2. Practical: work on the site (including architectural and stratigraphic drawing, working with electronic surveying instruments, etc.) and at the museum, cleaning and cataloguing of artefacts, profile drawing, documentation, etc.
3. Environmental: NEW environmental and zooarchaeological workshop
4. Discovery: field trips to various archaeological sites and museums in the region and optional 3-day (two nights) stay on the beautiful island of Thassos.

Conditions

Dates:
4 weeks session: June 1 – June 26, 2026

6 weeks session: June 1 – July 11, 2026

Age: Minimum 19 years of age

Qualifications:
No previous experience necessary but good physical condition.

Work: Students participate to all aspects of the archaeological process, including museum study, assisted by trained professionals.

Languages: We speak English, French and Greek ! (this is a multilingual excavation!)

Accomodation: Students share rented apartments, each with kitchen and washroom, situated in the nearby village of Asprovalta.

Costs:
4 weeks session: $4200

6 weeks session: $5300

The field school fee includes breakfast and lunch (except on Sundays) and accommodation, and weekend visits to various archaeological sites and museums in the area, but does not include travel to Greece, the 3-day (two nights) optional visit to the beautiful island of Thasos or the tuition fee if you wish to receive academic credits.

Academic credits: 3 or 6 credits offered by the Université de Montréal. Contact Professor Perreault for cost.

Application Deadline: May 1st, 2026, but we strongly encourage you to apply as quickly as possible to ensure your place on the dig.

For additional information, please contact Prof. Jacques Perreault, director of the Argilos excavations: jacques.y.perreault@umontreal.ca