Heritage Aid is always looking for new volunteers for its excavations and expeditions. The foundation offers the opportunity to gain experience in excavation, field archaeology and laboratory practices of data collection and artefact conservation, working in an international environment on some of South America’s most interesting but undiscovered or little known cities and temples.
Most of the excavations and expeditions will be under taken only during the dry season in the
Prices for the volunteer positions have been kept at a minimum so that students from all nations may have the opportunity to gain archaeological experience, and not only those from wealthier nations. Bolivian students will be invited to work along side volunteers so that cultural interaction can take place. However costs will vary from site to site due to the logistical difficulties of some sites over others.
Volunteers need to be able to speak and write a minimum of either English or Spanish. However Spanish classes will be offered in the evenings for those that wish to learn, with an option to learn Aymara or Quechuan (the two main indigenous languages of the mountains and valleys).
Volunteers will need to be in a good state of health as working in the high altitude or Amazon conditions are tough, although very enjoyable. A medical certificate, and travel insurance allowing the volunteer to operate up to 5000m will be required and supplied by the volunteer.
Each volunteer will receive at the end of their stay a certificate that not only commemorates their time with Heritage Aid but that also lists their experience gained so that it can be used when seeking future employment. A personal written job reference is also available upon request.
Each volunteer will be expected to work for a minimum of one month. However rest days will also be included which will allow volunteers time to relax in nearby towns or cities, or visit nearby tourist locations. Also included will be visits to relevant museum and discussions on museum storage, display and interpretation theory.
The volunteer program is open to students of archaeology, anthropology and history, as well as to interested amateurs. Particularly encouraged are people from skilled backgrounds who wish to hone their skills under new conditions and problems. Positions will offered first to students and those with experience or with particular skills to offer, such as; sketching, mapping, museums, construction and photography. However all professional and skilled experience will be taken into account.
The excavation for 2009 that volunteers are welcome to join will be the Lake Titicaca Temple Project and will be run from June 1st to August 31st. Both Field School (28 day) volunteers and Informal day to day volunteers are welcome.
Field School Dates:
1st: 1st June - 28th June
2nd: 1st July - 28th July
3rd: 1st August - 28th August
For an Information Sheet and Application Form please email the office (heritageaid@hotmail.com)
Prices include:
50 Euro application fee (non-refundable)
500 Euro reservation fee (included in overall fee)
2600 Euro Field School fee for 28 day course & the donation of one book on archaeology, (any theme, any language) for the foundation public library. The full price includes: Hotel Accommadation, occassional Camping Accommadation and equipment use (tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, etc.), all excavation equipment, breakfast, lunch, dinner when in the field, transport, Tiwanaku city ruins visit (WHF), museum visits, guest lecturers, weekend trip to the Isla del Sol (sacred Sun Island) ruins in Lake Titicaca, language lessons in Spanish or Aymara.
If volunteers wish to continue after their first month the costs are reduced to € 340 per week.
All volunteers automatically recieve membership to the Heritage Aid Foundation, which includes; newsletter, excavation uniform t-shirts, coffee mug, discounts for archaeological tours in Bolivia, primary consideration for future foundation activities, use of foundation library and research resources.
Informal Volunteers: cost 40 Euro per day, with lunch, transport and excavation equipment supplied (30 Euros for foundation members).
Necessary: Valid Visa for Bolivia (1 month obtainable on entry, USA residents need to apply before arrival); Travel insurence with an upto 5000m altitude clause; good state of health (high altitude work - 4000m and up - can very very strenuous); A Yellow Fever vaccination may be necessary to return to volunteers own country but only necessary if visiting the Amazon region (tourism apart).
Brief Description: The temple site located on the shores of Lake Titicaca (4000m), the highest navigable lake in the world, has a equally spectacular mountain setting as the site is of importance. From preliminary field archaeological work and surface collection done when it was discovered in 2002 the semi-subterranean temple is certainly of Tiwanaku date. The Tiwanaku civilization, with its ruined capital nearby of pyramids, monoliths and moats (WHF) was arguably the most important of the early civilizations in the Americas. It is accepted as beginning around 1700 BC but had its urban expansionist empire stage around 300 AD. Its iconographic influence reaches as far as North America, with other capitals and cities as far as north Peru. It was the first civilization to generally spread urbanism through the Andes and to introduce the centralized state. Not only is it the highest urban civilization in the world, but was the antescendents of the Incas. A tour of the ruins and museums in La Paz are included, and explanations by guest lecturers so that an understanding of Andean pre-history is attained.
For further detail see Lake Titicaca Temple Project
Friends of the Heritage Aid Foundation is for those people who would like to stay connected with the foundations activities and information. Whether they be donors, ex-volunteers or just interested public who want to help and support our efforts. by joining Friends of HAF, people from all walks of life can stay interested and connected with our activities. We will keep you informed of new discoveries, programs, developments and publications by an email newsletter.
To join email your details and address to heritageaid@hotmail.com
Heritage Aid Foundation excavations and activities can also be found in the international Archaeology guides;
"Archaeology Abroad". http://www.archaeologyabroad.com/
"American Institute of Archaeology". http://www.archaeological.org/
"ArchNet www - Virtual Library - Archaeology". http://archnet.asu.edu/default.php
"Past Horizons - Heritage Opportunities World Wide". http://www.pasthorizons.com/
"Shovelbums.org - The Archaeology and CRM Profesionals Resource". http://www.shovelbums.org/
"Archaeological Digs". http://archaeologydigs.blogspot.com/
"Culturalheritage.net - the conservation of cultural heritage". http://www.culturalheritage.net