Kalat Archaeological Summer Camps, 25 July - 6 August/8 August - 20 August 2011, Italy

Kalat summer camps

The age range of the participants is between 18 and 30 years old.
The languages spoken during the camps are: Italian and English.

Since 1999, the municipality of Campobello di Licata, and the local seat of the "Archeoclub" have launched the Kalat project, a project of valorization of the territory according to the criterions of sustainable and cultural tourism, in order to second the economical reconversion of Sicily by tourism. To sustain such a reconversion the research activity, launched by the Kalat project, intends to contribute by developing a strong knowledge activity about territorial resources, calling back in Sicily young students and searchers and gathering sensibilities and local skills in a research and formation project.

From 1999 until today the Archeoclub have organized annual editions of international archaeological camps, carried out with the scientifical consultancy of Palermo's University and the supervision of the Superintendence of BBCCAA of Agrigento.

Until now, the realisation of the camps have allowed to activate, apart from the research and valorisation of the local archaeological patrimony, a tourism that led to the participation, by turns of one or two weeks, of about 600 young people, from 18 to 30 years old, coming from all parts of the world.

The youngsters commit themselves in a research activity of 20 to 40 hours a week and benefit from didactical and animation activities, like short drawing and archaeological photography lessons, with introductive lessons about sicilian lithic and ceramic typologies, about the treatment of materials, about history and about the local context. The program also comprises excursions to sites of extraordinary importance, located in the surroundings of Campobello di Licata , like the "Valle dei templi" ("Temples Valley") of Agrigento, the "Monte Saraceno", and the baroque city of Naro.

The camp's activities will consist in:

Survey
The survey activity will be continued, which means an archaeological field research which goal is the detection and mapping of the archaeological sites in the territory of Campobello, and which also aims to the mapping of historical paths of the area in order to create touristical itineraries. The activities of the past years have already allowed the detection of more than 160 archaeological sites, from the neolithic to the byzantin and arabic period.

Among the most important findings:
- Tree Fountains, a rare fortificated site from the Byzantin age, with high walls and trenches, prehistorical traces and tombs from the late Roman age.
- Milici, an area rich of ceramic fragments which can be dated from the Hellenistic period to the Medieval one, with wall structures still "in situ", presenting fragments of plaster.
- Ciccobriglio, a wide Bronze Age necropoli.
- The district of "Iachinu Filì".

Valorisation of the Bronze Age necropoli
The district of "Iachinu Filì" is one of the more characteristical agricol areas in Campobello di Licata's territory. During the recent archaeological researches, numerous Bronze Age sites (XXII-XVIth century B.C.) have been individualised, and especially an evocative necropoli, with numerous tombs "a grotticella" ("little grotto"), of which some have been reused during the byzantine period.

The area is inserted in a context of small and typical rural constructions, and traditional cultures. The valorisation of the area, to which tens of italians and foreign volunteers have collaborated, has been realized using local, natural and reversible materials.

In this area has been created the "Parco Antico di Iachinu Filì". This year, the cleaning of the cortical layer will be proceeded, for a better comprehension of the possible existing tomb complex.

Dates of the Camps 2011
- 25 July - 6 August
- 8 August - 20 August

Participation fee
The participation fee for two weeks is € 330.
The price is € 300 if the reservation is made before the 30 April 2011.

For a longer participation, reguarding the camp's length, an additional daily fee will be applied

The participation fee includes:
- Internal accomodation (primary school), hot water, shower, WC
- Food with typical sicilian meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Transport by mini-buses for the camp's activities
- Accident insurance
- Didactical activity
- Guide service at Agrigento
- Guide service at the Museum and archaeological area of Monter Saraceno at Ravanusa
- Guide service at the Park of the Divine Comedy
- Guide service at the «Parco Antico di Iachinu Filì»
- Guide service at Campobello di Licata
- Certificate of participation

For further information, visit Summer Camp's website here