Field School 2026

⚠️ Attention, everyone! We are pleased to announce that our Field School 2026 is now fully booked! If you missed the opportunity to join this excavation, don't worry! Email us at aitabioarch@gmail.com, and we will add you to our waiting list.

But that's not all! New Field Schools will be announced soon, so be sure to enroll in our newsletter to stay updated 😉

After the incredible discoveries unearthed this year at the Roman–Medieval site of Gradsko šetalište in Čačak, we’re thrilled to return next season!

Join us as we continue exploring this fascinating site, uncovering new stories buried beneath the surface, and once again enjoying the warm hospitality of the city of Čačak.

Info and Schedule:

The excavation will take place in Čačak, located in the heart of one of Serbia’s major cities. It will run from July 20^th to August 1^st. We will be working on the Roman and medieval necropolis “Gradsko šetalište”, where the remarkably well-preserved remains offer a valuable opportunity for hands-on learning and discovery.

Čačak offers a dynamic setting both for archaeological exploration and for cultural experiences. This urban Roman necropolis offers a rare opportunity to work on a site rich in history in a lively, accessible environment.

The dynamic of the course includes excavation every morning, from Monday to Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. This gives us the opportunity to practice different techniques of excavation, documentation and analysis of various forms of burial. On the field, we will carry out all the activities in relation to mortuary archaeology, and we will learn archaeological field methodology. In the afternoon, after the lunch break, theoretical and practical courses will take place in the laboratory, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sundays are your perfect chance to soak in the charm of the region!
With no courses scheduled, the day is all yours—whether you choose to unwind, explore, or simply enjoy your surroundings.

Take advantage of the free time to visit the local spa (Wellness Center Kablar), discover historic monasteries nestled in the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge (Explore more), or hike through the area's stunning natural landscapes (View hiking guide).

At the end of each week, students will present their excavation reports and share their findings with the other students.

• The 1st week (6 days, dates: 20^th to 25^th of July 2025) will be dedicated to human burial excavation, anatomy, taphonomy, mortuary archaeology, estimation of sex and age, calculation of preservation index and the minimum number of individuals, the basic concepts of pathology and how to make a bioarchaeological report.  

• The 2nd week (6 days, dates: 27^th of July to 1^st of August 2025), on the one hand, we will learn the same subjects as in the first week, but in a more profound way, and on the other, it introduces new topics, such as cremation techniques, working with infant remains, working with commingled bones, pathologies, as well as other tools and methods for analyzing human remains (such as DNA, isotopes, radiology, paleoparasitology, etc.). We will also learn about mortuary archaeology in an archaeological site in a more profound way (different funeral rites, the correct excavation of human remains in different contexts, types of burial, presence or absence of funeral goods, the position of the corpse, how to differentiate collective or multiple burials, excavation of catastrophes etc.).

Price (including 3 meals and accommodation):

2 weeks - regular price: 1100 €

                  - returning participant*: 880 €

* Returning participants are those who’ve participated in our online courses or the field school once before and decided to come back again. 

Payment and Policy

Registration Procedure

1. Reservation

Secure your spot at our Field School by contacting us at aitabioarch@gmail.com and submitting a €100 deposit. Full instructions will be provided to guide you through the process.

Please note: Your reservation is confirmed only once we have received the deposit.

2. Second Installment

A second installment of €400 is due by April 1st.

3. Final Balance

The remaining balance can be settled via bank transfer or PayPal by June 1st or in cash upon arrival.

Refund Policy

• Deposits of €100 are fully refundable until March 31st.
• Cancellations after this date are non-refundable, as payments are allocated to accommodation and meal arrangements.

Why do we ask for cash payments?

Since Serbia is not an EU country, card payments work normally, but withdrawing cash from ATMs can involve high fees. Our organization also needs to cover accommodation and meal expenses directly in cash, which is why we kindly ask participants to bring the remaining amount in this form.

Getting there:

We will meet at the Bus Central Station of Belgrade (Železnička 4, Beograd, Serbia) on July 19^th, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Additionally, the return shuttle from Čačak will depart on August 2^nd , 2025, at 10:00 AM and is expected to arrive in Belgrade (Bus Central Station) around 12:00 PM.

Additional cost for transportation: € 20 per person.

Important:

The costs of education, maintenance, accommodation, and insurance are included in the price and will be borne by the Organization.

The cost of arrival to Čačak at the beginning of the Course is NOT included in the price. Possible visa costs for students from countries that require a visa for Serbia are also NOT included.

Currency – The currency in Serbia is the Serbian Dinar (RSD). Besides the Serbian dinar, no other currency is officially accepted in Serbia, although major currencies like euros, US dollars, and pounds can easily be exchanged for dinars at bureau de change in Nikola Tesla Airport or in Belgrade.

Here you can find Serbian Dinar Exchange Rates - https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=EUR&To=RSD

Visa - Take note that Serbia is not part of the European Union (EU), so please make sure your document is valid for entry in Serbia.

If you are from a country that is a member state of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, or Iceland, you can travel with your ID card as well as with a valid passport. If you are from the United Kingdom or the USA, you can enter Serbia with your passport.

Here you can check visa issues for your country - https://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/citizens/travel-serbia, section Visa regime.