Poland Bioarchaeology Field School

This program is available to Cal Humboldt Students, students at other universities, and students that have already graduated. All levels are welcomed. Applications will be considered until spots are full. Early application is recommended.

The Medieval Bioarchaeology Field Program in Żelewo, Poland is a summer field school run jointly by faculty from Cal Poly Humboldt, the University of Szczecin in Poland, and Jagiellonian University in Poland, together with collaborators from other institutions in the US and Poland. It is a unique opportunity to excavate and analyze medieval remains as part of a salvage archaeological project that is taking place due to intensive agriculture and natural processes in the region. 

This field school emphasizes ethical practices and intensive practical training in field and lab methodologies. 

The field school takes place in the beautiful countryside village of Żelewo in northwestern Poland, about 60 miles south of the Baltic Sea. The cemetery site at Żelewo dates mostly to the 13th - 15th Century, but the site also contains at least one much older burial, and traces of occupation tens of thousands of years earlier. During the medieval period, the site was part of the region known as Pomerania. It was part of the estate of the Kołbacz Monastery, which was associated with the Cistercian Order. Goals of the project include mitigating site damage and participating in rebuilding the history of the region that has been lost to time and the destruction of records during WWII.

This is an active research site, and students participate directly in the research. So far, approximately 90 burials have been revealed, mostly but not all consistent with Christian burial practices. We are just beginning to understand the broad context of the cemetery and its relationship to numerous surrounding features yet to be fully excavated. This site is expected to reveal numerous additional burials and other features, providing an excellent opportunity for real hands-on experience analyzing remains. 

This program is an intensive and rewarding experience. Students work side-by-side with archaeologists and osteologists to locate and excavate burials – they learn field methods such as leveling, revealing grave shape, and careful excavation. In the lab, students gain skills in human osteology and pathology by analyzing remains and producing biological profiles of the individuals. Students also experience Polish culture and history firsthand by interacting with the community and visiting historical sites such as castles and churches, while living in a country that has long been a crossroads of central Europe.

Image

Courses/Units

• Students will have the option to earn 1-6 units through Cal Poly Humboldt. Details TBA closer to Summer 2027.

Dates for Summer 2027 (preliminary)

• June 24 - July 3, 2027 online asynchronous. Material, including recorded lectures and readings, will be placed on a shared platform for participants to access. This material will focus on the historical and cultural context of the site and methods that will be employed. This material will be be a flexible and accessible format, so that students that may be traveling ahead of the program will be able to review the material on a personal device such as a tablet or smartphone.
• July 4 - July 31, 2027 in Poland at the field site.
• Arrival: It is recommended that students arrive at/near Poland at least one or two full days ahead of the start dates. Many students enjoy arriving ahead and touring the region. The field school bus picks students up in Szczecin the morning of the first day of the session indicated above. Szczecin is the regional capital about 18 miles from the field site and about 2.5 hours from Berlin. To get to Szczecin, students take a bus/train from their arrival airport of choice. It is possible to fly directly to the Szczecin-Goleniów Airport (SZZ), although for more options and best bus/train service, we recommend arriving at the Brandenburg Airport (BER) airport and catching the FlixBus next to the airport. Students attending the program will be provided additional information.
• After the program: Bus returns students to Szczecin in the morning the final day of the program. From this point, students may continue travel independently or take a bus/train to their departure airport. If leaving directly after the program, students are advised to plan their flight no sooner than the late afternoon. We recommend planning the departing flight at least a day after the program to give yourself time to sight see.

Image

Location / Site

• The field school takes place in the beautiful countryside village of Żelewo (see map) in northwestern Poland. Żelewo is a small village on the shore of Lake Miedwie. There are many additional towns and villages around the lake, including Kobylanka, where we plan to lodge. The site is about 18 miles from the regional capital Szczecin.
• Students stay in classrooms (at a local school) that have been adapted as dormitories. There are restroom and shower facilities. Cell phone reception at the school is generally good. Internet/Wi-Fi is available but sometimes intermittent.
• Meals are served at in the morning, afternoon, and evening. We will eat healthy Polish fare, and vegetarian options are available for all meals. Water is drinkable from the tap. There are markets directly by the lodging site.
• During the program, students have weekends free to tour the region. We also visit sites in the nearby region (Szczecin, Stargard, Kołbacz) as part of a group trip. 

Budget (preliminary)

• Program Fee: Approximately $3000 (preliminary estimate). The program fee covers in-Poland costs between pick-up and drop-off at the arrival city (Szczecin, Poland). This includes travel from Szczecin to the site and back, lodging at the site, meals during the program, and insurance. Students are responsible for additional costs for any choice travel, outings, and snacks, etc. before/during/after the program.
• Tuition Fee: Approximately $300 per unit for 1-6 units (preliminary estimate). This fee covers the educational component and units through Cal Poly Humboldt. Students have options for how many units to take. The program is the same regardless of units.
• Travel to and from Poland: Cost varies. Students are responsible for their own travel to and from Szczecin, Poland (see schedule for more information). Cost varies depending on time of purchase and travel choices. Flights are generally least expensive if purchased several months in advance (although prices sometimes drop again a couple months ahead) and if flying from a major airport. Specific information will be provided to attendees. Students are advised to not purchase airfare until their acceptance to the program is verified. Students are advised to purchase flight insurance; the program shall not reimburse students for airfare if for any reason the student does not attend the program or if incorrect flights are purchased.
• Funding: Financial aid for summer is usually a bit different than for the academic year. Cal Poly Humboldt students typically need to be enrolled in a minimum number of summer units to qualify for financial aid. Please be sure to check with your financial aid office. Summer financial aid usually dispersed until mid summer, well after program fees are due and plane tickets need to be purchased (early-mid spring). For all of these reasons, students are advised to consider planning their spring budget/aid to cover costs.
  • Contact the Financial Aid office to discuss options.
  • Contact the Study Abroad office for recommendations.
  • Additional limited sources include:
    • https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-directory/academic-major/archaeology
• https://www.archaeological.org/grant/waldbaum-scholarship/
• Anthropology Department Travel Funds

Contact Information

*Please contact Katie Menor or Marissa Ramsier for questions regarding applying to the program.

Below are some recent publications from our research at Żelewo.

• Adamczyk, M., Ślusarska K., Karmowski, J., Gaddis Menor, K., and Ramsier, M. (2026). Landscape, power, and population in a Cistercian Pomeranian microregion: Żelewo (Site 1–3), Poland. Landscape Archaeology Conference, Bamberg, 18-21.03.2026.
• Adamczyk, M., Ślusarska K., Karmowski, J., Gaddis Menor, K., and Ramsier, M. (2026). Hunters, herdsmen, hard rock lovers. The Stone Age landscapes of Żelewo, North-Western Poland. Landscape Archaeology Conference, Bamberg, 18-21.03.2026.
• Boyle, A., Ramsier, M., and Ślusarska, K. (2026). An investigation into the weaning practices of the medieval cemetery population at Żelewo, Poland using stable isotope analysis and dental microwear analysis. Proceedings of 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
• Meyer, M., Gaddis Menor, K., Ramsier, M., and Ślusarska, K. (2026). Endocranial Lesions: A paleopathological study of late medieval skeletal remains from Źelewo, Poland. Proceedings of 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
• Mulliner-Szyndler, M., Ramsier, M., Gaddis Menor, K., Karmowski, J., and Ślusarska, K. (2026). Grit: A study in medieval Pomerania, examining skeletal remains for resilience and agency, post trauma. Proceedings of 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
• Paige, M. L., Ramsier, M., and Adamczyk, M. (2026). Stable isotope analysis: Diet and nutritional stress in a late medieval population. Proceedings of 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
• Ramsier, M., Gaddis Menor, K., Mulliner-Szyndler, M., Adamczyk, M., Karmowski, J., and Ślusarska, K. (2026). Interpreting habitual activities and lifeways in medieval Pomerania from patterns of dental pathology and attrition at Żelewo. Proceedings of 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology
• Karmowski, J., Ślusarska K., Adamczyk, M.,  Szyndler, M., Gaddis K., Gruenthal-Rankin, A., and Ramsier, M. (2025). Przeszłość ma przyszłość! / The past has a future!”: “Automated archaeological feature recognition: Utilizing QGIS and SCP raster classification methods for grave pit detection at medieval cemetery in Żelewo. Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw 4.04.2025.
• Ślusarska, K., Adamczyk, M., Gaddis, K., Karmowski, J., Ramsier, M., and Szyndler, M. (2025). Najnowsze wyniki badań na cmentarzysku średniowiecznym w Żelewie (st. 1–3), gm. Stare Czarnowo. Sezon badań 2025. 25 Sesja Pomorzoznawcza, Puck, 19-21.11.2025
• Ślusarska, K., Adamczyk, M., Karmowski, J., Gaddis, K., Ramsier, M., and Szyndler, M. (2025). Badania archeologiczne na stanowisku Żelewo, stan. 1–3, gm. Stare Czarnowo w sezonach 2023 i 2024. XI Archeologiczna Sesja Sprawozdawcza, Szczecin, 21-22.01.2025.
• Ślusarska, K., Karmowski, J., Adamczyk, M., Gaddis, K., Ramsier, M., and Szyndler M. (2025). Badania na średniowiecznym cmentarzysku w Żelewie. Nowe porozumienie o współpracy naukowej pomiędzy Instytutem Historycznym Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego i Instytutem Archeologii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego” Konferencja Sprawozdawcza Instytutu Archeologii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego: Badania w Sezonie 2025, Kraków, 11-12.12.2025.
• Ślusarska, K., Adamczyk, M., Karmowski, J., Gruenthal-Rankin, A., Gaddis, K., and Ramsier, M. (2024). Life and death by the lake in Pomerania: Introducing the late medieval cemetery at Żelewo site 1-3. Proceedings of 89th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.
• Ślusarska, K., Adamczyk, M., Karmowski, J., Gaddis, K., Gruenthal-Rankin, A., and Ramsier M. (2023).  Wstępne wyniki badań cmentarzyska średniowiecznego na stanowisku Żelewo, stan. 1–3, gm. Stare Czarnowo. XXIV Sesja Pomorzoznawcza, Szczecin, 16-17.11.2023.