Agora Excavation Volunteers

Work of the Volunteer Staff

The Volunteer Staff will participate in all aspects of the archaeological fieldwork under the supervision of a staff of field archaeologists and technical experts, all of whom have extensive field experience and advanced academic training in classical archaeology. Volunteers will be trained in the basic techniques of excavation: working with various tools; cleaning and investigating stratigraphy; delicate cleaning of artifacts in the ground; sifting of excavated earth and techniques of flotation; washing and basic conservation of pottery and other objects; clerical work involved in the keeping of excavation records, among other duties. Students will also receive training in various scientific methods and techniques. Tasks will be assigned in rotation, and volunteers are expected to participate in all of them. Room and a modest allowance for board are provided for the time volunteers are working at the excavations. Travel arrangements to and from Greece are the responsibility of each volunteer.

If you were a participant during a previous Agora Excavation season, see below for more information about applying. 

The Summer Season

The excavations are planned for eight weeks, June 9 to August 1, 2025. Fieldwork is in progress five days a week, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a 30-minute break at midmorning, and some post-excavation duties will run until 5 p.m. Volunteers are expected to be on the site during these hours and to work at the excavations for a minimum of six weeks.

Living Accommodations

Members of the Volunteer Staff will be provided with living accommodations in Athens at no cost during the time they are working for the excavations.  Small groups of volunteers will be assigned to shared rooms in rented apartments in the Pangrati district of Athens, a short distance from the American School, approximately a 30-minute walk from the excavations. No provisions can be made for spouses or roommates unless they are also accepted as volunteers in their own right.

In addition, a modest expense allowance, consisting of the Euro equivalent of approximately $120 per week, will be paid to each volunteer in order to cover the cost of meals.

Those persons who are already resident in their own accommodations in Athens are welcome to apply for the program and will receive the same expense allowance as other volunteers, although no rebate for their housing is possible.

Applicants chosen to participate in the program will be expected to make their own travel arrangements between their country of origin and Greece (if not already resident in Greece). 

Health Considerations

Archaeological excavation can be physically difficult. Reasonable disability accommodations can often be arranged, though in most cases these should be discussed after volunteers are accepted (but preferably before they arrive in Greece). In the meantime, it is important to be aware of conditions that may factor into your planning.

Dust, pollution, and smoke from wildfires may aggravate allergies and/or lung conditions. Temperatures are regularly in the 90s or low 100s Fahrenheit and there is limited or no access to shade during working hours. Work includes heavy lifting and repetitive muscular exertion. The typical excavation posture is squatting or bending. It is rare for excavation contexts to permit sitting or lying down while working. Trenches are typically accessed by stairs and/or ladders and some additionally require navigating narrow wooden walkways. Tools used during excavation include both small and large pickaxes, trowels, brooms and dustpans, and shovels. Excavated soil is removed by means of large rubber buckets. Excavation contexts can be narrow and enclosed. Because of the location of the excavation in a tourist district in Athens, loud noises, crowded streets, and a variety of smells are common. Bathroom facilities and access to drinking water are located in the Stoa of Attalos, approximately 500m (0.3 miles) from most areas of excavation. Volunteers typically have access to refrigeration, in the Stoa of Attalos, during the work day. 

Volunteers typically walk to and from work (distances up to 1.5 miles) and excavate from 7:00am until 2:00pm, with up to 1 hour of additional light work after excavation ends. There is a 30-minute break at midmorning for lunch (food not provided by the excavation) and a short break around 1:00pm. Volunteers are encouraged to bring water bottles to the excavation area, and these can be refilled through the day. 

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation when considering admission to any form of membership, volunteer appointment, or application for employment.

General Information

Members are reminded that collecting antiquities, however small, is strictly forbidden by Greek law. Never pick up anything at any archaeological site, not even a single sherd. Violations will result in expulsion from the School.

The School is committed to providing a safe, secure working and living environment for its students, staff, and researchers. Any discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, or disability will not be tolerated. Such action should be reported immediately to the Director of the Agora Excavations or to the Director of the School.

APPLICATION

A complete application should consist of the following parts:

1. A completed online application form, with the materials requested below. 

2. Personal statement.  Please attach a personal statement explaining your interest in the Agora Excavations.  Please discuss more fully your qualifications, previous excavation experience, career goals and interests, and any other relevant information. This essay should not exceed one side on one 8 1/2 x 11 page.
   
   The following guidelines, which are provided to members of the selection committee, may aid you as you write your personal statement:

   • Priority is given to graduate students preparing for professional careers in classical archaeology, but outstanding undergraduate students (as demonstrated through expressed interest in the field, previous archaeological fieldwork experience, and/or support from recommenders) are considered on equal grounds. 

   • Does the applicant have previous fieldwork experience and/or access to other fieldwork opportunities? Priority is given to applicants who lack access to fieldwork opportunities in the region, as well as to those with specific interests in work at the Athenian Agora. 

   • Does the applicant make clear their interests in the discipline, the Agora excavations, and specific approaches, methods, and techniques in archaeology?

   • How does the applicant discuss their future career goals and interests, and how the program will help further their goals and interests?

3. Acknowledgement of health considerations. Check the box on the application form to acknowledge that you have read and understood the “Health Considerations.

4. Two letters of recommendation should be requested by the applicant from persons familiar with their academic studies or archaeological fieldwork. Applicants must arrange for two letters of recommendation to be submitted online. After the online application is submitted, the recommenders will automatically be sent instructions about how to upload their recommendation. Or, applicants may choose to send the request at any time by clicking the "Send Request Now" button on the online application form. Recommendations are due by the application deadline.  

Information for previous Agora Excavation participants: 
If you were an Agora Excavation season participant in 2022 or before 2022, you will need to apply as a new applicant as described above, and can link directly to the online application form here. If you were an Agora Excavation season participant in 2023 or after 2023, you will complete the online application here, entitled “Returner Application for the Athenian Agora Excavation Volunteer.” The form for “Returner Application for the Athenian Agora Excavation Volunteer” requires a personal statement and a CV.

Further inquiries should be directed to:
The Programs Office, application@ascsa.org

Applicants can expect to receive notification before 1 March.