This is the home page for the UVic Archaeology Field School in Barkley Sound, a six-week academic course and research effort run by the UVic Department of Anthropology, Tseshaht First Nation, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. The field school takes place is hosted in the lands and territories of Tseshaht First Nation on southwestern Vancouver Island. The first half of the field school (ANTH 343) is focused on excavation in Tseshaht territory in the Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The second half of the course is based out of the the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in Huu-ay-aht territories (ANTH 344). We are particularly grateful to the Tseshaht for welcoming us and supporting this work. We are also grateful to Parks Canada, the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, and the Hakai Institute for assistance.
This site will feature periodic updates and news about the course. To learn details of the application process visit the ‘apply to the field school’ tab on the left or click here.
NOTE Despite a global pandemic, we were able to offer the field school for the 2021 field season and are back in 2022. Many thanks to all those who continue to support us in offering this course. We will be taking a year hiatus in 2023 to work on the material recovered.
Please do click on the tabs above to find out more about this collaborative project. If you would like to learn more about this course please be in touch with the instructor Iain McKechnie by following this link or email iim (at) uvic [dot] ca
Please watch this 3-minute promo video from UVic featuring footage from the Hakai Institute and Ian Sellers from 2016.
For a look back at 2018 field season and community participation by watching this 20 minute video produced by project co-director Denis St. Claire using additional drone footage generously provided from the Hakai Institute.
Also feel free to watch this 30 minute video about the 2017 season put together by Denis St. Claire also with footage from the Hakai Institute geospatial team and Ian Sellers.
Also, please check out this atmospheric video from the 2015 field school generously produced by archaeologist and field school research associate Ian Sellers.
Finally –– please also feel free to watch this 30 minute video about the 2015 and 2016 field school seasons put together by Denis St. Claire with additional footage from Ian Sellers.
Lastly, here are some other field photos from previous years:
