Texts:
Yucatan Before and After the Conquest, Bishop Diego de Landa
The Maya, 6^th ed., Michael D. Coe

Recommended:
Breaking the Maya Code, Michael D. Coe

Plan to have your texts read before leaving the U.S.  You will not have too much time for reading once we are in the field. You may want to have it as a reference book.

You are expected to be punctual on this trip.  Being late signals a lack of respect for those who are waiting on you and messes up the schedule for everyone.  Take this very seriously.

Schedule (subject to change): 6-05 to 6-09 meet on campus

Schedule (subject to change): 6-05 to 6-09 meet on campus

6-05 Map orientation, historical background, guest speaker-Walter Witschey

6-06 historical background, video

6-07 Mayan history, video

6-08 Mayan linguistics and writing system

6-09 Popol Vuh

6-12 (Monday)

Meet at Richmond airport, Delta Airlines, at 4:30 a.m. for departure to Cancun . Arrive 11:23a.m. for transport to Mérida. DO NOT promise to call home the minute you arrive unless you have a cell with international service. You will need to change money and buy a phone card before calling home. Please reassure your parents that we are being met upon arrival and that if there is any problem, they would know immediately. You will be staying in private homes the first week.

6-13 (Tuesday)
Meet at the Zócalo (central plaza) and surrounding municipal buildings and colonial churches - bus orientation on main public bus circuits -lunch at La Prosperidad – traditional Yucatec food- plan on using local transport this week, not your hosts' vehicles. You are required to be able to navigate the city on your own (in pairs).

6-14 (Wednesday)-
Meet at zócalo for market exercise, artisans’ market. Bring your journal/ethnographic notebook with you.

6-15 (Thursday)
Meet at the Museum of Anthropology with Tomas Gallareta (subject to change) and Paseo de Montejo. Bookstore for refreshments and journal entries.

6-16 (Friday)
Visit the museum and ruins in Dzibilchaltun (swimming is possible at the open cenote). Continue on to Xcunya village and Progreso port. Fried fish lunch (beach-sea kayaking?- bring your suit and towel as well as your journal.)

6-17 (Saturday) Hacienda Ake, henequen factory, and archaeological site. Lunch in Tixcocob - see how hammocks are made. - ethnographic exercise

6-18 (Sunday)
“Mérida en Domingo" – meet at the zócalo- tour with horse and buggy

6-19 (Monday)
Maya nature. Celestun fishing village and biosphere reserve. River boat trip. Swimming is possible, bring suits and towels. (Time for lunch. Fresh seafood recommended)

6-20 (Tuesday)
Maya prehistory. Cenotesin Cuzama and Homun. Natural rock formations underground. Crystal clear waters to swim (bring suit and towel). Stop at Acanceh pyramid. Research exercise.

6-21
Move to Hacienda Tabi. Mayapan en route. Arrive at lunch time in Tabi. Loltún in the afternoon.

6-22 Thursday)
The Puuc to visit Sayil- (box) lunch - Kabah- Tabi

6-23 (Friday)
The Puuc to visit Labna- campamiento?- lunch El Principé Tutulxuk- Uxmal (with Tomas Gallareta?)

6-24 (Saturday)
Mani- Ticul- Los Almendros (swimming in restaurant pool)

6-25 (Sunday)
Maya artisans. Move northeast to Kimbila, typical cloth, and Izamal colonial town, pyramid and convent. Continue drive to Valladolid city. Hotel Meson del Marques. Zaci cenote on own.

6-26 (Monday)
Post-Classis Maya splendor- Chichen Itza, Ik Kil restaurant and cenote (bring your suit and towel) -Balancanche cave.

6-27 (Tuesday)
Introduction to Maya language with local children at Sisbicchen - Lunch at Hubiku cenote or with children? Research project

6-28 (Wednesday)
Valladolid city tour- murals, museum, church, lunch, Zamul-ha (bring suits and towels)

6-29 (Thursday)
Rio Lagartos reserve. Boat trip.

6-30 (Friday)
Ek Balam - lunch - Dzitnup (bring suits and towels).

6-31 (Saturday)
Field trip to Coba (rent bikes) – Muyil – Villas Maya Hotel, Akumal

7-01 (Sunday)
Snorkeling in ocean reefs- lunch- ocean kayaking – research project

7-02 (Monday)
Tulum – lunch – Muyil Siam Ka’an river estuary nature reserve

7-03 (Tuesday)
Playa del Carmen – lunch- move to Isla Mujeres

7-04 (Wednesday)
Rent bikes, circle island, visit archaeological site, turtle farm, snorkel Garrafón afternoon

7-05 (Thursday)
Rent bikes, circle island, visit archaeological site, turtle farm, snorkel Garrafón afternoon

7-06 (Friday)
Cancún - ethnographic project

7-07 (Saturday)
Arrive airport 10:30a.m. -departure to U.S. Arrive Richmond 11: 09 pm .

ASSESSMENT:

There will be three components to your grade in this course.

Journal: Students will be required to maintain anthropological field notes for the duration of the course and beginning with the first class/ readings. Your notes, drawings, commentaries will be written every day as a group (and on your own).

You should include entries from the presentations, your observations and impressions of what is occurring and what you observe, and how what you are

learning relates to the readings. Begin each day on a fresh page. I will be giving you some specific topics to include in your journals as the program progresses. You will also be reading passages of your work aloud to the group during transportation time. I will be collecting individual journals to check them on a regular basis. Focus on the Maya and the local people that you meet not your own feelings or interpersonal gossip. Your journal will also include the results of the various research/ethnography projects.

Field Work: You will be evaluated on your cultural sensitivity, your willingness to try new experiences that you think you will not enjoy, your interactions with the local people that we encounter in structured and unstructured circumstances, and your ability to take local buses, order food, and find a bathroom. Good journal entries are also part of good field work.

Participation: You are minimally expected to be present at all scheduled events. You need to maintain your field journals in a timely manner, share them, and generally do whatever is asked of you. I expect you to begin to learn Spanish through interactions and I will be looking for you to initiate conversations, if only in the market or in restaurants. Good participation includes showing interest, asking questions, and especially, treating our hosts with respect and cultural sensitivity. This includes Gabriel Flores, our driver and guide extraordinaire Fausto Lugo, and any people who help us in any way.

Grades will be based on the following formula:

Journal 50%
Field Work 25%
Participation 25%

Students ARE REQUIRED to behave in a proper manner (as defined by either Dr. Turner). Failure to do so is minimally cause for a grade reduction and maximally for a return to the U.S.

I LOVE taking students on study abroad and students love these trips too. Since I know most of you and that I can count on you, I am POSITIVE this is going to be the best trip ever.