Early Man in Spain

  Spain

• Granada: 
Granada

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: 2008: Jul 1 - Jul 14, Jul 19 - Aug 1, Sep 2 - Sep 15

Description: Research Mission
Help find evidence of the first Europeans and how they lived.

Situation Report
Cueva Victoria, Murcia province, Spain -- Palaeontologists have found fossils of 54 vertebrate species and human remains thought to be 1.2 million years old in Cueva Victoria. Though the human remains recovered are few in number, they are some of the oldest in Western Europe and may provide information about when humans first migrated from Africa to Europe. A father and son team, Dr. Josep Gibert Clols and Dr. Luis Gibert Beotas are studying the origin of the cave and the age of the fossils, as well as the geologic history of the cave. The Giberts are also exploring a Paleolithic site outside the cave in which different types of stone tools have been found, as well as a variety of bones.

Meals and Accommodations
You will stay in a large house, with gardens and a pool. Volunteers will share spacious rooms, with two or three people per room, and share bathrooms with all the modern conveniences. Meals will be served in the main house, and evening lectures or work will be done in the garden. Staff will prepare all meals, which will include delightful and healthy Mediterranean salads, lamb, and paella.

Highlights: On the Expedition
Working in this large cave with six large rooms and more than two kilometers of galleries, you will be trained to excavate the sediment disturbed by mining, remove fossils and artifacts, and map the remains. You'll also clean, number, and catalogue the finds, and you'll sieve sediments for microfossils. Volunteers will focus on searching for fossils in the main room, the Sala Union, which is connected to the outside and filled with natural light from various holes, and also spend some time excavating using more traditional methods in the outdoor site. Typical work hours are in the morning and early evening, with the hottest hours of midday reserved for refreshing swims, lunch, and siestas. The team usually visits the beach for an hour before a late dinner, as the site is about three kilometers from the sea.

Qualifications: Earthwatch volunteers are enthusiastic to learn about the research topic and are willing to contribute their time and energy to support leading scientists in conducting field research. Volunteers will be trained upon arrival at the research site. Teams have a minimum age of 18, unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian, in which case the minimum age is 16.

Cost in US$: 2,846

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees . . . people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives, and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range: 18 - 90

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Spain Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 7-15

Scholarships are Available. - Fellowships may be available, mainly for high-school students and educators. Visit our website for more information.

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement: Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Through a unique method of funding, the volunteers Share of Cost contributes directly to the support of the research projects. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. Each year, over 4,000 people from 46 countries directly contribute to scientific research by working alongside scientists, local community members and other volunteers. Earthwatch volunteers can track sea turtles; join archaeological digs; observe animal behavior; collect rare plants, study dolphin behavior and more. Hundreds of expedition teams can use your help in 48 countries and 16 U.S. states this year.

Year Founded: 1971