The Minnesota Archaeological Research Program (MARP) is a cooperative venture of the Archaeology Department of the Minnesota Historical Society and the University of Minnesota. The focus of the program is to provide high quality education for students through active involvement in and as an integral part of research projects.

An important element of the program is a unique archaeological training opportunity called a "Practicum in Field Archaeology." This course is offered during the spring quarter at the University of Minnesota. The abbreviated archaeological field methods class, taken by students in Anthropology, Classical Civilizations, Classics, and Art History, provides the basics in preparing students for participation in MARP's research projects. These projects currently involve research in Minnesota and Greece. Utilizing the spring practicum as a base, students can participate in summer research projects while earning college credit through the University of Minnesota Global Campus program.

Updates about the progress of our research is available on our web pages. You will also find information about future fieldwork opportunities from our archaeology home page.
Research projects that are currently in progress include:

1) a survey of archaeological site distributions and excavations at the Bronze Age palace of Nestor in the western Peloponnese, Greece
2) the "Morea" survey that focuses on vernacular architecture in the western Peloponnese, Greece
3) excavations at an early 19th century American Fur Company trading post near Minneapolis, Minnesota that also served as a formal archaeological field school at the University of Minnesota

MARP integrates international archaeological research towards a more inclusive understanding of the vast archaeological record. MARP researchers here in Minnesota, as well as in Greece (and soon to be in India), are looking at the origins of our heritage to provide a more inclusive research context that is critical in avoiding a parochial perspective. As part of that research we are striving to obtain a better understanding of the origins of the cultures that are a part of those individuals doing the research. Thorough this approach we can better understand differing cultural perspectives and we will be able to better discern what biases we may bring to our interpretation of other cultures.