Program Description
Hands on History is an optional 3-credit Signature Seminar for students attending the Syracuse Florence Center. The seminar invites you to:
- analyze the ancient history of Sicily by visiting some of the main archaeological parks and museums of the island
- experience the working life of the archaeologists who dig up the past to present it to tourists and visitors through exhibitions and workshops
This ten-day traveling seminar will take you to Catania, Agrigento, Selinunte, and Palermo, where you will meet professional archaeologists and academics who dig up, study, and display the vestiges of the famous Greek settlements of the Archaic and Hellenistic ages, while connecting the past with the present.
The trip will connect the distant past of Sicily to the present day: you will be guided by archaeologists who will introduce you to the study of the Greeks who settled in Sicily and shared their culture with the indigenous populations. This historical approach is fundamental to delineate the identity of ancient and modern Sicily.
The site visits will allow you to learn about the many aspects of the island: in Aidone you will explore the area where the Greeks set the myth of Hades kidnapping Kore/Persephone, in Selinunte and Palermo you will find the traces of the Phoenician conquest. History and mythology will accompany your discovery of Sicily, and in Agrigento you will be able to create your own narrative of the ancient history of the island, while working on new proposals for future visitors of the archaeological site.
Students will be expected to spend a substantial amount of time outdoors in high temperatures, and for some activities they will need to walk some distance. It is recommended that participants have an up-to-date tetanus shot as the planned activity during the seminar may expose them to risk of related infection if skin is broken during site visits.
Program Dates
Hands on History is typically offered as a pre-semester seminar in the fall. It begins before the Florence Center semester program starts and returns to Florence upon completion. Visit the Program Dates page for specific seminar dates.
Site Visits
- a hands-on activity at the museum and urban excavation in Catania
- a hands-on activity at an archaeological site in the territory of Tripi
- a site visit to the archaeological site of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
Course Information
HST 300 – Hands on History (Signature Seminar; Fall)
Your Seminar Leader
The seminar will be led by Professor Stefania Berutti, an expert in Greek and Roman mythology. As well as organizing archaeological tours in Greece and Italy, she has over 10 years of experience of collaborating with archaeological museums, including organizing a temporary exhibit for the Uffizi Museum in Florence.
Eligibility and Admission
Hands on History is open to students admitted into the Syracuse Center semester programs in Florence. Interested students must complete the Signature Seminar questionnaire in the OrangeAbroad portal. A $300 deposit will be required to hold your place in the seminar. Further details will be provided by your program advisor.
Enrollment in the seminar is limited. In the event that there is insufficient interest in the seminar, Syracuse Abroad may choose to cancel the program and your deposit applied to your semester charges.
Note: you are required to register for at least 13 additional credits for a minimum of 16 credits for the semester. You should further understand that, if you register for more than 19 total credits, you will be charged additional tuition fees for each credit over 19, and you may not register for more than 22 total credits without prior academic approval.
Cost
A Hands on History seminar fee will be posted to your Syracuse Bursar account.
The seminar program fee covers transportation during the program, entrance fee to all seminar sites, and hotel accommodations. Check with your financial aid office to determine if financial aid can be used towards the seminar fee. View all Cost & Aid details.
Questions?
Contact your International Program Advisor at syrflorence@syr.edu