Codrington Renewal & Reconciliation Project
On Location at Codrington College
Twenty Barbados Community College (BCC) students recently completed this year’s Archaeological Field School, a major component of the Codrington Renewal & Reconciliation Project. The cohort learned to explore ancestral grounds safely, scientifically and respectfully, with the added benefit of mentorship from previous participants, a clear demonstration of knowledge transfer in action! Here’s how the two weeks shaped up.
Week One: Looking at what lies beneath
The work began by learning how to read a landscape without disturbing its peace. Before anyone breaks ground, it is vital to understand what lies beneath. Guided by Dr. Brian Whiting, the students jumped straight into learning about advanced geophysical exploration techniques.
Dr. Whiting trained the group to use specialized equipment including Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), LiDAR and drones equipped with infrared sensors. This gear allowed the team to map the estate locations and analyze subsurface data.
Week Two: Excavating with excitement
With the geophysical data mapped out, the second week moved from screens to the soil. Students walked the fields to “ground-truth” potential features, transitioning into rigorous field archaeology and strategic test-pit excavation under the leadership of Dr. Matthew Reilly.
This week featured a highly collaborative teaching team with Dr. Harvey Doolan and Ashleigh Morris also facilitating.
Working alongside the UWI teaching assistants, the BCC students rolled up their sleeves for systematic excavation at Society Plantation, focusing on archaeological recording, pit and field-walk marking & indoor artefact processing.
Work that matters
The Archaeological Field School is far more than an academic exercise. It is an intentional step toward truth-telling, historical preservation and spiritual repair. As Kevin Farmer, Executive Secretary of The Codrington Trust, noted during the project, this initiative directly serves the core pillar of identifying and memorializing ancestral spaces while building long-term, sustainable capacity for archaeological work right here in Barbados.
Thanks to our dedicated instructors and facilitators, our project partners at the United Society Partners in the Gospel and the Codrington Trust, and most importantly, the brilliant BCC students who dedicated their time and energy to this crucial work. Keep an eye on our digital spaces as we continue the journey of renewal and reconciliation.
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