Excavation Begins: Unhas Archaeology Students Practice on Campus Before Plunging into the Maros-Pangkep Site

Makassar, October 1, 2025 - The Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Hasanuddin University officially began the implementation of the Excavation Exercise Practicum (LATEKS) as part of the Archaeological Excavation course. This activity took place from October 1 to 8, 2025, at the FIS V Court, FIB Unhas Tamalanrea Campus, and was attended by 46 students from class A and B as many as 22 students, so a total of 68 students.
This exercise was guided by a team of lecturers consisting of:

• Dr. Muhammad Nur, S.S., M.A.
• Dr. Hasanuddin, M.Hum.
• Muh. Saiful, S.S., M.A.
• Suryatman, S.S., M.Hum.

Field Education as a Core Philosophy

This practicum is a direct implementation of the Department of Archaeology's educational philosophy, namely field education-a learning approach that places the field as the main space for the formation of students' archaeological competence, character, and sensitivity. Through this excavation simulation, students are trained to understand excavation techniques, stratigraphic recording, documentation of findings, and context analysis in a systematic and reflective manner.

Briefing from the Head of Department

On the first day, the Head of the Archaeology Department of FIB Unhas, Dr. Yadi Mulyadi, S.S., M.A., gave direct directions to all participants. In his speech, he emphasized that this exercise was not just a simulation, but a crucial stage in shaping students' readiness for the real excavation at the Maros and Pangkep archaeological sites, which is scheduled to take place at the end of October.

"Field education is not just about technical practice, but about building an archaeological way of thinking that is sensitive to the context, values, and sustainability of cultural heritage," emphasized the Head of Department.

Strategic Steps Toward Real Excavation

With full support from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, this activity is an integral part of Hasanuddin University's efforts to realize its vision as a community university - a campus that actively builds connections between science and the needs of society. The LATEKS practicum is a bridge between the classroom and historical sites, between theory and practice, between the past and the future.