The theme of research of LaScArBx is entitled "Using the world in ancient societies: process and forms of appropriation of space in Long Time". This focus on the notion of space is not in itself original (archaeology has always consisted in studying how past societies interacted with their environments, natural or cultural, as well as the consequences of these interactions). However, the chronological scale of the subject (from Prehistory to the Middle Ages and even beyond in certain areas), its spatial extent (across several continents), the diversity and
combination of the disciplines and skills carried out to address it in its totality constitute the specific strengths of this project: space is here conceived of in all the senses of the word (environment, place, territory), understood in the long term (in certain cases over tens of millennia) and across the diversity of its interactions with Man, these being documented by the entire range of archaeological sciences.
This theme is channelled through three routes (1. Settlement and territories, 2. Exploitation, innovation, exchange, 3. Expressions of the symbolic and spaces of memory), each of them dealing with the relationship between Man and the space that surrounds him, and in particular the different processes of appropriation of this space that were developed by ancient societies.
Call for applications
In 2013, LaScArBx Cluster of excellence invites applications for three Junior Chairs (equivalent to Assistant Professorships) in various disciplines, starting Sept 1st 2013 for a maximum period of three years. We aim to attract in Bordeaux junior scientists, either French or foreign, whose work shows a level of excellence already recognized internationally, by providing means to undertake an ambitious research project with a visible impact. We seek motivated creative researchers with a strong interest in the development of our interdisciplinary programme. LaScArBx gives candidates an opportunity to devote themselves full time to their research at the start of their careers.
Each of these three junior Chairs is allocated to one of the associated laboratories and should correspond to one of the following themes:
1) Chair 1 (host laboratory: UMR 5199 PACEA)
Dynamiques de peuplements dans le passé: interactions biologiques et culturelles/Dynamics of human settlements: interaction between biological factors and cultural choices
Past populations are known for their behaviours (remains of their activities, evidence of their symbolic concerns) or their biological evolution. With this junior chair, the candidate will have to be able to develop innovative research on the dynamics of ancient settlements, whether historical or Palaeolithic, incorporating interactions between environmental, biological and cultural data.)
2) Chair 2 (host laboratory: UMR 5060 IRAMAT-CRP2A)
Archéomatériaux: de la source à l’objet (ressources, diffusion, technique, altération)/Archaeomaterials: from the source to the object (resources, diffusion, techniques, alteration).
The applicant should be a specialist of archaeometry or archaeological sciences dealing with characterizing and dating archaeological materials (for instance, ceramics, metal, building materials or lithic materials …) with a view to contributing to archaeological topics such as history of techniques, history of constructions, uses of natural resources, relations and exchanges between populations or human groups.
3) Chair 3 (host laboratory: UMR 5607 Ausonius)
The applicants have to choose between two themes of research:
*Sources documentaires du monde gréco-romain/Documentary sources of the Greco-Roman world
We intend to hire a specialist of Latin and Greek epigraphical and/or papyrological sources, in order to strengthen Ausonius’ potential: as there is no papyrologist at Ausonius at the moment, we wish to develop this discipline and we are looking firstly for a young skilled researcher. The applicants must submit an innovative research project relating to institutional, political, economic and social issues addressed in the three themes studied at the laboratory (Themes “The World order”, “Asia Minor and Eastern Mediterranean Sea” and “Societies in the Iberian Peninsula”). The project might fit into one theme or several ones.
*Gestes techniques, gestes rituels, pratiques sociales/Technical and ritual processes and social practices
With this thematic, we would like to stimulate innovative investigations about the dynamical processes through which human societies forge their materiality. Some of these processes belong to the technical domain (i.e. crafts or building technique), other to the ideological one (i.e. funerary and religious rituals). Archaeologists usually segregate both domains: production processes are reduced to their rational aspects (the chaîne opératoire), rituals are only considered in their symbolic dimensions. But ideology can be present or even prevail at some phases of a production process (we still have to break a bottle on a new ship’s hull), and rational processes can’t be absent of rituals (to burn a corpse is not as simple as it appears). Investigations must be focused on the complexity of techniques and/or rituals processes, and integrate their rational as well as symbolic dimension. There are no chronological or geographical limitations (ethnoarchaeologists are also welcome), and we encourage projects based on innovative methods.
Procedure and Timetable
Applicants need to submit a pre-proposal before May 30th 2013
See also