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Supervisors: Dr G. Thomas (Reading); Dr A. Pluskowski (Reading)
Project Overview:
This fully funded doctoral position is offered as part of an AHRC-funded project 'Anglo-Saxon Monastic Landscapes: A Reconstruction from Lyminge, Kent'. The umbrella project builds upon the results of completed excavations at Lyminge (2008-10) which has generated one of the largest and best-dated faunal assemblages from an Anglo-Saxon monastic settlement in England; crucially the assemblage spans both pre-Christian (5th-7th century) and monastic-phase (late 7th-9th century) occupation. The aim of the studentship is to exploit this zooarchaeological potential to build Lyminge's capacity to address a suite of questions concerning the social and cultural impacts of the Anglo-Saxon conversion. Issues to be explored include investigating the influence of changing cosmology on the perception and exploitation of animals over the conversion period and defining the extent to which zooarchaeological signatures can help to track the emergence of monastic dietary regimes in Anglo-Saxon England. The candidate will pursue these questions through the analysis and contextualisation of the 2008-10 assemblage supplemented by new material generated by the AHRC-funded 2012-14 campaign.
The successful candidate will be expected to work alongside the excavation team and engage fully with all aspects of the project. Contributions during the field seasons will include devising and monitoring sampling and recording procedures, identifying animal deposits suitable for high-precision radiocarbon dating, and delivering zooarchaeological training sessions to students and members of the public. Close liaison with specialists analysing palaeobotanical and other biological remains is expected towards the aim of providing an holistic ecological context for the study of human-animal relations. The candidate will be expected to present research at conferences, contribute to the project publications and participate in a varied range of public outreach activities, including speaking to local societies and producing content for museum displays and a project website.
Throughout their PhD, the successful candidate will be expected fulfil the training requirements of the University and will contribute to relevant academic and research activities. The candidate will be co-supervised by the Project Director, Dr Gabor Thomas and Dr Aleks Pluskowski, one of the UK's leading academic zooarchaeologists with a special interest in the archaeology of early medieval conversion. The candidate will have access to a fully equipped zooarchaeology research laboratory and a reference archive. The Department of Archaeology offers a supportive and vibrant community for this studentship and currently hosts other major research programmes with a zooarchaeological component.
The applicant will normally be expected to be a university graduate with a Masters degree in archaeology, preferably with a distinction. The candidate should have experience of zooarchaeological analysis to Masters level, and preferably have worked on early medieval assemblages to address period-specific research questions. Experience of working within an excavation environment is desirable, but not essential.
Funding Details:
The studentship AHRC annual stipend of £13,590 and will cover tuition fees, and research training costs.
Start date: October 2012.
Eligibility: Due to restrictions on the funding, this studentship is only open to UK/EU candidates.
How to apply: To apply for this studentship please submit a PhD application to the University - see http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/apply/pg-applicationform.aspx
A statement regarding your suitability for this research studentship should be included in the 'Description of Proposed Research' section at the end of the application form.
Please quote the studentship reference number GS12-12 on your application
Application Deadline: Friday July 20th 2012.
Further Enquiries: Dr Gabor Thomas ([log in to unmask]; 0118 378 5449).