Details

Location:                Maison de l’Archéologie et de l’Ethnologie (MAE)

Laboratory:            Archaeology of Americas (UMR 8096)

Grade:                   PhD

Experience:           PHD and 7 years’ experience maximum

Contract type:      Fixed-term

Position time:       Full time

Term:                    18-24 months (depending on experience)

Salary:                  30900-42865 € (depending on experience)

Start:                    September 1^st, 2016

Closing Date:       April 30^th, 2016

Description

Llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos) are the only large domestic mammals in South America. Domesticated between 6000 and 5000 BP in Peru and between 4500 and 4000 BP in Chile and Argentina, their herding has increased from the end of the Early Horizon (900-200 B.C.). They are both an important source of raw material and the driving force behind the economic and cultural exchanges between interdependent ecological zones. Currently, their breeding is restricted to the Andes Cordillera in areas over 3000 m asl. The two species are thus totally absent today from the Peruvian coast while their presence in pre-Hispanic times is attested by the discovery of numerous archaeological (textiles, iconographic representations, etc.) and skeletal remains. Despite these elements and recent discoveries suggesting the permanent presence of herds on the coast, neither the timing of their arrival, nor the management systems and the adaptation modalities in a radically different environment, are well known.

The study of an exceptional faunal material from Mochica (A.D. 100-800), Lambayeque (A.D. 850-1100) and Chimú (A.D. 850-1470) coastal sites, will allow the Post-doctoral researcher to provide new insight on adaptation of the complex pre-Hispanic societies to the coast of Peru. Objectives will be achieved by the study of the management of the territories and the economy of animal production. Stable isotope analysis of tooth enamel, bone and hair will be used to reconstruct the dietary history and residential mobility of camelids herds.

The post-doc will work closely and under the direction of Dr. Nicolas Goepfert at Archeology of Americas research team (UMR 8096 in the Maison de l’Archéologie et de l’Ethnologie (MAE) in Nanterre, and Dr. Elise Dufour in the Archaeozoology and Archaeobotany research team (UMR 7209) of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN). Preparation of samples will take place in the sclerochronology lab of the MNHN. Analysis of d¹³C, d¹⁵N and d¹⁸O will be performed at the Service de Spectrométrie de Masse Isotopique du Muséum (SSMIM) of the MNHN. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr analysis will be performed in collaboration with the team GEOTRAC of the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE) in Gif-sur-Yvette.

Responsibilities

The role of the Postdoctoral Associate will be to document pastoral practices on the north coast of Peru during the Pre-Hispanic period. Stable isotope analysis of bone, tooth and hair remains recovered from several sites dated from the Mochica to the Chimú cultures will be applied to reconstruct life history of archaeological camelids. The successful candidate will:

• Prepare bone, tooth and hair samples for stable isotopic analysis:  sequential sampling of tooth enamel and hair, collagen extraction from bone and hair cleaning for d¹³C and d¹⁵N analysis, bone carbonate purification from bone and enamel for d¹³C and d¹⁸O analysis, Sr purification from enamel for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr analysis, weighting samples

• Treatment of data from mass spectrometry analysis

• Liaise with collaborators and technical support in the different labs to ensure efficient processing and management of samples for multi-proxy analyses

• Report regularly to PIs on progress made and results of work at regular project meetings

• Publish the main results of the research in peer-reviewed journals

• Assist in the dissemination of results at seminars and conferences

Person Specification

Mandatory:

• Completed PhD in zooarchaeology, South American archaeology, Bioarchaeology, Biogeochemistry applied to zooarchaeology, archaeology or palaeoecology, or related field

• Experience in lab work

• Ability to communicate clearly in verbal and written form

• Demonstrable ability to work in a team and independently

• Competence in the use of classical office and statistics softwares

• Command of the English language

Desirable:

• Demonstrable ability to write material of high quality and to specified deadlines

• Expertise in the application of stable isotopic analysis in archaeology

• Competence in the use of GIS software

• Command or knowledge of the French and Spanish language

Application form and contact

Applications should be submitted by email as a single pdf to Dr. Nicolas Goepfert ([log in to unmask]) and Dr. Elise Dufour ([log in to unmask]) and include: a CV, a publication list, a statement of research interests, one-page summary of Ph.D. thesis, a minimum of one letter of recommendation. The deadline is April 30^th, 2016.

Review of applications will begin in May. An oral presentation will be organized about one month onwards for selected candidates.