School of Archaeology & Ancient History

University of Leicester

 

NERC- funded PHD Studentship (Archaeobotany)

 

 

Applications are sought for a PhD studentship to be held in the School of Archaeology & Ancient History, University of Leicester. The studentship covers the payment of tuition fees and a maintenance grant each year for a maximum of three years of full-time doctoral study (subject to satisfactory progress). The basic maintenance grant is approximately £12,600 annually, and will rise in line with national levels set by the Research Councils. Start date: October 2007.

 

Eligibility: 

Academic qualifications: normally a good BA and good Masters in a relevant subject area. Residence requirement: normally UK students and EU students who have been resident in the UK for at least three years. Candidates should consult the NERC Studentship Handbook 2006/07 for exact details.

 

Closing date: Friday 11 May 2007. We plan to hold interviews between 29 May and 1 June 2007. NB. these studentships cannot be deferred.

 

Application: 

To apply please send a full CV and covering letter outlining your reasons for applying and suitability for the award together with two references using the form available from the School to: The Postgraduate Secretary, School of Archaeology & Ancient History, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH. 

 

Initial enquiries may be directed to Rachel Marriott ([log in to unmask]), from whom further particulars and the referee form are available. Further information about the School can be found at: http://www.le.ac.uk/archaeology/

 

 


DETAILS


 

This studentship is not attached to a particular project. Our preferred topic lies within the area of Iron Age and Roman agriculture in Britain using archaeobotanical data, but we will consider high quality candidates with projects in any area funded by NERC for which supervision is available within the School. In the latter case, please submit a description of your proposed alternative topic with your application.

 

The preferred topic for this studentship is Iron Age and Roman agriculture in Britain, to be supervised by Professor Marijke van der Veen. The aim of this project is to bring together the archaeobotanical data for one region of Britain in order to synthesize this evidence in terms of agriculture, horticulture and the role of plant foods in the Iron Age and Roman periods. A suitable region within Britain will be selected and existing and newly excavated archaeobotanical data will be analysed. The project will thus involve laboratory analysis and data analysis. Research topics are agricultural strategies, scales of production, introduction of new crops, role of food, and/or spatial variation in the handling of crop remains across settlements. The results will significantly enhance our understanding of Iron Age and Roman societies and offer a model for future regional syntheses.

 

Some additional funds will be available from NERC for travelling and conference attendance.