Missions

Under the supervision of the director of the CMCA Northwest Arabia project, the researcher will be responsible for the study of ceramic assemblages from excavations and surveys conducted within several archaeological projects in Northwest Arabia, primarily at AlUla and Khaybar.
The researcher will develop an approach based on the chaîne opératoire concept, integrating typo-chronological, technological, and archaeometric analyses of ceramic materials, and will contribute to the development of a comprehensive ceramic database covering the archaeological sites included in the project.

Activités

Technical and scientific activities
• Record and document ceramic material from excavations and surveys conducted in the oases of AlUla and Khaybar;
• Carry out typo-chronological analyses of ceramic assemblages, in close coordination with excavation and survey supervisors from several regional archaeological projects;
• Carry out archaeometric studies (chemical, petrographic, and mineralogical analyses) on ceramic materials from different sites, covering periods from the 4th millennium to the end of the 1st millennium BCE;
• Contribute to the project's experimental axis in collaboration with ceramists, experimental archaeologists and ethnoarchaeologists (reproduction, firing, documentation);
• Contribute to the development, updating, and long-term structuring of an interactive ceramic database throughout the project;
• Take part in field surveys aimed at identifying potential clay sources, in close collaboration with geomorphology and geoarchaeology teams;
• Prepare comprehensive research reports, including bi-weekly progress reports and end-of-season reports for the CMCA Northwest Arabia project and its partner projects, as well as detailed annual scientific reports presenting the results obtained;
• Contribute to the scientific dissemination of the project and its partner programs through the writing or co-writing of publications and participation in conferences and seminars;
• Participate in the training and supervision of French, Saudi, and international students in ceramic analysis.

Compétences

• PhD in archaeology, with a specialization in ceramology and archaeometry;
• Research experience in the ceramology of the ancient Near East and/or the Mediterranean world;
• Advanced skills in ceramic and archaeometric analyses (petrography, geochemistry), as well as in data-processing and analytical tools, including statistical methods;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Ability to train and supervise students and technical staff in an international and multilingual research environment;
• Proven capacity for scientific writing, including research reports and articles for peer-reviewed journals;
• Fieldwork experience in the MENA region and/or Mediterranean archaeology;
• Strong scientific rigor, organizational skills, autonomy, and the ability to work effectively within an international research environment.

Contexte de travail

The CMCA Northwest Arabia project (Ceramic Material Culture of Ancient AlUla and Northwest Arabia), led by the CNRS in collaboration with AFALULA (Agence française pour le développement d'AlUla) and the RCU (Royal Commission for AlUla), is a research project focused on the study of ceramic material from several oases and archaeological sites in Northwest Arabia, spanning from the late Prehistoric period to the end of the 1st millennium BCE.
The project aims to document, analyze, and contextualize ceramic assemblages derived from excavations, surveys, collections from earlier archaeological investigations housed in museums, and newly conducted fieldwork. It combines typo-chronological, technological, archaeometric, and experimental approaches in order to investigate ceramic production systems and patterns of circulation at the regional scale.
Research activities are carried out in close collaboration with ongoing archaeological projects in Saudi Arabia, in particular in the oasis of al-Ula through the Dadan Archaeological Project, as well as with other programs supported by the RCU and AFALULA. The project also collaborates with local institutions responsible for the study and management of collections from earlier archaeological investigations. Fieldwork will take place primarily in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, and will also include the study of collections held in regional museums and storage facilities.
The researcher will be based at the Archéologie et Archéométrie laboratory (ArAr, UMR 5138, CNRS), at the Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée, and will undertake regular field missions to Saudi Arabia.
The researcher will contribute to the preparation and organisation of field missions, in coordination with the project director and project manager (definition of needs, planning, scheduling, etc.).
The contract may be renewed, up to a maximum total duration of 28 months.

Contraintes et risques

The position involves frequent missions in Saudi Arabia, requiring FSD approval.
Field activities may involve risks related to extreme environmental conditions (heat, aridity, remoteness).