Postdoctoral Researcher in the Cognitive Archaeology of Paleolithic Marked Objects M/F

Job Description

Missions

The ERC Synergy project QUANTA investigates the emergence and evolution of cognitive tools used to produce, store, and transmit quantitative information. One of the project's central hypotheses is that some Paleolithic objects made of animal hard materials or stone and bearing deliberate series of marks may have functioned as devices for counting, memorization, or notation.

The postdoctoral researcher will study a selected corpus of European and African archaeological objects to identify how the marks were produced, the gestures and operational sequences involved, their organization, and their possible functions. The research will combine technological, use-wear, morphometric, and experimental approaches, drawing on the imaging facilities available at PACEA and across the QUANTA network.

A second component, conducted in collaboration with other project members, will compare the archaeological evidence with ethnographic data on material devices used for counting, memorization, and information transmission. This research may draw on eHRAF World Cultures and other published ethnographic sources.

By integrating archaeological, experimental, and ethnographic evidence, the project will critically assess alternative functional interpretations and contribute to broader models of the emergence of notation systems and the cultural evolution of quantitative cognition.

Activity

Build and document a targeted corpus of Paleolithic objects bearing series of marks.
Conduct technological, use-wear, morphometric, and spatial analyses of objects made of animal hard materials and stone.
Design and conduct experiments reproducing the techniques and sequences used to create the marks.
Develop or adapt quantitative protocols for analysing mark morphology, sequencing, and spatial organization.
Acquire, manage, and analyse imaging data using macrophotography, multifocus microscopy, and confocal microscopy.
Contribute, in collaboration with relevant project specialists, to a cross-cultural study of material devices used for counting, memorization, and notation.
Integrate archaeological, experimental, and ethnographic evidence into comparative databases.
Present results at project meetings and international conferences.
Prepare articles for international peer-reviewed journals in collaboration with QUANTA members.
Contribute to the project's collective activities and scientific dissemination.

Your Profil

Skills

Essential qualifications
PhD in prehistoric archaeology, archaeology, palaeoanthropology, or a closely related field.
Experience in the technological or functional study of archaeological objects, preferably made of animal hard materials and/or stone.
Ability to design analytical protocols, produce reproducible data, and test functional hypotheses.
Experience in the acquisition and quantitative analysis of morphological or surface data.
Proficiency in at least one statistical environment, preferably R or Python.
Ability to work with heterogeneous datasets and integrate multiple lines of evidence.
Excellent written and spoken scientific English.
Ability to conduct independent research within an international and interdisciplinary team.
Desirable qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be an advantage:

use-wear or taphonomic analysis of surface modifications;
confocal microscopy, multifocus microscopy, or surface profilometry;
geometric morphometrics or spatial analysis;
archaeological experimentation;
analysis of engraved objects or notation systems;
database development and analysis;
cross-cultural anthropology, comparative ethnography, or eHRAF;
image processing using ImageJ/Fiji or MountainsMap.

Knowledge of French is an asset but is not required. Training in specific equipment, software, and analytical methods used by the project may be provided.

Your Work Environment

The position will be based in Bordeaux at UMR 5199 PACEA—University of Bordeaux, CNRS, and the French Ministry of Culture—under the scientific supervision of Francesco d'Errico, one of the four Principal Investigators of the ERC Synergy project QUANTA.

PACEA conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of archaeology, biological anthropology, palaeoanthropology, geosciences, and cognitive science. The laboratory and the QUANTA network provide access to advanced imaging and analytical equipment, including fixed and portable confocal microscopes, multifocus microscopes, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF).

The postdoctoral researcher will join an international team and collaborate with QUANTA partners in Bordeaux, Bergen, Leipzig, and Zurich. The position will involve research visits to study archaeological collections, stays at partner institutions, and participation in international conferences.

Constraints and risks

Fieldwork in France ad abroad

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

between 3041€ and 4216€ gros salary according to experience

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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