Missions

Analysis of Pastoral practices based on stable isotope analysis (13C and 180) of approximately 100 herbivorous teeth from Median contexts and prepapration for further Strontium 76Sr/77Sr analyses.

Activités

- Selection of teeth and bones.
- Taxonomic identification, ageing and measurement of teeth and bones.
- Serial sampling of teeth and sampling of bones for isotope analysis
- 3D documentation of teeth and conservation for archival and out reach purposes.
- Delivery of a database
- Isotopic measurement at the Mass Spectrometry Service (SSMIM) of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)
- Reconstruction of environmental conditions
- Reconstructinon herding practices and estimation of seasonality patterns and isotopic variability in the selected samples.
- Preparation of a paper for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal.

Compétences

Skills / knowledge
- The cancidate should have a PhD in the field of Archaeozoology of SouthWest Asia
- A good knowledge of Iranian archaeology (specially Iron Age)
- A good practice in archaeozoology of the Iranian Plateau and Southern Caucasus
- We expect the candidate to have a research experience and practice of the isotopic analysis on carbonates

Contexte de travail

Median monumental sites (c 9th to 6th BCE) in the NW of Iranian Plateau, may have served as gathering places for pastoralist groups for ritual, ceremonial, and political activities. To evaluate this hypothesis, we will test the variety and diversity of isotopic signals on dental and bone remains of herbivores recovered from selected archaeological sites and curated at the BioArch Laboratory (UMR 7209) in Paris.

Contraintes et risques

Work in the isotope preparation laboratory.
Work within the Isotopic Mass Spectrometry Service of the MNHN.