Archaeological perspectives on cultural analysis – material culture and the transmission of knowledge
PhD course in Paris, France, May 7-11th 2012
This PhD course is jointly coordinated by the "Nordic Blade Technology Network" and the Nordic Graduate School in Archaeology – "Dialogues with the Past". It is the first in a series of master classes financed by the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) and the Norwegian Science Foundation. The master classes are related to studies of technological change in Stone Age societies, and they are open to both doctoral and master students. Participants will be invited to join the "Nordic Blade Technology Network" in the whole series of master classes.
Aims
The "Nordic Blade Technology Network" (www.nbtn.se) comprises five national academic research partners from Uppsala University, University of Oslo – Museum of Cultural History, University of Helsinki, University of Copenhagen, and Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology in Schleswig, as well as several associate partners within the Scandinavian and Baltic Sea region. The purpose of this research network (henceforth NBTN) is to investigate and rewrite the prehistory of human societies in Fennoscandia from the first human colonisation after the last Ice Age to the beginning of agriculture. Our research focus and hence the name is derived from the fact that lithic blade technology has accompanied pioneer settlements throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic area following the retreat of the Weichselian glacier.
As a formalized research network the NBTN collaborates closely with the Nordic Graduate School in Archaeology "Dialogues with the Past", and the Graduate School "Human Development in Landscapes" at the University of Kiel, to support ongoing PhD projects, training and research. To this effect we offer doctoral students and master students the possibility of participating in a series of consecutive master classes and workshops on cutting edge analysis of Stone Age technologies. The approach in question is based on contextual, typological, technological, functional and not least experimental studies. These material studies are further supplemented by a conceptual terminology inspired by palaeo-ethnological (André Leroi-Gourhan) and sociological (Pierre Lemonnier) analyses pertaining to the role of technology in society. The concepts of schème and chaîne opératoire are particularly essential in this respect. On this analytical basis it is possible to decipher and reconstruct, with great precision, the coherence of the prehistoric technological process, the techniques and methods employed, and the aims of the actor.
The purpose of the announced series of master classes is to establish a common interpretive framework and knowledge platform (terminology, methodology, approach, data material) for analysing and discussing technological signatures pertinent to archaeological inventories from the period in question. The first master class will take place under the auspices of the Nordic Graduate School in Archaeology "Dialogues with the Past" in Paris on May 7-11th 2012. Here we will focus first and foremost on the conceptual frameworks and the methodological approach. Doctoral students and master students working on Stone Age material from the point of view of long term history and colonization processes, pioneer settlements, mobility and communication networks, technological innovation, knowledge transmission, etc., are hereby invited to participate in the course.
The course will be organized around three components:
# Lectures from established researchers. These lectures will be substantiated by a beforehand circulated reading list.
# Hands-on workshops pertaining to artefact studies. The NBTN focuses on long term history and colonization processes based upon studies of lithic blade technology. However, even though lithic technology is of indisputable importance it is not the whole story. In Paris one full day will accordingly be devoted to a hands-on examination of organic (bone and antler) artefacts.
# Seminars where student papers are discussed. To these seminars students will be required to submit a 5 page long paper before the seminar. At the seminar, students will be required to briefly present (15 minutes) elements relevant to a discussion of the submitted paper, as well as participate actively in the discussion of fellow student's papers. To ensure a productive discussion the submitted papers will be circulated among all participants before the seminar. All students and lecturers are expected to participate in an ensuing open discussion.
List of lecturers
Dr. Eva David, CNRS
Dr. Jacques Pelegrin, CNRS
Dr. Valentine Roux, CNRS
Prof. Dr. Boris Valentin, Université de Paris 1
Members of the Nordic Blade Technology Network steering group (Berit V. Eriksen, Håkon Glørstad, Jarmo Kankaanpää, Helena Knutsson, Kjel Knutsson, Tuija Rankama, Mikkel Sørensen)
Organisers
PD Dr. Berit Valentin Eriksen, Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, Schloss Gottorf, D-24837 Schleswig, Germany.
Email: berit.eriksen@schloss-gottorf.de
Phone: +49 – (0)4621 813 482
Prof. Dr. Kjel Knutsson, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, BOX 256, SE-75105 Uppsala, Sweden
Email: kjel.knutsson@arkeologi.uu.se
Phone: +46 – (0)184 712 094
Credits
6 ECTS
Participation in all 10 courses will amount to 30 ECTS.
Location, travel and costs
The course will take place in Paris, France. The organisers will finance travel and accommodation during the seminar for all participating graduate students. Transport to Paris must be arranged by the graduate students her-/himself. We encourage you to buy the cheapest fare, which will be refunded by the organisers after the seminar. Accommodation will be arranged by the organisers and two graduate students will share a room. Participants who need a visa for the trip must organize this by themselves.
Registration
The organisers invite doctoral and master students from the Nordic countries and from neighbouring Baltic Sea countries to apply for participation. The application (in English) should include information on the individual PhD or master project, and how the project will benefit from the planned PhD course. From these applications the organisers will select c. 15 students for participation in the course. Doctoral or master students who commit themselves to participate in all 10 master classes will be given preference in this selection process. For further information on the complete program please contact the organisers (Berit V. Eriksen or Kjel Knutsson).
Application
Please use this application form and submit it to:
Anne Lene Melheim
Dialogues with the Past
Department of Archaeology, Conservation and Historical Studies
Box 1008, Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway
E-mail: a.l.melheim@iakh.uio.no
Phone: +47 – 22841957, Mobile: +47 – 99755435
Deadlines
Application for participation due February 1st, 2012
Confirmation on your participation will be sent out within two weeks after this date together with a reading list.
Abstracts of ½ page due March 1st, 2012
Submission of working papers due April 2nd, 2012
Distribution of papers and appointment of opponents due April 16th, 2012