Postdoctoral researcher in Materials Science/Heritage Science techniques (Rock degradation /...

Acronym

LArcHer

FBG project number

FBG402130

Project title

Breaking barriers between Science and Heritage approaches to Levantine Rock Art through Archaeology, Heritage Science and IT

IP

Inés Domingo Sanz

Department

History and Archaeology

Project descriptions

LArcHer is an interdisciplinary research project led by ICREA Research Professor Inés Domingo. LArcHer project aims at pioneering a new and more comprehensive way of understanding one of Europe’s most extraordinary bodies of prehistoric art, awarded Unesco World Heritage status in 1998: Levantine rock art (LRA). The ground-breaking nature of the project relies on combining a multidisciplinary (Archaeology, Heritage Science and IT) and multiscale approach (from microanalysis to landscape perspectives) to gain a holistic view of this art. It also aims at closing existing gaps between science and heritage mainstreams, to better understand the values and threats affecting this tradition and bring about a change in the way we understand, care, use and manage this millenary legacy. One of the key aims of this project, related to this position, is to achieve a new understanding of the materials involved in rock art, and particular to this positions, the bedrocks used as canvas. Levantine art was produced in a range of stone typesand environments, which need to be investigated in more depth. To understand their nature, strength and durability, and their structural weaknesses is key to establish how the art has survived over several millennia and the risks it faces, which is key for devising strategies to contribute to the future preservation of this World Heritage. In this part of the project the aim is to combine both visual and materials analysis techniques. This research will also be key to define best practices for open air rock art conservation and management.

Responsibilities and tasks within the project: the successful applicant will be expected to:

• Develop leadership in research on the multiple facets of stone analysis and conservation (stone identification, geology and mineralogy, petrography -cementation/porosity and other features that may affect their conservation-, stone weathering and decay, inventory and systematic record of pathologies, appropriate repair methods, etc.)
• Characterization of inorganic compounds of prehistoric art bedrocks, and other potential archaeological materials, through both non-invasive (X-ray fluorescence or raman spectroscopy) and laboratory techniques (X-ray diffraction, Electronic Microscopy, Mass spectroscopy/gas chromatography, optical microscopy, etc.)
• Use of digital imaging techniques inherent to Heritage Sciences (photography in the visible spectrum (macro photography and microphotography) and photography in the invisible spectrum (infrared reflectrography, multispectral photography, thermophotography, etc.) for bedrock characterization and monitoring
• Explore interactions between stone materials and microorganisms
• Management tasks for LArcHer project (max. 10% of the time) including drafting applications for permits and formal reports, among others.
• Prepare and present the achieved results in international and national conferences and publications.

Other duties as required.

Gross salary per year

31.500/33.500 depending on experience

Required documents

• Application letter describing previous experience in the field (stone materials analysis and conservation)
• Curriculum vitae, etc.
• 2 reference letters

Send your application to:

email

[email protected]

Name

Ines Domingo

email subject

Job Application – PD2. Materials and Heritage Science techniques (stone materials analysis).