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kareinaThis is now an edited post containing the final version of my project proposal as submitted (after improvements based on comments from my potential supervisor and by Aryanhwy) and my personal statement, as it is a convenient place to point folk who want to know what I am researching.
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Project Proposal:
Viking-Age Steatite: Do Every-Day Household Objects Reveal Differences in Status?
INTRODUCTION
This proposed PhD research project will attempt to answer the question “Do even every-day household objects reveal differences in status?” by conducting an in-depth study of Viking-Age Steatite objects associated with individuals and/or farmsteads of various levels of status/wealth. This provenance study, based on the geochemistry of steatite objects from a variety of locations in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic, will be used to test the hypothesis that differences in relative status and wealth are also expressed in differences in the source of even the most every-day utilitarian objects.
Researcher
This project will be undertaken by Riia M. Chmielowski, a geologist with a strong background in metamorphic petrology and laboratory analysis. Both her PhD project and her post-doctoral position at the University of Milan included research on the formation of talc in high-pressure metamorphic rocks, giving her a prior understanding of the composition and geological modes of occurrence of steatite (see attached CV). Riia has had a strong interest in archaeology and history from an early age, and now wishes to convert her amateur interest in this field to serious research via undertaking a second PhD project in geoarchaeology. She sincerely hopes that this project will lead to many years of collaborative research in this field.
Background
Talc, Soapstone and Steatite
• Talc (Mg6[Si8O20](OH)4) is a sheet silicate with a tri-octahedral layered structure in which a sheet of octahedrally coordinated Mg ions is sandwiched between two sheets of linked SiO4 tetrahedra. The layers are uncharged, which results in no interlayer cations, and the interlayer bonding is very weak, which results in a very low hardness (Deer et al., 1992).
• Soapstone has been used as a general term to describe a variety of soft rocks that contain varying amounts of talc, but there has been some disagreement in the geologic literature as to its definition. Older papers, such as Wikki (1953), define soapstone as “the rock consisting mainly of talc”. However, more recently the term has covered rocks with a large range of variation in composition. Therefore Hutta and Kärki (in press/under review) have proposed a new soapstone classification scheme which specifies that to qualify as a soapstone a rock should contain at least 35% and not more than 65% talc, while rocks containing greater amounts of talc should be classified as a “talc rock”.
• Steatite is a term that has long been used as a name for talc itself, but which has also been used by geologists for rocks which consist mainly of talc (Wikki, 1953), while archaeologists use the term for rocks with a talc content approaching 100% (Hansen and Storemyr, 2017).
Regardless of what they are called, stones which are high in talc are soft enough to easily carve with a knife, or even by using a harder rock. In addition, they are also durable, heat-resistant, and have a high heat storage capacity. For these reasons they have been used in many times and places, to make a variety of useful and/or decorative objects. For this project proposal the term steatite is used to refer to the stones that have been carved to make such objects.
Viking Age use of steatite
Steatite was used extensively during the Viking age throughout Scandinavia and the North Atlantic for a variety of household objects. While there are many steatite quarries available in rocks of the Caledonian Orogeny, which extends from Scotland through Norway, there are far fewer sources (and often none at all) available in other areas settled by Scandinavians during this period (e.g. Forster, 2004; Hansen et al., 2017). Therefore, it would have been necessary to either bring steatite objects with them when settling in a new location, or trade for it after they arrived (or both).
PROJECT AIMS
This project will combine two main aims, one analytical, and one archaeological, to gain a broader understanding of the movement and trade of steatite within Scandinavia and the Scandinavian colonies during the Viking Age.
1) Analytical Aim
Test the effectiveness and efficiency of LA-ICP-MS for provenancing Scandinavian steatite objects (see the sections on State of the Art and Analysis Methods for details).
2) Archaeological Aim
This project will have the over-arching goal to deepen our understanding of the movement and trade of steatite within Scandinavia and the Scandinavian colonies. The specific focus will be trying to determine the networks available to a single farmstead/family/individual. Such individual (or small group) access to trading networks could be influenced by a variety of factors, including:
a) Status (both within the community and whether the household owned boats moving in and out of harbours).
b) Personal relationships (clan membership and owner-tenant relationships could have influenced access to goods).
c) Proximity to seasonal or permanent trading centres (there could very well have been down-the-line barter and exchange radiating out from trading centres).
To test the hypothesis that status is an important factor in what trade goods one has access to, even for basic household objects, this project will endeavour to analyse samples from a minimum of two different sites. These sites could be from the same location, one clearly belonging to a high-status/wealthy individual or homesite (as evidenced by the number and quality of objects associated with that particular site or burial), the other to a nearby lower status/not as wealthy individual or homesite. Alternatively, or additionally, they could be from two geographically distinct locations to compare differences or similarities in provenance vs status of the object’s owner.
While it is not possible to predict before the requests have been submitted which requests for artefacts will be approved (and therefore how many objects from which locations can be analysed), the following partial list is indicative of the type of finds for which we will request access to steatite objects:
• Trading centre burials, such as Birka and Kaupang, both of which are suitable for single site comparisons of individuals with not only differing status, but coming from all over the Viking world.
• The Oseberg ship burial vs other, lower status individual female burials in Norway.
• Scottish settlements such as the high-status Jarlshof (in Shetland), the Brough of Birsay, or Deerness in Orkney versus more normal (but potentially well-connected?) farms such as Snusgard (Skaill), Cille Pheadair, and Bornais.
• Scottish female Viking burials such as the Scar boat burial, the Westness burials, and the Knip burial (held by the National Museum of Scotland).
• Icelandic female Viking burials such as Vatnsjfordur, Dalvik, and Dysnes (held at the National Museum of Iceland).
• The high-status farmsteads of Hrisbru and Hofstadir, in Iceland, versus more normal farms such as Sveigakot and Adalstraeti.
STATE OF THE ART
Previous provenance studies of Viking-Age steatite have included locations in Norway, the Shetlands, Orkney, Scotland, Iceland, and Greenland (e.g. Forster and Jones, 2017; Forster, 2004) and have made use of both morphology-based and science-based province determination. However, the published Viking-Age steatite geochemical data is lacking information on Swedish (and locations colonized primarily from Sweden) steatite objects, and has primarily been obtained via destructive methods, such as ICP-MS analysis of dissolved samples (Jones et al., 2007).
The micro-destructive approach of LA-ICP-MS, on the other hand, is becoming more common in archaeological applications (Neff, 2012), and has recently been applied to steatite beads in North America (Baron et al., 2016), where they have been able to clearly distinguish between steatite which formed from different geological protoliths (ultramafic rock, versus carbonates) through comparison of major, minor, and trace elements. However, thus far, due to compositional variations within a given outcrop, it has not always been possible to tie objects to a specific source, but rather to a set of geologically related sources. To date, most (all?) European geochemical analyses of archaeological steatite objects have used other analytical methods, so the time is right to develop the necessary protocols to achieve at least the level of success achieved by Baron, and, ideally, to expand the technique to resolve specific quarries from a set of analysed objects and freshly quarried samples.
ANALYSIS METHODS
LA-ICP-MS
LA-ICP-MS is an analytical tool with an ability to resolve trace elements present in a sample down to parts per billion (ppb) levels. It is especially attractive for archaeological artefacts due to the fact that it can be used on solid objects with little to no sample preparation, does not require a vacuum to operate, and the small size of the laser “craters” (5 to 150 µm in diameter). LA-ICP-MS analysis for this project will be undertaken at the Luleå University of Technology, using a NWR193 Laser Ablation System coupled with a iCAP™ Qc ICP-MS. Data reduction will be done using the iolite data processing software (https://iolite-software.com/).
XRD
X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD) is a rapid analytical technique that can be used to identify crystalline materials and reveal their major element compositions. The portable XRD at the department of Archaeology at Durham will be used for this application.
Optical Petrology
Depending on availability, thin sections (i.e. 30 µm thick slices of polished stone which are mounted on a glass slide) of reference stone from certain quarries may be made to examine with a petrological microscope at LTU to determine the minerals present, and their relative abundances, prior to any further analysis with LA-ICP-MS to produce reference values with which to compare the data from archaeological samples from this research.
An optical petrology approach could also be applied to fragments of archaeological stone objects studied, if the museum(s) involved agree that the preparation of a thin section is appropriate to gain an understanding of the petrology objects in their collection.
Field work
A minor field component to this research is desirable to give Riia an introduction to the processes of archaeological field work in general and to acquaint her with typical occurrence patterns of steatite objects in the finds.
Experimental archaeology?
Should time and availability of raw materials permit, an experimental archaeology component, to be determined later, will be added to this project if it is deemed helpful to answer questions that may arise on the production of objects. Riia would very much enjoy the opportunity to try to make a steatite vessel or three.
LOCATION OF RESEARCH
Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Riia will be primarily based in Luleå during this project, where she will continue spend 20 hours a week managing the LA-ICP-MS lab, leaving the remaining hours in a week available to undertake this research.
Durham University, UK
Riia will also undertake at least one short (2 to 3 weeks) stay each year in Durham, where she will be able to take advantage of facilities which are not available in Luleå, and have the opportunity for face-to-face interactions with her supervisor and other colleagues. These visits will, by necessity, be balanced by a corresponding period working 40 hours a week at LTU.
FUNDING AND TIMING
This position comes with a £8,390 grant, which is sufficient to cover tuition and fees for 4 years of part-time study. Therefore, the goal is to complete the project within four years. One approach to accomplish this goal would be to try to complete the analytical work within the first two years, which would leave ample time for data processing, analysis and interpretation of the results.
The initial travel and analytical budget will come from the Swedish Centrala studiestödsnämnden (CSN), which provides a small weekly stipend to Swedish students who are enrolled in higher education, even abroad. The exact amount of this stipend depends on the number of weeks the student is officially studying each year, but the base rate is 712 SEK (~£65) each week, for up to 26 weeks in a year. Any additional analysis and/or travel would need to be covered by applications for small scale grants through organizations with an interest in the area (such as the Swedish Research Council) or, possibly, via crowd-funding (the latter could, perhaps, benefit from Riia’s extensive international network of historical re-enactors, some of whom might be willing to contribute a small amount towards an interesting research project).
REFERENCES
Baron, A., Burke, A. L., Gratuze, B., and Chapdelaine, C., 2016, Characterization and origin of steatite beads made by Northern Iroquoians in the St. Lawrence Valley during the 15th and 16th centuries: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, v. 8, p. 323-334.
Deer, W. A., Howie, R. A., and Zussman, J., 1992, An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals, 2nd edition, Essex, England, Pearson Education Limited, 495 p.
Forster, A., and Jones, R., 2017, From Homeland to Home; Using Soapstone to Map Migration and Settlement in the North Atlantic, in Hansen, G., and Storemyr, P., eds., Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen, p. 225-248.
Forster, A. K., 2004, Shetland and the Trade of Steatite Goods in the North Atlantic Region During the Viking and Early Medieval Period [PhD thesis]: University of Bradford, 396 p.
Hansen, G., and Storemyr, P., 2017, A Versatile Resource - The Procurement and Use of Soapstone in Norway and The North Atlantic Region, Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen, p. 9-28.
Hansen, G., Storemyr, P., Stavsøien, E., Wickler, S., Lindahl, I., Nilsson, L. P., Bunse, L., Bergsvik, K. A., Grenne, T., Østerås, B., Stenvik, L. F., Heldal, T., Schou, T. P., Baug, I., Vangstad, H., Høegsberg, M. S., Forster, A., Jones, R., Jansen, Ø. J., Berglund, B., and Hommedal, A. T., 2017, Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen.
Huhta, A., and Kärki, A., in press/under review, A proposal for the definition, nomenclature and classification of soapstones: GFF.
Jones, R. E., Kilikoglou, V., Olive, V., Bassiakos, Y., Ellam, R., Bray, I. S. J., and Sanderson, D. C. W., 2007, A new protocol for the chemical characterisation of steatite – two case studies in Europe: the Shetland Islands and Crete: Journal of Archaeological Science, v. 34, no. 4, p. 626-641.
Neff, H., 2012, Laser Ablation ICP-MS in Archaeology, in Lee, M. S., ed., Handbook of Mass Spectrometry, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wikki, H. B., 1953, Composition and origin of soapstone: Geologinen Tutkimuslaitos, 57 p.
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Personal Statement:
MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING
I am excited to be applying for the PhD Studentship in Geoarchaeology at Durham University Department of Archaeology, studying under Dr. Karen Milek, because I feel that this position is a perfect match for my interests and needs. I am life-long scholar, with a love of geology and a strong interest in archaeology. I am currently working half-time as the manager of a Laser-Ablation ICP-MS laboratory at the department of Geology at Luleå University of Technology, in northern Sweden.
My interest in archaeology has been influenced/encouraged by decades of medieval re-creation through the Society for Creative Anachronism and the reading I have done in conjunction with my projects to make various costumes and accessories. However, my interest in Archaeology, and specifically geoarchaeology was truly excited when, while I was doing the literature search for my PhD research, I stumbled upon papers discussing the provenance of garnets in ancient artefacts (such as Mathis et al. 2008). This interest got a further boost when (around the same time) I saw an announcement in the Archaeological Textile Newsletter about the PhD research of Karin Margarita Frei on Sr isotopes in wool (Frei 2009). The former is particularly interesting because the composition of garnets was a key component of my PhD research on the Cambrian Metamorphic History of Tasmania, and the latter because of my strong interest in historical clothing, and the textiles from which they were produced. However, I was busy completing my research for that degree, and so I thought to myself, “perhaps later”, and continued focusing on what I was doing.
More recently my interest in geoarchaeology has been re-kindled when Mathew Ponting at the University of Liverpool contacted me to ask about the possibility of using our Laser-ablation ICP-MS to analyse some ancient Roman Coins. As a result, I am currently supervising a Master's student working on that project. While our lab was set up specifically to focus on the composition of minerals from ore deposits for our collaborations with the Swedish mining industries, I, personally, would love to see us also expand into more archaeological research as well. While laser-ablation is, technically, a destructive analytical technique, I typically do spot analyses in the 5 to 50 µm size range, and maps of the change in composition of mineral grains up to 5 mm square and only a few µm deep, so the total damage to the object is minimal, and often not even visible to the naked eye.
I have often day-dreamed about doing a second PhD, this time on a geoarchaeological topic, but hadn't yet pursued it, in part because I really love living in northern Sweden and am not interested in relocating to somewhere further south, and my university does not have an archaeological department. However, a part-time PhD project wouldn't necessarily require relocating, if a program could be worked out that involved short visits, and therefore I am applying.
I am currently employed half-time, and due to budget reasons, am likely to stay at 50% employment for the foreseeable future, which means that I am available to undertake a second PhD project, if it were also half-time. I have spoken with my colleagues at LTU, and they agree to the plan of dividing my time on a partially rotating basis, where, for example, I could occasionally spend a couple of weeks to a month in Durham, or in the field, and spend a corresponding amount of time working full time in Luleå to balance that period, while most months I could work my normal 20 hours a week at LTU, and then spend the rest of my time working on my own research from home. They are also willing to let me use our LA-ICP-MS for my own research at cost, rather than paying our normal internal rate, which usually includes a fee for the salary of the operator (me).
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND & RESEARCH HISTORY
Before starting my current position, I obtained a MSc in Structural Geology, a PhD in Metamorphic Petrology, and post-doctoral experience in both Geochemical Modelling and, as a Marie Curie Research Fellow, in Experimental Petrology. My field experience includes the Brooks Range (Alaska), and Tasmania (Australia). My laboratory experience includes the use of LA-ICP-MS, Scanning Electron Microprobe, and a Piston-cylinder pressure apparatus for conducting high-pressure experiments (see CV for details).
TRAINING NEEDS
Since I have a strong background in geology and geochemistry, I feel that I have the first half of the “geoarchaeology” part covered. However, I will appreciate assistance getting up to speed on the archaeological side of the project. I will need an introduction to the conventions and best practices for handling artefacts in preparation for laboratory analysis, and in the interpretation of the data. I would also like the opportunity to try archaeological field work and experimental archaeology. I would also benefit from further training in statistics, especially as applied to archaeology.
PREFERED START DATE
I am available to begin with the start of the term in January 2018.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Prior to moving to Sweden, the spelling of my first name was "Reia". I had it changed, by one letter, so that Swedish speakers would pronounce it correctly on their first try. Therefore, papers I have published before 2013 use that spelling, if they display the first name at all.
REFERENCES CITED
Mathis, F., O. Vrielynck, K. Laclavetine, G. Chêne and D. Strivay (2008). "Study of the provenance of Belgian Merovingian garnets by PIXE at IPNAS cyclotron." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 226(10): 2348-2352.
Frei, K. M., R. Frei, U. Mannering, M. Gleba, M. L. Nosch and H. Lyngstrøm (2009). "Provenance Of Ancient Textiles-A Pilot Study Evaluating The Strontium Isotope System In Wool." Archaeometry 51(2): 252-276.
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Project Proposal:
Viking-Age Steatite: Do Every-Day Household Objects Reveal Differences in Status?
INTRODUCTION
This proposed PhD research project will attempt to answer the question “Do even every-day household objects reveal differences in status?” by conducting an in-depth study of Viking-Age Steatite objects associated with individuals and/or farmsteads of various levels of status/wealth. This provenance study, based on the geochemistry of steatite objects from a variety of locations in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic, will be used to test the hypothesis that differences in relative status and wealth are also expressed in differences in the source of even the most every-day utilitarian objects.
Researcher
This project will be undertaken by Riia M. Chmielowski, a geologist with a strong background in metamorphic petrology and laboratory analysis. Both her PhD project and her post-doctoral position at the University of Milan included research on the formation of talc in high-pressure metamorphic rocks, giving her a prior understanding of the composition and geological modes of occurrence of steatite (see attached CV). Riia has had a strong interest in archaeology and history from an early age, and now wishes to convert her amateur interest in this field to serious research via undertaking a second PhD project in geoarchaeology. She sincerely hopes that this project will lead to many years of collaborative research in this field.
Background
Talc, Soapstone and Steatite
• Talc (Mg6[Si8O20](OH)4) is a sheet silicate with a tri-octahedral layered structure in which a sheet of octahedrally coordinated Mg ions is sandwiched between two sheets of linked SiO4 tetrahedra. The layers are uncharged, which results in no interlayer cations, and the interlayer bonding is very weak, which results in a very low hardness (Deer et al., 1992).
• Soapstone has been used as a general term to describe a variety of soft rocks that contain varying amounts of talc, but there has been some disagreement in the geologic literature as to its definition. Older papers, such as Wikki (1953), define soapstone as “the rock consisting mainly of talc”. However, more recently the term has covered rocks with a large range of variation in composition. Therefore Hutta and Kärki (in press/under review) have proposed a new soapstone classification scheme which specifies that to qualify as a soapstone a rock should contain at least 35% and not more than 65% talc, while rocks containing greater amounts of talc should be classified as a “talc rock”.
• Steatite is a term that has long been used as a name for talc itself, but which has also been used by geologists for rocks which consist mainly of talc (Wikki, 1953), while archaeologists use the term for rocks with a talc content approaching 100% (Hansen and Storemyr, 2017).
Regardless of what they are called, stones which are high in talc are soft enough to easily carve with a knife, or even by using a harder rock. In addition, they are also durable, heat-resistant, and have a high heat storage capacity. For these reasons they have been used in many times and places, to make a variety of useful and/or decorative objects. For this project proposal the term steatite is used to refer to the stones that have been carved to make such objects.
Viking Age use of steatite
Steatite was used extensively during the Viking age throughout Scandinavia and the North Atlantic for a variety of household objects. While there are many steatite quarries available in rocks of the Caledonian Orogeny, which extends from Scotland through Norway, there are far fewer sources (and often none at all) available in other areas settled by Scandinavians during this period (e.g. Forster, 2004; Hansen et al., 2017). Therefore, it would have been necessary to either bring steatite objects with them when settling in a new location, or trade for it after they arrived (or both).
PROJECT AIMS
This project will combine two main aims, one analytical, and one archaeological, to gain a broader understanding of the movement and trade of steatite within Scandinavia and the Scandinavian colonies during the Viking Age.
1) Analytical Aim
Test the effectiveness and efficiency of LA-ICP-MS for provenancing Scandinavian steatite objects (see the sections on State of the Art and Analysis Methods for details).
2) Archaeological Aim
This project will have the over-arching goal to deepen our understanding of the movement and trade of steatite within Scandinavia and the Scandinavian colonies. The specific focus will be trying to determine the networks available to a single farmstead/family/individual. Such individual (or small group) access to trading networks could be influenced by a variety of factors, including:
a) Status (both within the community and whether the household owned boats moving in and out of harbours).
b) Personal relationships (clan membership and owner-tenant relationships could have influenced access to goods).
c) Proximity to seasonal or permanent trading centres (there could very well have been down-the-line barter and exchange radiating out from trading centres).
To test the hypothesis that status is an important factor in what trade goods one has access to, even for basic household objects, this project will endeavour to analyse samples from a minimum of two different sites. These sites could be from the same location, one clearly belonging to a high-status/wealthy individual or homesite (as evidenced by the number and quality of objects associated with that particular site or burial), the other to a nearby lower status/not as wealthy individual or homesite. Alternatively, or additionally, they could be from two geographically distinct locations to compare differences or similarities in provenance vs status of the object’s owner.
While it is not possible to predict before the requests have been submitted which requests for artefacts will be approved (and therefore how many objects from which locations can be analysed), the following partial list is indicative of the type of finds for which we will request access to steatite objects:
• Trading centre burials, such as Birka and Kaupang, both of which are suitable for single site comparisons of individuals with not only differing status, but coming from all over the Viking world.
• The Oseberg ship burial vs other, lower status individual female burials in Norway.
• Scottish settlements such as the high-status Jarlshof (in Shetland), the Brough of Birsay, or Deerness in Orkney versus more normal (but potentially well-connected?) farms such as Snusgard (Skaill), Cille Pheadair, and Bornais.
• Scottish female Viking burials such as the Scar boat burial, the Westness burials, and the Knip burial (held by the National Museum of Scotland).
• Icelandic female Viking burials such as Vatnsjfordur, Dalvik, and Dysnes (held at the National Museum of Iceland).
• The high-status farmsteads of Hrisbru and Hofstadir, in Iceland, versus more normal farms such as Sveigakot and Adalstraeti.
STATE OF THE ART
Previous provenance studies of Viking-Age steatite have included locations in Norway, the Shetlands, Orkney, Scotland, Iceland, and Greenland (e.g. Forster and Jones, 2017; Forster, 2004) and have made use of both morphology-based and science-based province determination. However, the published Viking-Age steatite geochemical data is lacking information on Swedish (and locations colonized primarily from Sweden) steatite objects, and has primarily been obtained via destructive methods, such as ICP-MS analysis of dissolved samples (Jones et al., 2007).
The micro-destructive approach of LA-ICP-MS, on the other hand, is becoming more common in archaeological applications (Neff, 2012), and has recently been applied to steatite beads in North America (Baron et al., 2016), where they have been able to clearly distinguish between steatite which formed from different geological protoliths (ultramafic rock, versus carbonates) through comparison of major, minor, and trace elements. However, thus far, due to compositional variations within a given outcrop, it has not always been possible to tie objects to a specific source, but rather to a set of geologically related sources. To date, most (all?) European geochemical analyses of archaeological steatite objects have used other analytical methods, so the time is right to develop the necessary protocols to achieve at least the level of success achieved by Baron, and, ideally, to expand the technique to resolve specific quarries from a set of analysed objects and freshly quarried samples.
ANALYSIS METHODS
LA-ICP-MS
LA-ICP-MS is an analytical tool with an ability to resolve trace elements present in a sample down to parts per billion (ppb) levels. It is especially attractive for archaeological artefacts due to the fact that it can be used on solid objects with little to no sample preparation, does not require a vacuum to operate, and the small size of the laser “craters” (5 to 150 µm in diameter). LA-ICP-MS analysis for this project will be undertaken at the Luleå University of Technology, using a NWR193 Laser Ablation System coupled with a iCAP™ Qc ICP-MS. Data reduction will be done using the iolite data processing software (https://iolite-software.com/).
XRD
X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD) is a rapid analytical technique that can be used to identify crystalline materials and reveal their major element compositions. The portable XRD at the department of Archaeology at Durham will be used for this application.
Optical Petrology
Depending on availability, thin sections (i.e. 30 µm thick slices of polished stone which are mounted on a glass slide) of reference stone from certain quarries may be made to examine with a petrological microscope at LTU to determine the minerals present, and their relative abundances, prior to any further analysis with LA-ICP-MS to produce reference values with which to compare the data from archaeological samples from this research.
An optical petrology approach could also be applied to fragments of archaeological stone objects studied, if the museum(s) involved agree that the preparation of a thin section is appropriate to gain an understanding of the petrology objects in their collection.
Field work
A minor field component to this research is desirable to give Riia an introduction to the processes of archaeological field work in general and to acquaint her with typical occurrence patterns of steatite objects in the finds.
Experimental archaeology?
Should time and availability of raw materials permit, an experimental archaeology component, to be determined later, will be added to this project if it is deemed helpful to answer questions that may arise on the production of objects. Riia would very much enjoy the opportunity to try to make a steatite vessel or three.
LOCATION OF RESEARCH
Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Riia will be primarily based in Luleå during this project, where she will continue spend 20 hours a week managing the LA-ICP-MS lab, leaving the remaining hours in a week available to undertake this research.
Durham University, UK
Riia will also undertake at least one short (2 to 3 weeks) stay each year in Durham, where she will be able to take advantage of facilities which are not available in Luleå, and have the opportunity for face-to-face interactions with her supervisor and other colleagues. These visits will, by necessity, be balanced by a corresponding period working 40 hours a week at LTU.
FUNDING AND TIMING
This position comes with a £8,390 grant, which is sufficient to cover tuition and fees for 4 years of part-time study. Therefore, the goal is to complete the project within four years. One approach to accomplish this goal would be to try to complete the analytical work within the first two years, which would leave ample time for data processing, analysis and interpretation of the results.
The initial travel and analytical budget will come from the Swedish Centrala studiestödsnämnden (CSN), which provides a small weekly stipend to Swedish students who are enrolled in higher education, even abroad. The exact amount of this stipend depends on the number of weeks the student is officially studying each year, but the base rate is 712 SEK (~£65) each week, for up to 26 weeks in a year. Any additional analysis and/or travel would need to be covered by applications for small scale grants through organizations with an interest in the area (such as the Swedish Research Council) or, possibly, via crowd-funding (the latter could, perhaps, benefit from Riia’s extensive international network of historical re-enactors, some of whom might be willing to contribute a small amount towards an interesting research project).
REFERENCES
Baron, A., Burke, A. L., Gratuze, B., and Chapdelaine, C., 2016, Characterization and origin of steatite beads made by Northern Iroquoians in the St. Lawrence Valley during the 15th and 16th centuries: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, v. 8, p. 323-334.
Deer, W. A., Howie, R. A., and Zussman, J., 1992, An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals, 2nd edition, Essex, England, Pearson Education Limited, 495 p.
Forster, A., and Jones, R., 2017, From Homeland to Home; Using Soapstone to Map Migration and Settlement in the North Atlantic, in Hansen, G., and Storemyr, P., eds., Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen, p. 225-248.
Forster, A. K., 2004, Shetland and the Trade of Steatite Goods in the North Atlantic Region During the Viking and Early Medieval Period [PhD thesis]: University of Bradford, 396 p.
Hansen, G., and Storemyr, P., 2017, A Versatile Resource - The Procurement and Use of Soapstone in Norway and The North Atlantic Region, Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen, p. 9-28.
Hansen, G., Storemyr, P., Stavsøien, E., Wickler, S., Lindahl, I., Nilsson, L. P., Bunse, L., Bergsvik, K. A., Grenne, T., Østerås, B., Stenvik, L. F., Heldal, T., Schou, T. P., Baug, I., Vangstad, H., Høegsberg, M. S., Forster, A., Jones, R., Jansen, Ø. J., Berglund, B., and Hommedal, A. T., 2017, Soapstone in the North. Quarries, Products and People 7000 BC - AD 1700, University of Bergen.
Huhta, A., and Kärki, A., in press/under review, A proposal for the definition, nomenclature and classification of soapstones: GFF.
Jones, R. E., Kilikoglou, V., Olive, V., Bassiakos, Y., Ellam, R., Bray, I. S. J., and Sanderson, D. C. W., 2007, A new protocol for the chemical characterisation of steatite – two case studies in Europe: the Shetland Islands and Crete: Journal of Archaeological Science, v. 34, no. 4, p. 626-641.
Neff, H., 2012, Laser Ablation ICP-MS in Archaeology, in Lee, M. S., ed., Handbook of Mass Spectrometry, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wikki, H. B., 1953, Composition and origin of soapstone: Geologinen Tutkimuslaitos, 57 p.
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Personal Statement:
MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING
I am excited to be applying for the PhD Studentship in Geoarchaeology at Durham University Department of Archaeology, studying under Dr. Karen Milek, because I feel that this position is a perfect match for my interests and needs. I am life-long scholar, with a love of geology and a strong interest in archaeology. I am currently working half-time as the manager of a Laser-Ablation ICP-MS laboratory at the department of Geology at Luleå University of Technology, in northern Sweden.
My interest in archaeology has been influenced/encouraged by decades of medieval re-creation through the Society for Creative Anachronism and the reading I have done in conjunction with my projects to make various costumes and accessories. However, my interest in Archaeology, and specifically geoarchaeology was truly excited when, while I was doing the literature search for my PhD research, I stumbled upon papers discussing the provenance of garnets in ancient artefacts (such as Mathis et al. 2008). This interest got a further boost when (around the same time) I saw an announcement in the Archaeological Textile Newsletter about the PhD research of Karin Margarita Frei on Sr isotopes in wool (Frei 2009). The former is particularly interesting because the composition of garnets was a key component of my PhD research on the Cambrian Metamorphic History of Tasmania, and the latter because of my strong interest in historical clothing, and the textiles from which they were produced. However, I was busy completing my research for that degree, and so I thought to myself, “perhaps later”, and continued focusing on what I was doing.
More recently my interest in geoarchaeology has been re-kindled when Mathew Ponting at the University of Liverpool contacted me to ask about the possibility of using our Laser-ablation ICP-MS to analyse some ancient Roman Coins. As a result, I am currently supervising a Master's student working on that project. While our lab was set up specifically to focus on the composition of minerals from ore deposits for our collaborations with the Swedish mining industries, I, personally, would love to see us also expand into more archaeological research as well. While laser-ablation is, technically, a destructive analytical technique, I typically do spot analyses in the 5 to 50 µm size range, and maps of the change in composition of mineral grains up to 5 mm square and only a few µm deep, so the total damage to the object is minimal, and often not even visible to the naked eye.
I have often day-dreamed about doing a second PhD, this time on a geoarchaeological topic, but hadn't yet pursued it, in part because I really love living in northern Sweden and am not interested in relocating to somewhere further south, and my university does not have an archaeological department. However, a part-time PhD project wouldn't necessarily require relocating, if a program could be worked out that involved short visits, and therefore I am applying.
I am currently employed half-time, and due to budget reasons, am likely to stay at 50% employment for the foreseeable future, which means that I am available to undertake a second PhD project, if it were also half-time. I have spoken with my colleagues at LTU, and they agree to the plan of dividing my time on a partially rotating basis, where, for example, I could occasionally spend a couple of weeks to a month in Durham, or in the field, and spend a corresponding amount of time working full time in Luleå to balance that period, while most months I could work my normal 20 hours a week at LTU, and then spend the rest of my time working on my own research from home. They are also willing to let me use our LA-ICP-MS for my own research at cost, rather than paying our normal internal rate, which usually includes a fee for the salary of the operator (me).
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND & RESEARCH HISTORY
Before starting my current position, I obtained a MSc in Structural Geology, a PhD in Metamorphic Petrology, and post-doctoral experience in both Geochemical Modelling and, as a Marie Curie Research Fellow, in Experimental Petrology. My field experience includes the Brooks Range (Alaska), and Tasmania (Australia). My laboratory experience includes the use of LA-ICP-MS, Scanning Electron Microprobe, and a Piston-cylinder pressure apparatus for conducting high-pressure experiments (see CV for details).
TRAINING NEEDS
Since I have a strong background in geology and geochemistry, I feel that I have the first half of the “geoarchaeology” part covered. However, I will appreciate assistance getting up to speed on the archaeological side of the project. I will need an introduction to the conventions and best practices for handling artefacts in preparation for laboratory analysis, and in the interpretation of the data. I would also like the opportunity to try archaeological field work and experimental archaeology. I would also benefit from further training in statistics, especially as applied to archaeology.
PREFERED START DATE
I am available to begin with the start of the term in January 2018.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Prior to moving to Sweden, the spelling of my first name was "Reia". I had it changed, by one letter, so that Swedish speakers would pronounce it correctly on their first try. Therefore, papers I have published before 2013 use that spelling, if they display the first name at all.
REFERENCES CITED
Mathis, F., O. Vrielynck, K. Laclavetine, G. Chêne and D. Strivay (2008). "Study of the provenance of Belgian Merovingian garnets by PIXE at IPNAS cyclotron." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 226(10): 2348-2352.
Frei, K. M., R. Frei, U. Mannering, M. Gleba, M. L. Nosch and H. Lyngstrøm (2009). "Provenance Of Ancient Textiles-A Pilot Study Evaluating The Strontium Isotope System In Wool." Archaeometry 51(2): 252-276.
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Date: 2017-09-30 03:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-01 08:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-02 05:23 pm (UTC)