Postdoc: From milk to wine, feeding bottles in ritual contexts in Hellenistic Western Mediterranean: Alimentary or therapeutic practices ?

Université Bretagne Sud  (UBS) is looking for excellent postdoctoral researchers from outside France for building together innovative aplications for independant research fellowships through the mobility programme Marie-Sklodowska Curie Actions - European Fellowships to the next call (09 September 2020). MSCA-EF are prestigious fellowships funded by the European Commission.

They offer a rare opportunity to talented scientists: the chance to set up research programmes of their own. They provide an attractive grant for 1 to 2 years including salaries (around 2500€ net per month, with social care included) and allowances for mobility, family and research.

The deadline of submission to the European commission is on 09th September 2020; details on the call for proposal MSCA-EF webpage (the date may be subject to changes due to the current COVID-19 situation)

The topic and team below have been identified for welcoming you to develop your research project at UBS and helping you to write a persuasive proposal for the European submission in September.

General description of the project:

Keywords: History and archaeology, Feeding-bottles, children alimentation and care, medicine, tombs

Project context:

Among the rich variety and typology of ceramics, the particular category of the « feeding bottles » generates a whole lot of issues concerning its functions and its origins. There is an increase of production of these vases in the Gallish provinces of the Roman empire. Thanks to biochemical analyses, our recent researchs have shown that the Gallo-Roman bottles were used as therapeutic dispenser, as well as to administrate a drink to children. While the medical texts of the Roman period confirm an alimentary and therapeutic use of the vases, none of them explain the motivation that drove to deposit the « feeding bottles » in tombs or in sanctuaries. The fact that the spout vases are predominant in children’s tombs, not only in the Gallo-Roman world but already in the Western Mediterranean area (Greeks, Etruscans, Italics and Romans, Phoenician and Punics, Celts), during the very rich period in terms of intercultural exchanges (4th- 2nd c. B.C.), let believe in a “longue durée” of the practices.

Methodology:

• Archaeology, study of each archaeological context

• Ceramology, technical approach (traceological and functional studies)

• Bioarchaeology, interpretations of biochemical and botanical analyses

• Cartography and 3D surveys of each object inside the contexts

• Database of feeding bottles and associated rituals

Scientific objectives:

The twofold objectives are (1) to have a better understanding of the cultural interactions in the Northwestern Mediterranean in the alimentary and therapeutic fields, (2) the knowledge of the European (Celtic) or Mediterranean origins (Punic, Greek, Etruscan) of the adoption, by the Gallo-Romans, of the feeding bottles.

This subject lies at the frontiers of therapeutic and alimentary practices, the frontiers of Celtic, Etruscan, Punic and Greek Mediterranean cultures, but concerns also the complex cultural interactions in the domain of ritual gestures.

Career Objectives:

-Innovative and specific know-how with new perspectives in terms of skills.

Supervisor:

Dominique Frère

Academic position

Member of the CNRS laboratory TEMOS (Temps, mondes, sociétés, UMR 9016), with a research focus on the biological products (Lorient: http://temos.cnrs.fr).

Professor of Archaeology and Ancient History of Europe and Mediterranean. Main topics: archaeology of food; history and archaeology of maritime trade; history and archaeology of ancient western Mediterranean; European protohistory; Greek, Roman and Etruscan iconography.

Scientific profile

As an archaeologist, I have participated, from 1991 to 2008, in several archaeological excavations, mostly in France and Italy (Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Sardinia) but also in Libya and Armenia.

As a specialist of bioarchaeological researches, I have been organising, since 2008, many archaeological missions in France and Italy for the study and analysis of archaeological artefacts.

As a specialist of the Greek and Etruscan ceramics, I have been carrying out, since 1995, material studies and publications in many French and Italian museums and archaeological excavations.

As a historian, I have been studying, since 1995, iconographic, textual and archaeological evidence about the Greek and Etruscan perfume and perfumed rituals.

References:

• D. Frère, E. Dodinet, N. Garnier, D. Barbier-Pain, “Biological exchanges in protohistoric Gaul: the case of the princely grave of Lavau”, UISPP Journal, 2020, in press

• D. Frère, L. Hugot, N. Garnier, “La Chambre des Chenets de Cerveteri. Les rituels parfumés d’après les analyses chimiques de contenus”. In Naso A., & Botto M., (Eds.), Caere orientalizzante. Nuove ricerche su città e necropoli, CNR-Musée du Louvre: Rome, 367-387.

• D. Frère & N. Garnier “Dairy Product and Wine in Funerary Rituals: The Case of a Hellenistic Etruscan Tomb”, Journal of Historical Archaeology & Anthropological Sciences, 1, 6, 222-227 (DOI: 10.15406/jhaas.2017.01.00034).

Web page:bioarchaeo.hypotheses.org