PhD Candidate: Houses and Hierarchies in Late Prehistoric Cyprus (1.0 FTE)
Vacancy number 15820
The Department of World Archaeology, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, is looking for a PhD candidate in the field of Archaeology to join the Inequal Cyprus project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and carried out at the Faculty of Archaeology of Leiden University.
Project Description
The Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, seeks to appoint a full-time PhD candidate to carry out research on indications for social inequalities in house and settlement configurations in late prehistoric Cyprus, between ca 4000 – 1700 BCE, by analysing house sizes, house inventories, building biographies, and settlement lay outs using both quantitative and contextual approaches. The aim is to reconstruct domestic practices and how they might relate to social inequalities for Cyprus during the Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age.
The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues in the World Archaeology Department at the Faculty of Archaeology, and with colleagues working on prehistoric Cyprus on the island and across the globe. The research should lead you to obtain a PhD within a four-year timeframe (1.0 FTE). Candidates with a good knowledge of Cypriot prehistory and household archaeology are especially encouraged to apply.
The PhD candidate will be supervised by Professor Bleda Düring (the project leader) and Dr. Jennifer Swerida, who is a specialist on the archaeology of West Asia.
The ERC AdG project Inequal Cyprus projects investigates the consolidation of social inequalities – a so far poorly understood development of crucial importance in the rise of complex societies in West Asia. Recent archaeological research into social inequalities has either used quantitative methods, such as the GINI measure, to demonstrate the emergence of inequalities, or questioned the existence of inequalities in early complex societies, for example in work of Graeber and Wengrow, leaving the complex question of how social inequalities were first consolidated unresolved.
To move this topic forward we need a mixed methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis, to reconstruct the significance and durability of social inequalities in prehistoric societies. In this project, the focus is on late prehistoric Cyprus (4000-1700 BCE). Decades of research have produced rich datasets from settlements and cemeteries, that suggest clear transformations in the articulation of social inequalities. In the Chalcolithic (4000-2500 BCE) we have evidence for short-lived social inequalities, especially in house sizes. By contrast, in the Prehistoric Bronze Age (2500-1700 BCE), social inequalities appear more consolidated, for example in graves.
This project will investigate social inequalities in everyday life (houses, objects, mobility, and diet), and in performed settings (burials, feasts, and figurative objects), to reconstruct how social inequalities featured in these social arenas. The aim is to both quantify evidence for social inequalities, and study how inequalities were culturally negotiated. The results will shed light on how and why social inequalities were consolidated in late prehistoric societies in Cyprus and contribute to broader discussions on the emergence of social inequalities.
The candidate will work as part of a research team. The PI will focus on methodological challenges for reconstructing social inequalities in late prehistoric Cyprus. Two postdocs will investigate the articulation of exchange networks and how diet and feasting played a role in the reproduction of society in late prehistoric Cyprus. Four PhD candidates will investigate how migration, buildings, burial practices, and figurative objects were used to negotiate social inequalities.
Key tasks
- Conduct collaborative and novel research in the field of household and settlement archaeology;
- Contribute to the overall aims of the Inequal Cyprus project;
- Participate in fieldwork related to the Inequal Cyprus project and have the willingness act as an ambassador of the project;
- Conduct research activities, including archival research, with project partners in the Cyprus, the Netherlands, and beyond;
- Carry out analyses of household contexts and materials;
- Analyse and integrate various types of archaeological and spatial datasets;
- Publish and present the work in international peer-reviewed journals and to academic and professional audiences, both independently and with team members;
- Actively participate in discussions at the faculty, department, and research group level on research innovation;
- Follow PhD courses based on an individual training and supervision plan, including through the Graduate School;
Selection criteria
- Master’s degree completed by the time of the appointment in Archaeology;
- Demonstrable ability and enthusiasm for innovative and inter-disciplinary research;
- Availability to travel and conduct fieldwork outside the Netherlands;
- Candidates with prior knowledge of Prehistoric Cyprus and household and settlement archaeology will have preference;
- Demonstrable good time-management, organisational, and communication skills;
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in an organised and result-oriented fashion;
- The PhD thesis will be written in English and therefore excellent command of English is required.
Our Faculty
The future of the past begins at Leiden University. The Faculty of Archaeology is internationally leading for its research, home to a broad array of specialisations and notable for its strong connection between teaching and research. Home to over 500 students in the multidisciplinary world of Archaeology, the Faculty, and its researchers from all areas of the archaeological field, determine the future of archaeological research. More information about our university and our faculty can be found at: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/archaeology
We offer
- The selected candidate will be appointed for 4 years in total: initially for a 1 year trial period, followed by an extension of 3 more years, in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
- The salary is the standard offered to PhD researchers in the Netherlands in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (P scale: P0 to P3 = €2770 - €3539 2901-3707 gross per month).
- Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.
- All our PhD students are embedded in the Graduate School of Archaeology. Our graduate school and Leiden University offer several PhD training courses at various levels.
Diversity
Leiden University attaches great importance to diversity and therefore welcomes applications from people who are currently under-represented at Leiden.
Applications are particularly welcome from minority ethnic candidates.
Information
For more information about the content of this vacancy, please contact Professor Bleda Düring, the project leader of the Inequal Cyprus project at [email protected]. For practical questions please mail to [email protected].
More information about Leiden University can be found at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en.
Apply
You can apply via the 'Apply' button. The deadline for applications is August 1st, 2025.
Applications must be submitted via SuccessFactors. The position is envisaged to start in November 2025, but a later start date is possible.
Please attach the following additional documents as one PDF file, stating the job number above:
- Motivation letter, including your relevant interest and experience in the subject matter and in doing advanced research (max 1 page)
- Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
- A writing sample (postgraduate thesis or publication)
- The names and addresses of two potential referees (no actual recommendation letters required at this stage).
The first round of interviews should be scheduled in Late August or September. Selected candidates will initially be invited for an online interview. We kindly request that you be available (online) during this period.
