The DFG Research Training Group 1878 (RTG) of the Universities of Cologne and Bonn on the topic of “Archaeology of Pre-Modern Economies” invites applications for one position of Graduate Fellowship leading to a Ph.D. at the University of Cologne to begin on October 1st, 2017. Applications are welcome in all subjects of the Research Training Group in Cologne. Applications for the field of Byzantine Studies are particularly desirable.

The position is for two years with the option to continue for a third year following a positive interim project evaluation. The well-supported salary will be according to the official German classification group TV-L 13.

Objectives, issues
The aim of the RTG is to record economic systems and economic areas of premodern societies in terms of their structure, efficiency and dynamics (genesis, transformation processes through to a potential dissolution) as well as to analyse them in interaction with their respective physical geographical, political, societal, religious and cultural conditions. The investigations will be focussed along three lines of research, ‘Economic Networks’, ‘Settlement Centres and Their Environs’ and ‘Religious Institutions and Households as Economic Units’.

Subjects
Applications are welcome in all subjects of the Research Training Group in Cologne: Pre- and Early History, Classical Archaeology, Archaeology of the Roman Provinces, Byzantine Studies, Ancient History, Ethnology. Applications for the field of Byzantine Studies are particularly desirable.

Dissertation topics
Enquirers can develop their own project proposals within the framework of the outlined research programme.

Language
The RTG languages are German and English. German language lessons can be taken free of charge if required. The dissertation may also be written in another language.

Location and supervison
The doctoral candidate (m/f) will be registered as a doctoral student at the University of Cologne.