Awardees

The objective of this project is to conduct experiments related to cremation in order to improve protocols for the study of burned bones. The goal is to optimize the identification of bone fragments—particularly immature ones—which are often underestimated in studies of ancient cremations. Using animal remains, within a strictly controlled legal and ethical framework, we intend to perform several types of cremations that adhere to the methods used in ancient cremations. This will allow us to observe how bodily remains react to fire based on their intrinsic properties, as well as on the type of equipment used, the manner in which the cremation is conducted, and the environment in which it takes place. We hope that, upon completion of this project, we will be able to propose an improved research method that will enable more reliable studies.

Partner(s):

• Laboratoire d'anthropologie de Draguignan (Dracénie Provence Verdon Agglomération)

Since 2021, with the support of Arkaia and partners in Italy (Pisa, Rome, Sicily), we have been developing a comprehensive program to identify the sources of granite columns and other artifacts (primarily paving stones) used in antiquity and reused in the Middle Ages. To date, 2,650 objects, rich in variety and from a wide range of locations, have been characterized across much of Italy, particularly in Sicily, Calabria, and Campania. To complete the study, we propose a field mission to Puglia in 2026, where a dozen sites rich in granite columns have been identified. The planned six-day expedition will be based in Bari, a city whose university also offers the opportunity to study its collection of marble quarries.

Partner(s):

• Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
• University of Catania
• University of Pisa
• National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology
• University of Palermo
• Sapienza University of Rome

The project aims to develop an integrated approach combining molecular analysis by LC-MS and radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating to improve the reliability of dating archaeological organic matter. It proposes to identify and select the molecular families most relevant for dating using molecular networks. The project is structured around three main areas: (1) the development and standardization of LC-MS protocols; (2) the classification of different compound families using a molecular network-based approach; (3) targeted fractionation, carbon content assessment, and AMS dating of the most representative fractions. Model and archaeological samples (Mayan mirrors, Roman catacombs, Egyptian balms) will be used to validate this methodology. Led by IMBE and CEREGE, the project combines analytical chemistry, archaeometry, and geochronology to establish a new strategy for analyzing and dating organic matter in ancient artifacts.

The villa at Santa Marina, about ten kilometers north of the Roman settlement of Parentium (Poreč) on the Istrian coast (Croatia), is a characteristic example of the establishment of large maritime estates spanning promontories or bays, which punctuate this highly indented coastline. The LVSaM project aims to study the villa’s relationship with the sea by exploring recently identified shallow-water submerged coastal structures. Through partnerships with Croatian institutions and the application of innovative methods (bathymetry, ground-penetrating radar, Lidar) combined with archaeological surveys—both at sea and on land—LVSaM will establish a research protocol for coastal archaeology tailored to the analysis of the villa’s harbor and waterfront. Close collaboration between architects and archaeologists will enable the integration of all data into a comprehensive understanding of the built environment at the scale of the coastline and the maritime domain, with the primary outcome being a benchmark study for the Roman Adriatic.

This interdisciplinary project explores the dialogue between medieval literature and materials chemistry through the study of manuscripts commissioned by Tanguy IV du Chastel and Jeanne Raguenel de Malestroit during the^{15th century} . It aims to better understand the process of building a seigneurial library by treating the manuscript as a genuine archaeological artifact. Thus, the methodology developed over the years combines in situ analyses of the works with the reconstruction of workshop practices at the MADIREL laboratory.

This project reinforces this approach through three research trips: (i) one at the Bodleian Library (Oxford) to study an unpublished manuscript (ii) the second at the Les Champs Libres Library (Rennes) to develop a spectroscopic database characterizing the binders used in the late Middle Ages (iii) finally, at the BnF (Paris), focusing on the *Book of the Properties of Things*, which is an essential work for understanding the technical practices of illuminators.

Partner(s):

• Centre Interdisciplinaire de Conservation et de Restauration du Patrimoine
• Institut Néel

Cities began to proliferate in Crete as early as the 8th–7th centuries B.C.E. Although they have attracted attention only in recent decades, these poleis arenow better understood; however, their development in natural environments that were initially inhospitable still raises questions. The rugged site of Dréros (Eastern Crete), however, provides an opportunity to study the resources essential for such development in an environment constrained, in particular, by its karst topography. This city is now one of the most extensively studied on the island in terms of urban planning and architecture, with recent excavations also beginning to document the use of mineral, plant, and animal raw materials for construction, production, and daily life. Bringing together the humanities and environmental sciences around the theme of the water resources necessary for these activities, this geoarchaeological research project therefore aims to conduct additional surveys and analyses to take advantage of the opportunity offered by this site—unique in Crete— to reconstruct the urban and natural landscapes of a community that lived from the 8th to the 2nd centuries BCE on the edge of the low mountain range, in an area that appears to be ill-suited for human settlement.

Partner(s):

• French School of Athens
• National Technical University of Athens
• Autonomous University of Barcelona

Excavated in the 1990s, the Roman circus in Arles is currently the subject of renewed research aimed at producing a monograph. The excavations revealed a foundation system built on wooden piles in four of the stands’ foundation caissons. A dendrochronological analysis conducted in 1991 determined that the trees were felled in the winter of 148–149 CE (with the exception of a single tree dated to 143), thereby establishing the terminus post quem for the circus’s construction. By re-examining the piles preserved at the Musée départemental Arles antique for documentation and analysis, this project aims to determine the geographic origin of the oak trees used for the Arles circus based on their strontium isotope ratio (^⁸⁷Sr/^⁸⁶Sr). This will also provide an opportunity to conduct more in-depth morphological observations of the posts (dendromorphology, trace analysis, xylological study). The dating will also be verified. These new data will help address the issue of the construction project’s economics (selection of trees, organization of foundation work, duration of the project, etc.), which is important in this comprehensive re-examination of the monument.

Partner(s):

• Arles Antique Departmental Museum
• Ipso Facto Company

Creation of an immersive, interactive tour of the Castellar oppidum in Cadenet (84), using a digital guide accessible via their smartphone. The aim is to make the visit informative, fun and educational, focusing on the archaeological aspects while making it accessible to a wide audience, including younger generations who are often keen on modern technology. What's more, as the remains are located beneath a pine forest, a magnificent green setting on the outskirts of the village, this trail will combine two strong elements: the archaeological and historical theme, and the family-friendly outdoor sports activity (walking, cycling, horse-riding). An approach that will also enhance and preserve this site, which is currently abandoned.

Ancient Greek architecture featured numerous metal seals to ensure the cohesion and stability of buildings. These seals take different forms, depending on their static role and the period in which they were used. They are made of iron, copper, bronze or lead. The systematic inventory and analysis of these artefacts at two emblematic sites of Greek architecture, Delphi and Delos, will not only shed light on their role in construction, but also, thanks to the analysis of metals and their isotopes, determine the origin of the ores and metal production techniques. These results should renew our knowledge of metal supply circuits in antiquity.

Partner(s):

• Musée du Louvre (Paris)
• Center de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (Paris)
• École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Strasbourg (France)
• Laboratoire Archéologies et sciences de l'Antiquité (ArScAn - Paris)
• French School of Athens
• French Society for the Study of Mining and Metallurgy (Société française pour l'étude des mines et de la métallurgie)

The project presented merges the humanities and computer sciences to streamline architectural surveys and promote interdisciplinarity. By jointly exploiting innovative technologies such as deep learning, computer vision and virtual reality, as yet little used in archaeology, it opens up new perspectives for the study of historic monuments. Currently, the manual survey of archaeological structures, based on 3D models, is laborious and fragmented. The aim of the project is to unify these processes by combining AI and traditional techniques to create immersive and collaborative visualizations, facilitating the production of new knowledge. The multidisciplinary team already has a variety of datasets, collected from Mediterranean sites, and has achieved promising results in modeling and segmentation of constructive elements.

Partner(s):

• Center Camille Jullian (Aix-en-Provence)