ArchaeoSciences

The ArchaeoSciences Platform of ICUB is working towards excellence in the research areas within biology, chemistry, physics, history, archaeology, geography and geology sciences, by creating an attractive research platform and funding opportunities for the very best individual researchers and groups from our university, but also for foreign leading scientists and young researchers. Its aims to promote high-end research, to build a state-of-the-art research infrastructure within our university and provide scientific evidence for public policy decisions. Our mission is to promote interdisciplinary and internationally-oriented research projects in such domains as Bioarcheology, Geoarchaeology, Archaeometry, Molecular Archaeology, and Digital Archaeology.

We have developed a common platform – ArchaeoScience#RO Platform – that facilitating the complex, interdisciplinary and integrative approach of the archaeological cultural heritage, by means of conducting research and training in archaeological sciences and material immaterial cultural heritage (mobile and immobile) fields. In this way, the University of Bucharest will be the first university in Romania to address the field of Archaeological Sciences. This approach represents an excellent opportunity to connect Romania to the existing research directions and programs in other European Union countries and around the world

The ArchaeoScience#RO Platform integrated a systematic, inter-, multi- and trans-disciplinary scientific research direction, organized by the researchers from Faculties of History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Geology and Geophysics of the University of Bucharest, in order to meet the current Romanian and European needs, in line with the international trends. The research teams in the field of Archaeological Sciences are organised as five Research, Development, Innovation and Educational Training Units, grouped under the following sub-disciplines:

i). Bioarchaeology – will address research directions such as archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, palaeoanthropology, palaeomicrobiology and paleoparasitology;

ii). Geoarchaeology – will address research directions such as geomorphology, sedimentology, palaeohidrography, palaeogeography, palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, palaeorelief and landscape;

iii). The Material Culture Studies – will address the research directions related to virtually all of the archaeometric analyses of monuments, archaeological artefacts and ecofacts (e.g. petrography, mineralogy, chromatography, XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, RAMAN, PIXE, etc.);

iv). Digital Archaeology – will address research directions such as GIS analyses, statistical approaches, mathematical models, 3D modelling and reconstruction, non-intrusive prospects;

v). Molecular Archaeology – will address the research directions related to the isotopic study of ecofacts and artefacts, paleogenetic analyses (aDNA) and residual analyses.

 

Contact

E-mail: archaeoscience@icub.unibuc.ro
University of Bucharest
4-12 Regina Elisabeta Bd., 030018, Bucharest, Romania
Phone: +40(0)21-3058235

Staff

Catalin Lazar
Position:  Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Prehistory, Mortuary Practices, Populations Dynamics, Archaeometry, aDNA, Stable Isotopes, Paleoclimatology
Field of Study: Archaeological Sciences
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Catalin_Lazar

 

Ceramic Technology Laboratory

The Ceramic Technology Laboratory within the ArchaeoSciences Plarform focuses on the macro-scale analysis of technological aspects regarding all types of archaeological ceramic materials. Researchers here conduct investigations about the production/shaping methods, paste characterization, surface treatments, the type and manner of decoration, or the sort of combustion specific to the ceramic assemblages analyzed. Once established, all this information is doubled by data obtained through clay preparation, shaping, treatment, decoration, and firing experiments.
In addition to tools used for measuring the size, volume, weight, or humidity of a ceramic object, the laboratory is equipped with two electric furnaces (with a temperature limit of 1150-1200 oC), two potter’s wheels, two LED desk lamps with a magnifying glass, one Dremel 8220 variable-speed cordless rotary tool and one mini photo studio box with LED lighting.

MicroArchaeology Laboratory

The MicroArchaeology Laboratory within the AchaeoSciences Plarform focuses on the micro-scale analysis of different types of archaeological and experimental materials, such as bones, lithics (stone tools or other stone artifacts), metal, and ceramics. The investigations conducted here aim to identify a set of invisible elements regarding past manufacturing technologies of different objects, their functionality, and some other traces that may suggest particular actions or processes.
The laboratory is equipped with one Olympus SZ61 Stereo Zoom Microscope with illumination (connected to a desktop and a high definition TV), one Dino-Lite Digital Microscope with switchable UV/IR LEDs, and one Dino-Lite High Magnification Digital Microscope.

Thin Section Laboratory

The Thin Section Laboratory within the ArchaeoSciences Platform is located in the Faculty of Geology and focuses on preparing polished thin sections which provide the means of a detailed microscopic petrographic analysis of different types of artifacts, thus facilitating their composition, provenance, and technological investigation.
The laboratory is equipped with the complete range of instruments and tools required for completing the proposed operations, such as a slabbing machine, a trim saw, grinders, polishing machines, a sample heating plate, a microscope for checking the thin sections, and other types of supplies indispensable for their preparation.

Stable Isotope Laboratory

The Stable Isotope research facilities of the Archaeoscience#RO Platform are located in the Faculty of Biology of the University of Bucharest and our primary focus is stable isotope analysis for archaeological, paleontological, and ecological applications.
Many chemical elements have naturally occurring stable isotopes that differ in their mass, and behave differently in many environmental and physiological processes, resulting in natural variations in their relative abundance. This process is called isotopic fractionation and leads to predictable changes in isotopic ratios, which can be analyzed using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer.
Stable isotope analysis of Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Hydrogen is used in Archaeology, Palaeontology, Ecology, or Forensic to expand the spectrum of information that the human, animal, and plant remains can provide. This data is related to the diet, habitat, and mobility, and allows us to understand societies and ecosystems of the past.
The Stable Isotope lab is equipment with a mass spectrometer and periphery modules for C, N, O, and H isotope ratio analysis (Eurovector EUROEA3028-HT), an ultra-fine balance (Radwag UYA 2.4Y), a freeze dryer (Christ Alpha 1-2 LDplus) and a mixer mill (Retsch MM200). By using this equipment our lab analyses samples from teeth, bone, charred seeds, mollusk shells, lake cores, soil cores, etc.

Paleomagnetic Laboratory

The Paleomagnetic laboratory is a joint laboratory between the Faculty of Physics and the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of the University of Bucharest. The laboratory is dedicated to paleomagnetic and rockmagnetic studies and their applications in tectonics, environmental magnetism, and geomagnetism.
This facility is equipped with several instruments needed in paleomagnetism and rockmagnetism studies such as MicroMag AGM/VSM, Spinner Magnetometers, MFK1-A kappabridge with CS3 furnace, CS-L cryostat and 3D rotator, MS2 and MS3 magnetic susceptibility meter with different sensors, thermal demagnetizers, portable rock drills, etc.
Our team provides technical support to research groups working on several research topics, such as paleomagnetism analysis of rock samples using alternating field and thermal demagnetization, measuring various magnetic parameters for environmental magnetism studies of rocks and soils/paleosols, rockmagnetic measurements, and archaeomagnetic dating of archaeological remains which is the study and interpretation of the signatures of the Earth’s magnetic field at past times recorded in archaeological materials.

Digital Archaeology Laboratory

The Digital Archaeology Laboratory is a research infrastructure composed of scholars who use Earth Sciences techniques and digital tools for archaeological and heritage research.
Activities are divided into two main categories: field data collection using our state-of-the-art surveying equipment, and post-processing stage to process, visualize, analyze, interpret, manage and present digital data in our computer laboratory. Our research directions in survey, geophysical prospections, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and data management covers the whole workflow of archaeological research.
Computer-based tools such as spatial analysis, statistical analysis, or image analysis have opened up new avenues for archaeological inquiry, significantly broadening our understanding of human past behaviors, social organization, past and present landscape modification, and how all these influenced the interaction between communities and natural factors.

Scientific Committee

Catalin Lazar
Position: Staff, Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Prehistory, Mortuary Practices, Populations Dynamics, Archaeometry, aDNA, Stable Isotopes, Paleoclimatology
Field of Study: Archaeological Sciences
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Catalin_Lazar

Carmen Chfiriuc
Position: Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Palaeomicrobiology, aDNA, Isotopic Studies
Field of Study: Bioarchaeology, Molecular Archaeology
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mariana_Chifiriuc3

Mihai Ducea
Position: Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Isotopic Studies, Palaeoclimatology, Paleoenvironmental Studies, Geochemistry
Field of Study: Molecular Archaeology , Geoarchaeology
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mihai_Ducea

Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe
Position: Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Paleoenvironmental Studies, Costal Geomorphology, Rivers Dynamics
Field of Study: Geoarchaeology
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfred_Vespremeanu-Stroe

Vasile Bercu
Position: Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Cultural Material Studies, Artefacts
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vasile_Bercu

Otilia Cinteza
Position: Scientific Committee
Research Interests: Cultural Material Studies, Artefacts, Residual Analysis
Field of Study: Archaeochemistry
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Otilia_Cinteza

Associated Members

Cristian Panaiotu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Palaeomagnetism, Archaeoagnetism
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cristian_Panaiotu

Octavian Duliu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Elemental Analysis, Geochemistry, XRF, XRD
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: Page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Octavian_Duliu2

Relu Roban
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Thin Sections, Petrography, Mineralogy
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Relu-Dumitru_Roban

Livia Petrescu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: 3D Morphometric Reconstructions
Field of Study: Bioarchaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Livia_Petrescu2

Gabriel Popescu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: R, statistics, GIS, quantification methods
Field of Study: Digital Archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gabriel_Popescu7

Daniela Dimofte
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Thin Sections, Petrography, Mineralogy, XRF, XRD
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniela_Dimofte

Diana Hanganu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Archaeobotany, Palynology, Paleoenvironmental Studies
Field of Study: Bioarchaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diana_Hanganu

Cristina Covataru
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: GIS, Topography
Field of Study: Digital Archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cristina_Covataru2

Bogdan Manea
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Pottery Technology, Experimental Archaeology, Thin Sections
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bogdan_Manea

Adrian Serbanescu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: GPR, ERT, Magnetometry
Field of Study: Digital Archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adrian_Serbanescu

Ovidiu Frujina
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: UAV, GIS, Topography, Filed Data
Field of Study: Digital Archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ovidiu_Frujina

Daniel Stoicescu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: laser ablation ICP-MS, X ray CT
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel_Stoicescu

Bianca Olteanu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: architectonic decoration
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bianca_Olteanu

Iulia Iliescu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: late roman pottery, ceramic studies
Field of Study: Archaeometry
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Iulia_Iliescu3

Laurentiu Tutuianu
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: sedimentology, coastal and fluvial geoarchaeology, fluvial geomorphology
Field of Study: Geoarchaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laurentiu_Tutuianu

Luminita Preoteasa
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Geomorphology, geochronology, marine geology, costal processes
Field of Study: Geoarchaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luminita_Preoteasa2

Bogdan Ispas
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Stable Isotopes, mass spectrometry
Field of Study: Molecular archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bogdan_Ispas

Georgiana Grigore
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: Stable Isotopes, mass spectrometry
Field of Study: Molecular archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Grigore_Georgiana2

Cristi Roth
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: GIS, topography
Field of Study: Digital archaeology
Personal Web: https://unibuc.academia.edu/CristianRoth

Valentin Bottez
Position: Associated Members
Research Interests: UAV, Field data
Field of Study: Digital archaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Valentin_Bottez

 

 

Fellows

Ana Garcia Vazquez
Division: Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences
Position: ICUB Fellow
Dates at ICUB: 01.02.2020 – 31.01.2021
Research Interests: Stable Isotopes
Field of Study: Molecular Archaeology
Personal Web:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana_Garcia-Vazquez

ICUB Young Research Grants

N/A yet

Members in Research Grants

Platformă instituţională interdisciplinară de Excelenţă în Cercetarea, Dezvoltarea, Inovarea şi Formarea Profesională din Domeniul Ştiinţelor Arheologice/Archaeological Science

Membrii: TBA

 

International Research Project Geoarchaeology of Environmental Changes in Lower Danube and its Delta – GOCHE. Collaborative International Project between GEODE UMR 5602 CNRS-Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès (France), « Alexandru Ioan Cuza » University Iasi (Romania), UMR 7266 Lienss, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle (France), « Vasile Parvan » Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy (Romania), “Gavrila Simion” Eco-Museal Research Institute (ICEM) from Tulcea (Romania), and ICUB (ArchaeoScience Platform) (Romania).

Membrii: Catalin Lazar, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Cristina Covataru, Bogdan Manea, Ovidiu Frujina

 

Sine Qua Non: Calibration of radiocarbon ages and correction of the freshwater reservoir effect in Southeastern Romania. A colaborative project between Institute of the University of Bucharest as Coordinator Organization (CO), and „Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering as Partner Organization (P1)

Members: Gabriel Popescu, Cristian Panaiotu, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Catalin Lazar, Marcela Popa, Cristina Covataru, Ovidiu Frujina, Georgiana Grigore

 

Waterscape: Mapping the Prehistoric Waterscape from Southern Romania (7000-3000 cal. BC). Natural water supply and cultural water demand in the past.

Membrii: Catalin Lazar, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Bogdan Manea, Cristina Covataru, Ana García-Vázquez.

Visiting Professors

Laurent Carozza
Division: Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences
Position: Visting professor
Research Interests: Fluvial and costal geomorphology, environemental changes
Field of Study: Geoarchaeology
Personal Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laurent_Carozza

Events Archive

ArchaeoSciences Seminars

Cornelis Stal  (HOGENT, Belgia) – Spatial data and open-source software for archaeological research (21 aprilie 2021)

Rog Palmer (Air Photo Services Cambridge, UK) – Uses Of aerial images in developer-led archaeology (25 martie 2021)

Contemporary Issues and Debates in Geoarchaeology. Looking to the ancient harbours of the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Talks, Debates & Lectures (27-29 May 2019)

Archaeology as a Science of Long Term Biosocial Changes. Talks, Debates & Lectures (3 July 2019)

Archaeology as a Science of Long-Term Biosocial Changes. Talks, Debates & Lectures  (13-14 June 2019)

Contemporary Issues and Debates in Neolithic Archaeology. Talks, Debates & Lectures  (24-26 September 2019)

Contemporary Trends in Pottery Technology. Talks, Debates & Lectures (7-10 October)

Contemporary Trends in Pottery Technology (II). Talks, Debates & Lectures (5-8 November 2019)

Use of Radiogenic Isotopes in Archaeology and other provenance topics. Talks, Debates & Lectures (19 November 2019)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar: Dr. Laurent Carozza, Université de Toulouse le Mirail, CNRS UMR 5602 GEODE (France) (23 July 2020, Sultana)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar: Dr. Alice Toso, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona(Spain) /University of York, BioArch, Department of Archaeology (UK) (28 July 2020, Sultana)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar: Professor Stefano Campana, University of Siena (Italia) (5 October 2020, Bucharest)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar : Dr. Anca Dan, CNRS-ENS, University Paris Science Lettres, (France) (14 October 2020, Bucharest)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar: Dr. Ana García-Vázquez, ArchaeoSciences Division of Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB) (28 October 2020, Bucharest)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar:  Dr. Vladimir Slavchev, Varna Regional History Museum (Bulgaria) (4 November 2020, Bucharest)

ArchaeoSciences Seminar: Professor Petya Georgieva, Sofia University (Bulgaria) (6 November 2020, Bucharest)

Bread and porridge at Early Neolithic Göbekli Tepe, Turkey (18 March 2021)

ArchaeoSciences Summer Schools

Introduction in Bioarchaeology

Introduction in Photogrammetry and GIS

 

ArchaeoSciences Conferences

Les sociétés préhistoriques dans l’espace Carpato-Danubian: environnements, systèmes techniques,interactions / The Prehistoric societies in the Carpato-Danubian area: environments, technical systems

 

Workshops

Archeoclimate BP – Interactions between Climatic and Environmental Conditions and Human Societies during the Holocene in SE Europe (II) (11 mai 2021)

“Contribuția arheologiei experimentale la studierea materialului ceramic arheologic” in cadrul Seminarului Archaeological Sciences – Dimensiunea științifică a abordării moderne a trecutului istoric și a patrimoniului cultural național, în cadrul Școalii de vară de știință și tehnologie de la Măgurele (23 August – 5 September 2020, Măgurele)

“Metode de analize geo-spațiale ale datelor istorico- arheologice” in cadrul Seminarului Archaeological Sciences – Dimensiunea științifică a abordării moderne a trecutului istoric și a patrimoniului cultural național, în cadrul Școalii de vară de știință și tehnologie de la Măgurele (23 August – 5 September 2020, Măgurele)

“Efectele activităților umane asupra mediilor geografice; Analizele cantitative în arheologice” in cadrul Seminarului Archaeological Sciences – Dimensiunea științifică a abordării moderne a trecutului istoric și a patrimoniului cultural național, în cadrul Școalii de vară de știință și tehnologie de la Măgurele (23 August – 5 September, Măgurele)

Methods of excavation and recording in the archaeological sites (4-26 martie 2021)

Analiză spațială și GIS pentru arheologie. Vizualizarea, stocarea, gestionarea și analiza datelor geo-spațiale pentru Patrimoniul Imobil (26 februarie – 2 aprilie 2021)

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