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CSC-Tübingen PhD Program: Project 08/2025: Identity and the social-economic context of the earliest tradition of three dimensionally shaped personal ornaments

Topic Description: The earliest personal ornaments are modified natural forms, most notable perforated shells and teeth recovered from multiple regions of Africa and Eurasia. With the beginnings of the Upper Paleolithic personal ornaments become more abundant and more diverse. The first record of the systematic manufacture and use of three dimensionally shaped ornaments comes from the Swabian Aurignacian dating to 42.5 – 35 ka BP. These artifacts include many forms carved from mammoth ivory, most notably the iconic form of oval double-perforated beads which are well-documented at Sirgenstein, Geißenklösterle, Hohle-Fels and Vogelherd – all UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites - in the Ach and Lone valleys of southwestern Germany. Although scholars including Hahn, Wolf and Conard have addressed the context and variety of these important artifacts, which are thought to document aspects of identity within and between social groups, more work is needed to determine the precise methods that Aurignacian people used to make the artifacts and to ascertain how the artifacts were used, recycled and ultimately discarded or lost. This CSC Doctoral Fellowship would fund research on microscopic studies of use-wear and experimental studies to determine how these artifacts were made and used. Based on contexts of their discovery, it should also be possible to embed the finds within the narrative of the social lives of Aurignacian people who settled the upper reaches of the Danube Valley. This work should illuminate the social and evolutionary questions surrounding the issue of the interbreeding between early modern humans and Neanderthals and ultimately the replacement of Neanderthals who had lived in the Danube region for many tens of thousands of years before the successful spread of Homo sapiens around 40 ka BP.

Faculty: Faculty of Science
Institute/Section/Subject: Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Medieval Archaeology
Supervising Professors: Prof. Nicholas J. Conard Ph.D. (MA, MSc, BA, BA)

About the Supervisors: PNicholas Conard is a prehistorian who regularly directs excavations in Europe, SW Asia and Africa. His expertise covers many areas of archaeology, Quaternary studies and human evolution.

Degree: Dr. rer. nat. in Prehistoric Archaeology
Type of the PhD Study: Full-time (complete doctoral studies at the University of Tübingen)

Requirements for the application:
Required Degrees: Master’s degree in prehistoric archaeology , experience on archaeological excavations and with archaeological labwork
Language Requirements: Good knowledge of English. Some knowledge of German would be helpful.



For further instructions on how to apply, more information on the program and contact details please see below.

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CSC-Tübingen PhD Program
The China Scholarship Council (CSC) and the University of Tübingen have established a PhD Program which supports Chinese nationals inside and outside of China wishing to carry out all or part of their PhD study in Tübingen.

Aims:

• providing high quality research training to qualified students from Chinese universities
• developing education and research collaborations between the University of Tübingen and Chinese universities and research institutions

Target group:
Excellent postgraduate and doctoral students from the People's Republic of China.

Funding line A - Full time fellowship:

• postgraduate students who want to carry out their complete doctoral studies at the University of Tübingen
• up to 48 months
• degree conferred by the University of Tübingen
• Annual living allowance as prescribed by the Chinese Government (which includes Overseas Student Health Cover)

Funding Line B - Part time fellowship (sandwich model):

• doctoral students who want to carry out their research and studies alternatively at their home universities and the University of Tübingen. They follow a schedule set in advance by both the Chinese supervisors and supervisors at the University of Tübingen
• 6-24 months in Tübingen
• degree conferred by the Chinese home university
• Annual living allowance as prescribed by the Chinese Government (which includes Overseas Student Health Cover) for 6-24 months

Funding for both Funding lines includes:

• Return airfare to Germany
• Visa application fees
• Support for the attendance of international conferences during the second and third year (up to 1000€ granted to successful applicants)

Benefits for both funding lines:

• Tuition waiver
• Option to take German language classes provided by the University of Tübingen during the first year
• Accommodation offered in Tübingen student dormitories depending on availability
• Opportunities to gain additional teaching and research experience as well as economic benefits from the University of Tübingen from the second year onward (depending on the ability of the applicant and the situation of the respective institute)

Application Process:

• Jan 15: Application deadline. Applications must be handed in through the online application system of the University of Tübingen
• by March 10: Successful applicants will be officially informed
• by March 31: Invited applicants have to register with the CSC according to the regulations of the CSC.
• by May 31: Final decisions about the allocation of scholarships will be made by the CSC
• by Oct 1: Program participants arrive in Tübingen
• Successful candidates must return to China upon completion of their studies.

How to Apply:
In order to apply you need to upload the following documents combined in 1 PDF

• Cover/Motivation letter
• CV
• Research proposal (3-5 pages)
• Academic transcripts* (if you have not yet completed your Master's studies, please submit a confirmation of studies and an up-to-date transcript of records)
• Proof of proficient English language skills (i.e. comprehension of a wide range of demanding, longer texts as well as fluent and spontaneous expression allowing a flexible and effective language use for social, academic and professional purposes.) - TOEFL iBT 95 or IELTS 6.5 or equivalent

*List of required Academic transcripts (including official translation into German or English for documents issued in Chinese)
1) Bachelor’s Degree Award Certificate / Bachelor Gradverleihungsurkunde (学士学位证书 xueshi xuewei zhengshu)
2) Bachelor's Degree Certificate/ Abschlusszeugnis (毕业证书 biye zhengshu) für das Bachelorstudium (本科 benke)
3) Transcript of the subjects and marks / Fächer- und Notenübersicht (成绩表 chengjibiao) for your Bachelor’s degree/ für das Bachelorstudium (本科 benke)
4) Master’s Degree Award Certificate / Master-Gradverleihungsurkunde (硕士学位证书 shuoshi xuewei zhengshu)
5) Master’s Degree Certificate/ Abschlusszeugnis für das Masterstudium (硕士研究生毕业证书 shuoshi yanjiusheng biye zhengshu)
6) Transcript of the subjects and marks for your Master’s Degree / Fächer- und Notenübersicht für das Masterstudium (硕士研究生成绩表 shuoshi yanjiusheng chengjibiao)

For questions please contact:
(Ms) Tetyana Tonkoshkur
Dezernat II – Forschung
Internationale Forschungskooperation
+49 7071 29-750005
international.research@uni-tuebingen.de
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