DPhil doctoral studentship Investigating Early Electrum Coinage with Neutrons and Muons at Oxford and ISIS Neutron and Muon Sour

Coinage, and to some extent money, as we know it today traces its roots back to the first coins produced in the ancient Greek world. These are known as early electrum coinages with the very earliest of these being produced by the Kingdom of Lydia in western Turkey in the 7th century BC. Existing analyses of these objects indicate that they are probably quite heterogeneous, either due to a ‘naturally’ inconsistent alloy, poor mixing, or deliberate chemical alterations to the surfaces of the coins. The techniques available at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source will allow for non-destructive elemental and structural analyses to be performed on the ‘bulk’ of the coins, as well as in discrete ‘slices’ deep beneath the surface. This will enable the investigation of the manufacturing techniques used to make early electrum coinage.

Studentship
This is a fully funded joint doctoral studentship between the School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. The studentship will cover tuition fees (at the ‘home’ rate) and an annual stipend at the UKRI rate (currently £20,780 p.a.). It has a duration of 48 months from the 1st of October 2025. The successful student will be registered for a DPhil within the School of Archaeology and will be expected to spend extended periods of time at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Research support in excess of £2000 p.a. will be available. The studentship has c. £100,000 worth of muon beam time already allocated to it, and the student will be provided with the support necessary to secure further allocations.
The student will be supervised by Dr George Green (School of Archaeology) and Professor Frédérique Duyrat (Ashmolean Museum). The ISIS supervisors will be Dr Antonella Scherillo and Dr Adrian Hillier.

Activities
This project will primarily investigate the manufacturing techniques used to make early electrum coinage, focusing on the coins held in the Ashmolean Museum. The student will first familiarise themselves with the collection, assisting the curators with digitising the catalogue and making it publicly available. In the museum the student will perform portable XRF analyses on the coins. This will provide a baseline against which ISIS’ techniques can be compared.

The major activities of the studentship will consist of the application and interpretation of ISIS’ elemental analysis, diffraction, and imaging capabilities. The student will first use muonic X-ray emission spectroscopy (μXES) to depth profile the major element composition of the coins, allowing for the true heterogeneity of early electrum to be revealed. The student will then take advantage of the neutron imaging and elemental analysis capabilities at ISIS. Imaging will allow for a proper investigation of the inner morphology of the electrum, and neutron-based elemental analysis techniques will provide comparative major element data and bulk trace element analysis.

It is envisaged that the student will begin with a focus on the earliest Greek electrum produced in Lydia, but will then have the freedom to choose the material for the next phases of analysis depending on their numismatic and archaeological interest.

Potential Research Questions
• How heterogenous are the gold-silver alloys used to make early electrum coinage?
• Is there evidence for routine deliberate surface enrichment?
• What processes and techniques were used during the manufacture of early electrum?
• Can the major element composition or structure of the electrum reveal whether a naturally occurring or a man-made alloy has been used?
• Can the trace element composition of the coins be used to group unattributed issues together?
• Do these answers change over time, between issues or across regions?

Selection and Application
In addition to the standard entry requirements for admittance to a DPhil within the School of Archaeology, the successful student will have a strong background in a relevant subject area and a demonstrable interest in ancient numismatics, archaeological science and/or the archaic Greek world. Prior experience with neutrons or muons is not expected. Applications are welcome from those across the sciences and humanities.

One studentship will be awarded. In the first instance interested applicants should contact Dr George Green at george.green@arch.ox.ac.uk for an informal discussion well in advance of the formal application window.

The closing date for applications is Friday 19 September 2025.

For more information and to apply visit https://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/article/exciting-new-joint-funded-doctoral-studentship-between-school-and-isis-neutron-and-muon