History of ancient and medieval mathematical astronomy: A 1-year post doc
position within the PSL research project TAMAS-Tables Analysis Methods for
the history of Astral Sciences

Deadline: September 30, 2016
Notification: November,1, 2016
Sarting dates: between January 1 and June 1, 2017

Observatoire de Paris, SYRTE, Equipe d’histoire.

Post doc description
The postdoctoral researcher will participate in TAMAS a PSL research
project that pursues new standards in the edition and analysis of ancient
and medieval astronomical tables. 
For centuries across Eurasia, astronomical tables were constructed,
compiled and copied to meet a wide range of religious, ritualistic and
political needs, to make calendars, to predict the future astrologically,
and to understand the natural world. Such tables circulated among cultures
and were appropriated and transformed by a great diversity of actors. Thus,
the numerical data conveyed in these tables provide rich evidence for
exchange and ancient scientific practices. For example, from tabular data,
we can recover how complex massive numerical computations were handled in
the ancient world. Tables also reveal how astral phenomena were modelled
and how reasoning and prediction were shaped. As written documents of a
special type, falling between computation per se and data storage,
astronomical tables expose epistemic writing practices in their layout and
their combination into “sets” of tables. Created by complex computation
with often-interlinked algorithms, circulating tables generally were
adapted to new contexts and purposes rather than recomputed from scratch.
Thus in addition to their individual contents, astronomical tables viewed
more generally can provide unmatched sources for studying the transmission
of computational know-how, writing technologies and layouts, theoretical
models, and numerical parameters. With enhanced digital editorial and
analytical tools, scholars will be able to chart previously unrecognized
paths of circulation, to learn how large collections of tables were shaped,
and to track the spread and appropriation of particular computational
practices.
A central goal of TAMAS is to bring together emerging and more senior
scholars. By working together through carefully selected case studies, such
collaboration encourages both the transmission of tacit know-how generally
not found in scholarly publications as well as the critical reappraisal of
the traditional and fundamental research questions in the discipline.
The project focuses on two sets of questions:
•	What type of database should we design in order to “edit” sources
in the ancient astral sciences in the context of the digital humanities?
How can a single tool handle diverse tabular layouts, different types of
numbers, different kinds of errors and variants between copies, as well as
the variety of publishing options in paper and digital formats?
•	What kinds of tools should we create to explore materials within this
database and to analyse these sources? How can we employ modern
computational power with the necessary attention to the historical
computation practices of the actors? How can we describe the algorithms
presented in texts and their eventual effective uses in computing tables?
These two groups of questions are obviously closely related and need to be
treated together in order to guarantee the compatibility of the analytical
tools with the database on which they should operate. For the first group
of questions we intend to produce innovative table- and parameter-databases
and to develop new ways to publish our research in conjunction with
well-established journals in the field such as the Journal for the History
of Astronomy and SCIAMVS. For the second set of questions we will create
shared, historically based computation routines allowing us to explore in
new ways the numerical content of astronomical tables. These efforts will
be based on original, individual cases studies from specific sources by
each participant in the project. These studies will be published as a book
that will be the first exploration, of this breadth, of these
methodological issues.

TAMAS is based at the Observatoire de Paris (France) and is bringing
together 14 scholars from 9 nations on 4 continents. It cover sources in
the major languages of ancient science: cuneiform, Greek, Arabic, Latin,
Sankrit and Chinese. Based in Paris the postdoctoral researcher will
actively participate in the design of TAMAS digital tools with the two IT
specialists associated with the project based in the Observatory. The
successful candidate will also have the opportunity to contribute to the
collective book. She/he will cooperate closely with Dr Matthieu Husson
(project PI) and be expected to take an active part in the collective
events of the project over the course of the year.

Applicants should propose a research project addressing a specific set of
ancient or medieval astronomical tables. They must show how this specific
set of astronomical tables presents challenges which will help shape the
design of various TAMAS digital tools and offer methodological reflections
in original and pertinent ways.

Qualifications:
•	A PhD in the history of ancient and medieval sciences, preferably
closely connected to the history of Astronomy or a manuscript submitted to
the PhD committee.
•	Knowledge of the ancient(s) language(s) related to the sources
addressed in the proposed research project are required.
•	Good writing and communication skills in English are required.
•	A demonstrated capacity for creative and independent research.
•	The ability and willingness to work as a member of an international
research team.
•	Demonstrated experience in the domain of Digital Humanities would be an
advantage.
•	Demonstrated experience in publishing in peer reviewed journals is also
an asset.

Offer
We offer a one year post-doctoral position. The proposed salary is
according to the Paris Observatory regulation around 2400 euros gross per
month on a full time basis. Contract will start at the soonest on January
1, 2017 and at the latest on June, 1 2017.

How to apply
Applications are to be sent by the September 30, 2016 deadline as a pdf
attachment by email to Matthieu Husson (matthieu.husson@obspm.fr).
Applications must include the following:
1.	Curiculum Vitae (max 2 pages)
2.	Research track records: publications, invited lectures… (max 2 pages)
3.	Research project (max 3000 words)
4.	Pdf-copy of the doctoral dissertation
5.	Certified copies of the relevant diplomas
6.	Contact details of two referee (name, institutional affiliation and
email address) or two letters of reference

Evaluation process
Each application will be reviewed by one of the referees proposed by the
applicant and a referee external to the TAMAS project. Based on this, a
selection committee from the TAMAS project will establish a ranking of
three candidates. The result will be communicated to the applicant by
November, 1 2016.

Additional information
Applicant are encouraged to consider additional information on the project
at tamas.hypotheses.org. They can also contact the project PI Matthieu
Husson (matthieu.husson@obspm.fr).