AMGC - VUB - Archaeology, Environmental and Geochemistry

📣Postdoc opportunity at VUB 📣

2-years renewable Post-doctoral Fellowship position on the PLIODIS project. See the link for more details.

PDRA Opportunity: Modelling the functional adaptations of the primate masticatory apparatus at VUB 2-year renewable Post-doctoral Fellowship at Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry Research Group, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium to study the functional adaptations of the primate masticatory apparatus with focus on the internal bony structures

IWASM Brussels 2026 successfully held at VUB

From 20 to 22 May 2026, the International Workshop on Archaeological Soil Micromorphology and Phytoliths — IWASM Brussels 2026 was successfully held at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.

Over three days, participants joined intensive microscopy sessions, shared and discussed archaeological thin sections, and exchanged ideas on soil micromorphology, phytolith research and geoarchaeological approaches.

The programme included individual introductions, an inventory of available thin sections, hands-on microscopy sessions, a poster session, a reception, and a social dinner in the historic centre of Brussels.

IWASM Brussels 2026 was organised by members of AMGC, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and IPAS, University of Basel.

Many thanks to all participants and organisers for making the workshop a fruitful and successful event!

“Welcome to the Dark Side: Urban Dark Earth” Round Table successfully held in Brussels

On 19 May 2026, the round table “Welcome to the Dark Side: Urban Dark Earth – A state of the art and perspectives for future research” was successfully held at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels.

The event brought together researchers in archaeology, history, geoarchaeology and archaeoenvironmental studies to discuss the latest approaches to urban Dark Earths — thick, dark, homogeneous urban deposits that hold valuable evidence for understanding past town formation and development.

Discussions focused on new methods and tools for studying urban Dark Earths, data recording strategies, recent case studies, and the contribution of Dark Earth research to broader narratives of urban development.

The round table was organised by the geoarchaeological team of the Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry Research Group, AMGC-VUB, and the Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Sciences team, IPAS-University of Basel, with the support of FWO and SNSF.

Thank you to all participants for the inspiring exchange!

🔶 GENERAL ASSEMBLY 🔶

We are excited to announce the programme of the upcoming General Assembly and Research Day of our Society 📆

This enriching event will take place at the U-Residence of the VUB on June 6th, starting at 1:00 PM.

The General Assembly will be followed by a visit to the BB-LAB at VUB, and by 3 engaging presentations from young researchers actively working in archaeo-anthropology in Belgium 💀

You can register using the link below before May 31st:

https://forms.gle/mETBMiA31Kqisu9B6

We look forward to seeing you there!

🌿 This Monday (April 27), our group enjoyed a lovely hike in the Sonian Forest, guided by PhD researcher Pieter Rodts. Along the way, Pieter shared fascinating insights into the forest’s history, spring-flowering plants, and the hidden traces of past landscapes that still shape what we see today. 🌸

He also introduced us to his citizen science project, “The Past is Flowering All Around Us,” part of his Innoviris PhD research on human-animal communities in the Sonian Forest. At the end of the hike, we arrived at a sea of bluebells — a truly magical, fairy-tale-like scene. Thank you, Pieter, for such a refreshing and inspiring day in the forest! 🍃✨

📣 New project alert and website launch 📣

We are very happy to share that the LOCO project: the Low Countries: Crossroads of Europe from the Neolithic to the Late Middle Ages, officially started with an inaugural workshop in February.

The workshop brought together all the team members from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ghent University, and KU Leuven, in order to establish a shared vision, research framework and also to identify key challenges which will be tackled in this project.

You can find more information about our research plans on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eg_KXvwR

Stay tuned for more!

Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) Research Group is excited to be the host for three Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship researchers awarded in the recent 2025 round! These researchers bring new skills and topics to VUB - Vrije Universiteit Brussel and we are excited to work with them!

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Dr Christie Willis - Burnt journeys towards Stonehenge: uncovering rites, networks and traditions in British Neolithic cremations (BURNT) explores how mobility, monumentality and memory shaped communities between 4000-2500 BC. While iconic sites like Stonehenge often steal the spotlight, most people in the Neolithic were cremated, and their stories have remained largely untold. This project analyses cremated human remains from 38 sites across southern England and Wales. Using cutting-edge strontium isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating and osteology, it investigates who was moving across the landscape, who was buried at monuments, and whether these places held long-lasting social memory. By shifting attention from famous stones to burnt bones, BURNT reframes how we understand identity, networks and belonging in prehistoric Europe. Stay tuned as I uncover the journeys hidden in ash!

Dr Vijay Pratap Singh - The project, PRECAM-MM, investigates Earth’s ancient atmosphere by studying fossil micrometeorites, tiny grains of cosmic dust that fell to Earth billions of years ago. By analysing the chemical and isotopic signatures preserved in these "space travelers" found in ancient Indian rocks, PRECAM-MM aims to reconstruct how oxygen and carbon dioxide levels changed during the Great Oxidation Event. This research helps us understand how our planet transformed from a lifeless environment into a world capable of supporting complex life, bridging the gap between planetary science and Earth's deep history.

Dr Patxi Pérez-Ramallo - FLA-MEAL, explores how people ate in medieval Flanders, one of the regions that, together with northern Italy, drove the great urban revival of western Europe. By combining osteology, history, archaeology, and biomolecular analysis, the project seeks to reconstruct the origins, consolidation, development, and height of this complex urban society, as well as its ability to adapt to environmental, economic, political, and social change. FLA-MEAL will pay particular attention to differences between social groups, s*x, and age, and to the role of trade in supplying food to a medieval urban network connected across the continent, including key resources such as fish. As part of the wider Make Up of the Cities project, FLA-MEAL brings the dietary dimension into a broader multidisciplinary framework, helping to reveal the daily lives of people who often remain invisible in written sources.

🌿 Exploring Nature, Inspiring Young Minds 🌿
On March 28th, we ventured into the Marais (marshes) of Ganshoren as part of the Kennisnesten program by VUB and TADA!
The children had an incredible chance to explore the marshes through both artistic and scientific perspectives. For the scientific part, our PhD candidate Dries Vergouwen assisted in conducting geological coring and studying the unique landscape, enabling the young explorers to uncover the hidden stories beneath their feet.
A huge thank you to everyone involved - the organisers, educators, and especially our curious little adventurers who made this day so special! 📸🌱

The inscriptions for the upcoming IWASM in Brussels are now open!
📅 Register before February 27, 2026
🔗 https://darkearth.eu/wasm-registration