Vorderasiatische Archäolοgiе

Near Eastern Archaeology focuses on the settlement and cultural history of the Ancient Near East, from human settlement to the stages of urbanization and the development of territorial states, and finally to the formation and demise of the ancient Near Eastern empires.

In the master’s program, students consolidate the knowledge acquired in the BA program, specifically their knowledge of settlement archaeology, economic and technological developments, architecture, and art in the ancient Near East, and improve their skills in classifying and dating archaeological material. Students further consolidate their knowledge of material legacies of the ancient Near East such as rural and urban settlements and their infrastructure, profane and sacral architecture, tombs and crypts, and craft and art objects, and learn to interpret them in their social, ecological, and political contexts. They deal with methodological approaches that are discussed based on case studies in various thematic areas. As a result, students can build reconstructions of social and economic relations in various cultural areas. In addition to cultural history, the antique landscapes and environments are a further focus of the academic program. These are studied with the help of natural scientific methods. The main focus, however, is on gaining more experience in archaeological field research. The degree program prepares graduates for independent scientific work and enables them to present their acquired knowledge and integrate it into interdisciplinary dialogue as best possible.

It is mandatory to choose a minor in combination with this master's program.