About

Studied Prehistoric Archaeology at the Free University of Berlin under Prof. Hänsel and Prof. Teržan, where I finished studies in 2009 achieving the degree of Magister Artium.
Main focus of research is the European Bronze Age, especially burial customs and material culture in view of the representation of prestige and social hierarchy, closely related to my interest in places of cult and ritual respectively the question of their archaeological evidence.

Dissertation deals with the phenomenon of miniature swords in the Nordic Bronze Age and the role of these symbolic arms as markers of social rank. From Montelius’ Period IV onwards, miniature swords are found in burials while their larger pendants are mostly (but not exclusively) connected to depositions. Other than stated before, miniature swords are not displacing the large arms as grave goods completely – when they are disappearing from burials in Period V this also means the end of the Bronze Age miniature sword phenomenon in the North.

Second field of research is the Pre-Pottery Neolithic and beginning sedentism as well as the development of early complex societies; affiliated with the Göbekli Type research project of the German Archaeological Institute’s Orient Department, excavating the oldest yet known monumental architecture – an early cultic centre or gathering place of hunter-gatherer groups near Şanlıurfa in south-eastern Anatolia.