GRK 1878:  Archaeology of Pre-modern Economies

• Subject Area: Ancient Cultures
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 215677325

Our comprehension of the economic archaeology of early cultures has increased significantly in recent years, and its potential to contribute to current discussions surrounding aspects of globalisation, economic crises and resource depletion is becoming progressively more evident. While periods of prosperity are a major contributor to the dynamic development and stability of early societies, economic crises can trigger serious upheavals; however, economic systems and networks can also prove resistant to political and cultural change. It is precisely these and other phenomena, which are the focus of the Research Training Group. It is our aim to record and analyse economic systems and areas of pre-modern societies in their structure, capacities and dynamics (through their genesis, transformation processes and potential disintegration) and to study their interaction with physiographical, political, societal, religious and cultural components. This will also include the discussion of theoretical approaches to be verified using empirical data. Furthermore, cross-cultural comparisons of common structures and cultural characteristics will be developed. As the availability of historical data for many of the pre-modern societies under study is restricted, the emphasis of our Research Training Group lies firmly on the material remains, though here with consideration given to all relevant sources. For this reason, the core of the Research Training Group will be rooted in the archaeological disciplines based in Cologne and Bonn, though in close collaboration with the departments of ancient history at both these universities, and including the specific participation of nationally and internationally renowned scientists from these and related academic disciplines. From a temporal perspective, our focus ranges from the Neolithic to Medieval times, and geographically from Mongolia to Central America, albeit with a clear focus on Central Europe. Finally, Cologne-Bonn is a unique research location due to its high density of relevant academic disciplines and the already existing infrastructures, levels of networking and working foci.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn; Universität zu Köln
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Michael Heinzelmann
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Walter Ameling; Professor Dr. Jan Bemmann; Professor Dr. Martin Bentz; Professor Dr. Michael Bollig; Professor Dr. Richard Bußmann, since 12/2016; Professor Dr. Eckhard Deschler-Erb, since 12/2016; Professor Dr. Thomas Fischer; Professor Dr. Nikolai Grube; Professor Dr. Tobias L. Kienlin; Professor Dr. Peter Franz Mittag; Professor Dr. Ludwig D. Morenz; Professor Dr. Frank Rumscheid; Professor Dr. Winfried Schenk; Professor Dr. Winfried Schmitz; Professorin Dr. Sabine Schrenk; Professorin Dr. Claudia Sode; Professorin Dr. Bethany J. Walker; Professor Dr. Andreas Zimmermann