Urgeschichte und Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie

Benjamin Schürch

Address:

Abteilung Ältere Urgeschichte und Quartärökologie
Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters
Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
Burgsteige 11, Schloss Hohentübingen
D-72070 Tübingen

Room 103, Schloss Hohentübingen

Phone: +49-(0)7071-29-77142

E-Mail: benjamin.schuerchspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de


Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin-Schuerch

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9558-582X

Research Focus

Research project

The Reassesment of Vogelherd

Vogelherd is one of the richest sites in central Europe. The site was excavated in 1931 by G. Riek. He describes nine archaeological layers spanning from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Neolithic. In this research project, we are reassessing Riek´s stratigraphy by incorporating finds from the backdirt excavated by Conard and his team from 2005-2012 and from 2020-2023. From these analyses we will present new results on lithic technology, traceology, raw-materials, shells and organic technology. The results are covering the periods from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Magdalenian. The biggest focus is on the two Aurignacian layers IV and V of the site. These two layers are recognized for the ivory figurines known as one of the oldest evidence for figurative art.

Publications and Thesis

2023      SCHÜRCH B., VENDITTI F., WOLF S., CONARD N. J. 2023: Glycymeris molluscs in the context of the Upper Palaeolithic of Southwestern Germany. Quartär 68 (2021). 131-156. https://doi.org/10.7485/qu.2021.68.94300.

2022      SCHÜRCH B., WETTENGL, S., FRÖHLE, S., CONARD, N. J., SCHMIDT, P. 2022: The origin of chert in the Aurignacian of Vogelherd Cave investigated by infrared spectroscopy. PLoS ONE 17(8): e0272988. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272988.

FRICK J. A., SCHÜRCH B., ÇEP B. 2022: Zur Forschungsgeschichte der Großen Grotte bei Blaubeuren (Alb-Donau-Kreis), Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 52, 1-25.

FRICK J. A., SCHÜRCH B., ÇEP B. 2022: The Middle Paleolithic at Große Grotte (Blaubeuren, southern Germany). New Insights from Lithic Technology and Implication for Assemblage Classification; Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology (2022) 5:9, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-022-00114-y.

CONARD, N. J., B. SCHÜRCH, F. HAACK, S. WOLF. 2022. On the Status of the Boar Tooth Artifact from the Backdirt of Vogelherd. MGfU 31: 87–105.

SCHÜRCH B. 2022: Shells connecting Ice Age Europe. Ice Age Europe Magazine 6, 2022. 26-27.    

2021      ÇEP B., SCHÜRCH B., MÜNZEL S. C., FRICK J. A. 2021: Adaptive capacity and flexibility of the Neanderthals at Heidenschmiede (Swabian Jura) with regard to core reduction strategies. PLoS ONE 16(9): e0257041.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257041.

WOLF S., SCHÜRCH B., FRICK J. A., SEIFERT M. 2021: Der abenteuerliche Weg der Vogelherd-Figurinen – von ihrer Auffindung bis heute. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte 30, 115-143.   

CONARD N. J., JANAS A., MARCAZZAN D., MILLER C. E., RICHARD M., SCHÜRCH B., TRIBOLO C. 2021:   the cultural and chronostratigraphic context of a New Leaf Point from Hohle Fels cave in the Ach Valley of southwestern Germany. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte 30, 41-66.      

SCHÜRCH B. 2020: Back to the Neanderthals. Ice Age Europe Magazine 5, 2021. 18-20.

2020      SCHÜRCH B., WOLF S., SCHMIDT P., CONARD N. J.  2020: Mollusken der Gattung Glycymeris aus der Vogelherd-Höhle bei Niederstotzingen (Lonetal Südwestdeutschland), Mitt. Ges. Urgeschichte 29, 53-79.

SCHÜRCH B. 2020: The Wild Lone Valley – The Implementation of current Archaeological Analysis in a special exhibition. Ice Age Europe Magazine 4, 2020. 20-21.

2018      SCHÜRCH B., 2018: Die Steinzeitliche Freilandfundstelle Wippingen-Sonderbuch. Unpublizierte Masterarbeit, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen.

2017     FLOSS H., FRÖHLE S., SCHÜRCH B., WETTENGL S., 2017: Open Air Occupations In A Cave Dominated Archaeological Landscape – New Perspectives On The Palaeolithic Of The Swabian Jura (Southern Germany). Anthropologie. LV/1-2. 43-73.

SCHÜRCH B., 2017: Paläolithische Freilandfundstellen auf der Blaubeurer Alb. Ulm und Oberschwaben 60, 9-26.   

2015      FLOSS H., SCHÜRCH B., 2015: Paläolithische Oberflächenfunde von der Blaubeurer. Alb. Mitt. Ges. Urgeschichte 24: 121‒140.

Scholarships

  • 2023/24 Tübingen-Connecticut (TüConn) exchange fellowship at the University of Connecticut
  • Since 2019 PhD scholarship at the Department of Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen and the Förderverein Eiszeitkunst im Lonetal

Professional career

2023/24 Tübingen-Connecticut (TüConn) Exchange Fellowship at the University of Connecticut
2023

Stay at the University of Liége at the TraceoLab under the direction of Veerle Rots

Project partner of the project "Experience the Ice Age digitally" for the creation of an interactive app "Ice Age Worlds" in cooperation with the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann and the Prehistoric Museum in Blaubeuren

2022

Conception and implementation of the special exhibition "Jagd im Lonetal" (in the Vogelherd Archäopark

Research stay at the University of Liége at the TraceoLab under the direction of Veerle Rots

2021

Conception and realization of the special exhibition "Neanderthaler im Lonetal" in the Vogelherd Archäopark

2020

Conception and realization of the special exhibition "Wildes Lonetal" in the Vogelherd Archäopark

Conception and first-time realization of the annual "Winter Exhibition" in the Vogelherd Archäopark

2019-2022 Custodian of the Vogelherd Archäopark in Niederstotzingen
2019

Conception and implementation of the special exhibition " Unser Mammut – seit der Eiszeit Gross " in the Vogelherd Archäopark

Excavation Langmahdhalde in the Lone Valley, University of Tübingen; Magdalenian (excavation director N.J. Conard)

Excavation Hohenhaßlach, Germany, Magdalenian (directed by H. Floss, S. Wettengl)

2018

Excavation Kohlhau-Abri in the Lone Valley, Landesdenkmalamt BW; Neolithic and Mesolithic (excavation director Claus-Joachim Kind)

Excavation at the open-air site Wippingen-Sonderbuch, University of Tübingen; Middle and Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic.

2017

Excavation Kohlhau-Abri in the Lone Valley, Landesdenkmalamt BW; Neolithic and Mesolithic (excavation director Claus-Joachim Kind)

Field director in Entringen (Ammerbuch) Unteres Feld area; Linear Pottery settlement (excavation supervisor Raiko Krauß)

2016

Student representative on the board of the Society for Prehistory (GFU), since 2016

Student assistant at the Department of Early Prehistory; Assistant in the collection of ancient prehistory, 2016 to 2018

Excavation Kohlhau-Abri in the Lone Valley, Landesdenkmalamt BW; Neolithic and Mesolithic (excavation supervisor Claus-Joachim Kind)

2015

Student assistant at the Department of Early Prehistory (evaluation of the Börslingen field site)

Excavation Grottes de la Verpillière I and II (Germolles, France); Middle and Upper Palaeolithic (excavation supervisor Harald Floss) Period Aug - Sept

2014

Internship Prehistoric Museum Blaubeuren (Stefanie Kölbl)

Excavation Sibudu, South Africa, MSA (directed by N.J. Conard)

Excavation Grottes de la Verpillière I and II (Germolles, France); Middle and Upper Palaeolithic (excavation director Harald Floss)

Excavation of the Heubach Sand site; Magdalenian (excavation supervisor Harald Floss)

Excavation open-air site Börslingen Eisenberg; Middle Paleolithic (excavation director Harald Floss)

2013

Excavation Limburg (Weilheim Teck); Middle Ages (excavation director Anke Scholz

Teaching excavation Grottes de la Verpillière I and II (Germolles, France); Middle and Upper Paleolithic (excavation director Harald Floss)

Academic studies

Since Juli 2019

Doctoral studies at the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. (preliminary titel: „Die aurignacienzeitlichen Steinartefakte des Vogelherds”)

2015-2018

Master studies at the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. (preliminary titel: „Die Steinzeitliche Freilandfundstelle Wippingen-Sonderbuch“)

2012-2015

Bachelor studies at the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. (preliminary titel: Paläolithische Oberflächenfunde der Blaubeurer Alb“)

Teachings

WS 2022/23      

SCHRAY S., SCHÜRCH B.; Exkursion zu den UNESCO-Welterbestätten des Ach- und Lonetals.

WS 2020/21 WOLF S., SCHÜRCH B.; Übung und Exkursion: Urgeschichte in Baden-Württemberg II“ am Institut für Ur- & Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen.
SS 2018

TAFELMAIER Y., SCHMIDT V., SCHÜRCH B.; Exkursion: „Erkundung von Rohmaterialquellen“ am Institut für Ur- & Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen.