Dissertation project

Excavation practice between science and politic. German excavations in the Ottoman Empire (1870-1914)

The dissertation project examines German excavation practice in the Ottoman Empire between 1870 and 1914 with a focus on social history. At the end of the 19th century large-scale excavations, mostly led by Europeans, were flourishing and provided jobs for hundreds of people. In my dissertation I will analyze archaeological practices with regard to the influence of imperial networks and conceptual frameworks, whereby all excavation participants should be taken into account as far as possible.
The project starts with the following questions: How much more was German archaeology than a child of its time? Were German archaeologists intrinsically part of the colonial/imperial project? Can colonial and imperial practices be identified within archaeological practice and, if so, what impact have they had on knowledge construction? How did one deal with (scientific) irritations and doubts? To what extent were local people involved in archaeological practice? How exactly did the cooperation with the excavation participants work during the excavations and expeditions? How were the working conditions for workers (e.g. wages, working hours, social benefits)? What colonial/imperial networks did archaeologists use or benefit from? Which of these networks and structures played a part in the research?
Based on selected case studies, the dissertation project is intended to contribute on clarifying these questions and to close a gap that has existed so far in the history of science in the German Empire. This opens up new perspectives on the history of the "great discoverers" and structures become visible that still influence the archaeological practice of Europeans abroad today.

• History of archaeology
• History of Science