The Prehistory and Early History Collection

The Collection of Prehistory and Early History was founded in 1863 and is today the largest collection at the University of Jena, as well as one of the largest university collections dedicated to prehistoric and early historical archaeology in Europe. It contains artefacts spanning from the emergence of humankind to the 20th century and originating from nearly every continent. The collection’s main focus lies on the prehistory and early history of Central Germany, including archaeological assemblages that in some cases gave their names to entire periods of Central European prehistory.