Classical Archaeology

There’s no more research left to do on the fall of Pompeii and Herculaneum, right? Wrong! The settlements buried under the volcanic ash of Mount Vesuvius are yet to be fully excavated to this day. The catastrophe of 79 AD had dire consequences – but it was a real stroke of luck for today’s archaeologists, preserving everyday Roman life for posterity and revealing the many facets of the ancient world.

If you fancy yourself as a detective and want to unearth the secrets of history, ‘Classical Archaeology’ is the perfect choice for you. When travelling back in time, you sometimes have to break the confines of a lecture theatre – the ‘voices of the past’ want to be heard, examined and analysed up close. That’s why you will often swap the classroom for work outdoors. In addition to excursions and excavations, you will also have the opportunity to apply scientific methods to various ancient artefacts. After all, the University of Jena has extensive collections of ancient craftwork, coins, sculptures and other interesting artefacts.

Classical Archaeology deals with all the material remains of ancient cultures – in particular Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire from the end of the 2nd millennium BC to the middle of the 6th century AD. Other research revolves around the cultures that emerged in neighbouring periods in those parts of the world, such as the Bronze Age cultures of the Aegean (Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations), as well as the fine art and architecture of the early Christian and late Antique periods. We will also draw on findings from related disciplines in classical and art studies so that you can fully understand and interpret specific issues arising in Greco-Roman art.