Institute of Classical Archeology und Byzantine Archeology

Fllowing a merger in 2019, the Institute of Classical Archaeology and Byzantine Archaeology has represented two disciplines: the archaeology of what are traditionally called the Classical cultures of Greece and Rome, expanded in Heidelberg to include their prehistoric Minoan-Mycenaean phases (the Aegean Bronze Age), together with the archaeology of Byzantium, the (Eastern) Roman Empire which endured into the Middle Ages. We are thus ideally positioned to adopt a longue durée perspective on the regions and meterials under study. Moreover, Heidelberg is unusual for the high concentration of other disciplines focused on the ancient world (Classical Philology, Ancient History, Pre- and Protohistory, Egyptology, Papyrology, Near Eastern Archaeology, and Assyriology), which fosters interdisciplinary exchange.

At the Institute of Classical Archaeology and Byzantine Archaeology, you can study archaeology across a broad spectrum, ranging from the Minoan Bronze Age to medieval Byzantium. With its wide-ranging academic scope in both teaching and research, the Institute offers an ideal platform for a successful and comprehensive education.
If you are interested in studying here or have questions about specific subjects, please contact the academic advisors at our Institute.

With its two departments, Classical Archaeology and Byzantine Archaeology, the Institute boasts a broad research profile spanning diverse chronological, thematic, and methodological areas. Its research scope extends from Bronze Age Crete through to the Byzantine Middle Ages. In terms of subject matter, the Institute balances excellence in more established fields such as the history of Classical and Byzantine art and architecture, with exciting emerging topics like landscape archaeology, cultural heritage studies, and provenance research.

The institute houses several collections and archives which are used in teaching as well as being available to scholars for research purposes, both on-site and, in some cases, digitally. The collections comprise original artfacts as well as replicas, plaster casts and impressions, and historical photographs and negatives. These collections are being progressively digitised, catalogued in greater detail, and published. The holdings are frequently made accessible to the public as part of outreach events.