Historians are still partly in the dark when it comes to the history of Central Asia. Little is known about the Greek kingdoms that were established in the course of Alexander the Great’s conquests. Gunnar Dumke, an ancient historian and archaeologist, has examined 4,500 coins that provide far more information about the rulers than any written sources. Read more
Researchers solve mystery surrounding the Nebra Sky Disk – with a precious metal playing a decisive role in more than just the famous Bronze Age discovery. Read more
For eight years, Professor François Bertemes coordinated research on the context of Nebra Sky Disc. The discovery of the disc has prompted archaeologists to completely rethink their notions about life in the Early Bronze Age. Read more
Did the people in Ethiopia take refuge in the mountains during the last great ice age 16,000 years ago? An international team of soil scientists, archaeologists and biologists are conducting research on this as part of a new project entitled “The Mountain Exile Hypothesis”. To do this, soil scientists from Halle will be traveling to the remote Sanetti Plateau to examine the soil there and use modern biogeochemical methods to look for traces of mankind that are thousands of years old. Read more
The Armenian highlands in Syunik Province on the border to Nagorno-Karabakh are home to breathtakingly beautiful volcanic landscapes made up of massive basalt rock. Thousands of pictures depicting animals and humans have been chiselled into these rocks by prehistoric people. Archaeologists from Saxony-Anhalt have joined forces with colleagues from Armenia to study and document these cliff drawings, which date back at least 5,000 years. Their aim is to submit a World Cultural Heritage application to UNESCO. Read more
