Within the program "Ancient Objects and Visual Studies" groups of ancient objects (images, texts, manuscripts, etc.) and artefacts are examined, and the cultural background and the social structures in which these objects originally belonged are discussed. In addition, doctoral students acquire the expertise and the skills required for the analysis and cultural-historical classification of images as a medium of communication in antiquity. The discipline-specific study of objects is complemented through the acquisition of methodical, theoretical and practical knowledge on conservational, archival, or museological and IT-specific aspects of working with different groups of ancient objects and artefacts. Finally, the legal framework and political context of relevance to the holding of objects in museums are taken into consideration. A partner of the universities, the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK) contributes to the doctoral students’ training with its human resources and through the use of its premises.

The program "Ancient Objects and Visual Studies" has startet in the winter term 2016/17. Its predecessor was the program "Material Cultures and Object Studies" (MaCOS).

Members of the managing committee

Prof. Dr. Lorenz Winkler-Horaček (FUB) (chairman)
Prof. Dr. Dominik Bonatz (FUB)
Prof. Dr. Susanne Muth (HU)
Dr. Martin Maischberger (SPK)
Prof. Dr. Andreas Scholl (SPK/FUB) (permanent guest)
PD Dr. Jan Moje (FUB/SPK) (academic associate)
Dr. Regina Attula (coordinator)
Marie-Christin Künzelmann M.A. (FUB) (student representative)
Marco Weppelmann M.A. (FUB) (dep. student representative)

Departments and institutes connected with the doctoral program

Freie Universität Berlin

• Egyptological Seminar
• Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology
• Institute of Art History
• Institute of Classical Archaeology
• Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology

• Institute of Religious Studies

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

• Department of Northeast African Archaeology and Cultural Studies
• Department of Archaeology - Classical Archaeology (Winckelmann-Institut)

Technische Universität Berlin

• Institute of Architecture - Building Archaeology and Conservation of Historic Monuments
• Institute or Art History and Historical Urban Studies

Information on requirements for admission as a doctoral student in your chosen field can be obtained from the relevant doctoral office (Promotionsbüro) of the relevant faculty (at the Humboldt-Universität) or department (at the Freie Universität). Please bear in mind: the doctorate regulations of the relevant faculty/department determine whether persons chosen to act as supervisor are eligible to serve as reviewers of the dissertation.

You can find more information in the FAQ.