Ancient cultures

Assyriology

Assyriology revolves around the literature, religion and economics of ancient Mesopotamia in the period from approximately 2600–200 BCE, and is based primarily on texts written in the two main languages of the day, Sumerian and Akkadian. Researchers are currently working on a temple archive excavated in the city of Nippur in Iraq and on the early kingdoms and particular aspects of Mesopotamian religious history, e.g. rituals and their economic significance.

Native American languages and culture

The focus of the research is on the culture, language and history of the Mesoamerican cultural area (Central and southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize) in the period from about 1200 BCE to 1700 CE. Current research activities and topics include writing and iconography in Central Mexico, Mayan texts from Belize and Guatemala from the classical period, colonial art from Mexican churches and monasteries, as well as objects from the National Museum of Denmark’s American collections.

Near-Eastern archaeology

Near-Eastern archaeology conducts research into the archaeology, culture, environment and history of Egypt, the Levant (Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon), Anatolia (Turkey), Mesopotamia (Iraq), Iran and the Arabian Peninsula from the first hunter-gatherers to the classical period (20,000 BCE to 400 CE). Based on theoretical questions about the study of material culture, the focus is on a range of significant themes in human social life over thousands of years, including topics such as domestication, agriculture, animal husbandry and the formation of rural communities, towns, states and empires. Current research activities include the development of agriculture, food and rituals as well as cultural heritage questions.

Egyptology

Egyptology research at ToRS is rooted in the philological and archaeological traditions and focuses on literature, socio-economic history and material culture. Current projects include the publication of written sources (primarily hieratic and demotic papyrus) from The New Kingdom (approximately 1500–1000 BCE) and from the Greek-Roman period (approx. 332 BCE – 395 CE), as well as archaeological excavations of royal tombs in El-Kurru (Sudan).

Research centres and projects

• Carsten Niebuhr Centre for Multicultural Heritage
• Centre for the Study of Early Agricultural Societies (CSEAS)
• Danish Archaeological Expedition to Iraq
• Heritage and Threat - HeAT
• Hidden Treasures: The Cuneiform Collection of the Danish National Museum