Markus Hilgert

Prof. Dr. Markus Hilgert is currently serving as President of the Berlin University of the Arts (since April 2025). Prior to this role, he was the Executive Director and Secretary General of the Cultural Foundation of the German Federal States (2018–2025) and Director of the Museum of the Ancient Near East at the Pergamon Museum (2014–2018). He held a professorship in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Heidelberg University (2007–2014) and has been an honorary professor at Heidelberg, Marburg, and Freie Universität Berlin since 2014, 2015, and 2017 respectively. Additionally, he has served on the board of the German Commission for UNESCO since 2018.

Research Interests: Hilgert's work bridges Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Cuneiform Studies, and Epistemology, focusing on the materiality of writing, cultural heritage, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding ancient knowledge systems. He explores the intersection of objects, science, and politics, particularly in museum contexts and cultural property management.

Publication Trends: His scholarly output spans the analysis of Ur III administrative texts, theoretical frameworks for material culture, and critical reflections on museum practices. Key themes include epistemology of ancient writing, cultural heritage responsibilities, and interdisciplinary methodologies.