Thomas Stöllner

Thomas Stöllner is Professor of Pre- and Protohistory at Ruhr University Bochum and heads the Mining Archaeology Research Department at the German Mining Museum Bochum. He serves as leader of Research Area I (Basic Research) and oversees archaeological investigations across Eurasia. Since 2006, he has held his professorial position while concurrently directing museum research operations since 2000.

His primary research explores:

• Pre-Roman metallurgy across Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages
• Mining archaeology methodologies in European and Asian contexts
• Interdisciplinary approaches integrating natural sciences with archaeology
• Ritual landscapes and sacred spaces in ancient mining societies

Stöllner's publications demonstrate consistent focus on prehistoric resource extraction technologies, with particular emphasis on salt, copper, and gold mining across diverse geographical regions including the Alps, Iran, Caucasus, and Andes. His works frequently integrate archaeological survey data with material science analyses to reconstruct ancient production systems.

He leads multiple major research initiatives funded by organizations including Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Volkswagen Foundation, and Austrian Academy of Sciences, examining Bronze Age copper production in the Eastern Alps (Mitterberg region), prehistoric salt mining at Dürrnberg, and early metallurgy in Central Asia.