Jan Breder

Dr. Jan Breder is a Researcher in Classical Archaeology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, working within the Faculty of Philosophy and the Department of Classical Archaeology. He has been a Research Associate since 2009 on the project "Cults within the Cult" of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences and Arts, focusing on the internal religious structure of Greek extra-urban sanctuaries.

His educational background includes:

• Doctorate in Classical Archaeology (2009) from Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn with dissertation on "Attic Grave Districts of the Classical Period"
• Master of Arts in Classical Archaeology, Art History and Geology (2001)
• Studies in Classical Archaeology, Art History and Geology at Marburg, Tübingen and Bonn (since 1995)

Dr. Breder's primary research interests focus on Ancient coroplasty, Greek grave culture, Ancient architecture, and Ancient sanctuaries. His work particularly examines the spatial organization of religious sites, funerary practices in ancient Greece, and the production of terracotta artifacts. Through fieldwork at sites like Didyma and Taxiarchis, he investigates how material culture reflects religious practices and social structures in the ancient Greek world.

His publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on Greek sanctuaries, particularly Didyma, and Attic burial practices. The research shows progression from cataloging artifacts to analyzing spatial organization of sanctuaries and grave districts, with increasing attention to micro-archaeological approaches that examine "cults within the cult" - the internal religious structures of major sanctuaries.

Scientific recognition includes:

• DAAD Research Fellowship for a one-year research stay in Athens (2004)

Dr. Breder has participated in numerous archaeological projects including excavation work in Germany and Turkey since 1995. His research has been supported through the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences and Arts project "Cults within the Cult" since 2009, and previously through the German Archaeological Institute's Didyma excavation project. He has collaborated extensively with colleagues including H. Bumke, I. Kaiser, B. Reichardt, and U. Weber on various publications related to Didyma.

His current work involves collaboration with the Berlin Sculpture Network and focuses on the analysis of the newly discovered theater at Didyma, continuing his long-term research interest in ancient Greek architecture and sanctuary organization.