Peter Thomas

Peter Thomas is a Researcher in the Department of Archaeometallurgy at the German Mining Museum Bochum, where he focuses on prehistoric mining archaeology. His work primarily investigates Bronze Age copper production in the Eastern Alps and Transylvania, with a special emphasis on the analysis of ancient mining timber and environmental impacts of early metallurgy.

He earned his Master's and PhD in Prehistory and Early History from Philipps-University Marburg. His Master's thesis examined wood finds from the prehistoric Arthurstollen mine in the Mitterberg area, while his doctoral research expanded to Bronze Age mining woods across the entire Mitterberg region, establishing his expertise in dendroarchaeology.

Thomas's research integrates archaeometallurgy, wood science, and environmental analysis to reconstruct prehistoric mining technologies. Key interests include copper ore exploitation in Alpine contexts, timber usage in ancient mines, and Transylvanian mining history from pre-Roman epochs, often employing interdisciplinary methodologies to understand societal resource utilization.

His publication record (2009-2018) demonstrates consistent focus on Bronze Age mining in Alpine and Carpathian regions. Recurring themes include dendroarchaeological reconstruction of mine structures, environmental consequences of prehistoric extraction, and cross-cultural metallurgical exchange, frequently developed through international collaborations with institutions like University College London and Ruhr University Bochum.

Thomas actively contributes to major research initiatives including 'The Mitterberg – Eastern Alpine large scale copper production in the Bronze Age' and 'Copper and Gold – Ancient Ore Mining in Transylvania'. He has significantly shaped public understanding through exhibition curation for 'Bergauf Bergab – 10.000 Jahre Bergbau in den Ostalpen' and 'Aus der Tiefe geboren – Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra', combining academic rigor with museum-based knowledge dissemination.