Rune Iversen

Rune Iversen is an Associate Professor in the SAXO-Institute - Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, History at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Humanities. He leads the Prehistoric Archaeology program (2022-25) and serves on the steering committee for the UCPH School of Archaeology.

• PhD, Saxo Institute, section of Archaeology, UCPH (2014)
• Mag.art. in Prehistoric Archaeology, Saxo Institute, UCPH (2007)

Professor Iversen's research focuses on the Neolithic period in Northern Europe, particularly examining figurative representation, migration patterns, and cultural transitions during the 4th-3rd millennium BC. His work integrates archaeogenetics, archaeolinguistics, and traditional archaeological methods to understand how early farming communities transformed social structures. He has pioneered research on the absence of figurative representations in Early Neolithic Northern Europe, revealing significant cultural divisions between southern and northern Neolithic societies.

His recent publications demonstrate a growing interdisciplinary approach, blending traditional archaeological analysis with digital humanities methods. Notably, he has explored using 3D video games to disseminate Neolithic dolmens and has investigated how large language models can enhance archaeological interpretation through gaming. His work on 'sun stones' from Bornholm has received significant media attention, appearing in 100 news outlets worldwide and being referenced in multiple Wikipedia pages.

• Carlsberg Foundation Semper Ardens Accelerate grant (DKK 4,531,051, 2021) for 'A World without Images'
• Independent Research Fund Denmark Research Project 2 grant (0132-00022B, 2020) for 'Deep histories of migration'
• Postdoc fellowship from VELUX Foundation/Museum Østjylland (2015)
• Individual PhD fellowship from Independent Research Fund Denmark (2010)

Professor Iversen has supervised 17 MA theses since 2016 and currently mentors five doctoral/postdoctoral researchers working on topics ranging from culinary rituals in the Funnel Beaker culture to migration patterns in the Early Neolithic. He serves on multiple PhD assessment committees and has been instrumental in developing new BA and MA programs in archaeology at UCPH. His research has secured over DKK 4.5 million in external funding, including major grants from the Carlsberg Foundation and Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Through his leadership of the 'A World without Images' project, Iversen coordinates an international research team examining the absence of figurines in Northern European Neolithic societies. His collaboration with Guus Kroonen at Leiden University bridges archaeology and linguistics to investigate the introduction of Indo-European languages in the North European Neolithic. The project has generated significant public interest, with findings featured in international media outlets and academic platforms.