Thomas Saile

Professor Thomas Saile is a Full Professor of Prehistory and Early History at the University of Regensburg, holding the Chair of Prehistory and Early History since October 2010. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Philosophy, Arts, History, and Social Sciences, specifically within the Institute of History. His academic journey includes previous positions as Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the University of West Alabama (2023), Substitute for the Chair of Prehistory and Early History at Friedrich Schiller University, Jena (2009), and Interim Professor of Prehistory and Early Historical Archaeology at Otto Friedrich University, Bamberg (2008/2009).

His educational background includes:

• Habilitation from Georg August University, Göttingen (2006) with thesis "Slawen in Niedersachsen. Zur westlichen Peripherie der slawischen Ökumene vom 6. bis 12. Jahrhundert"
• PhD from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main (1995) with thesis "Untersuchungen zur ur- und frühgeschichtlichen Besiedlung der nördlichen Wetterau" (awarded summa cum laude and the Sperl Prize)
• Master's degree (Magister Artium) from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main (1990) with thesis "Die Keramik der ältestbandkeramischen Siedlung Goddelau, Landkreis Groß-Gerau"

Professor Saile's research primarily focuses on European prehistory, particularly the Neolithic period and Early Iron Age. His work spans multiple geographical areas including Central Europe, the Carpathian region, and Eastern Europe. He has made significant contributions to understanding settlement patterns, cultural transformations, and material culture of prehistoric societies. His expertise includes the study of Bandkeramik (Linear Pottery culture) settlements, Hallstatt period farmsteads, and prehistoric salt production.

His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on archaeological methodologies including magnetic prospection, interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeobotany and paleoenvironmental analysis, and the examination of lithic assemblages. His research demonstrates how prehistoric communities adapted to diverse landscapes and how cultural practices spread across geographical boundaries.

Among his notable achievements are:

• Sperl Prize of the University of Frankfurt for his doctoral dissertation
• Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence position at the University of West Alabama (2023)

Professor Saile has established extensive international collaborations, particularly with researchers in Poland, Ukraine, and Moldova, contributing to a better understanding of the easternmost extensions of Neolithic cultures in Europe. His work on the Bandkeramik culture's expansion eastward has provided new insights into the limits of Neolithic settlement and cultural exchange across the Carpathian region.