Torsten Rünger

Torsten Rünger is a researcher in the Department of Prehistoric and Early History Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Bonn. He has held various research and teaching positions at the university since 2011, and since October 2023 has served as a scientific staff member. He earned his M.A. and PhD from the same institution, focusing on medieval rural settlements and watermills.

His research interests include Medieval Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Mining Archaeology, Roman Pottery Production, and the social structures of rural settlements. He is particularly known for his work on watermills as expressions of power and economic control in the medieval Rhineland.

The recent publications of Torsten Rünger reflect a strong trend in interdisciplinary landscape archaeology, combining excavation, survey, and digital modeling to understand economic and social structures in both the Roman and medieval periods. His work spans from local Rhineland sites to international projects in Iraqi Kurdistan, emphasizing technological development, resource exploitation, and cultural continuity.

• Albert-Steeger-Preis des LVR 2018 für die Dissertationsschrift
• Postdoc-Forschungsstipendiat der Fritz Thyssen Stiftung (2019)
• Promotionsstipendium der Stiftung zur Förderung der Archäologie im Rheinischen Braunkohlenrevier (2014–2016)

Dr. Rünger has actively supervised and tutored students at the University of Bonn, serving as an academic tutor and organizing numerous teaching excavations, particularly in the montane region of Königswinter-Bennerscheid. He has been involved in externally funded research projects supported by organizations such as the DFG, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, and regional archaeological foundations. His work often involves collaboration with institutions like the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege.

He has led and co-organized field schools and research teams focused on mining archaeology and rural settlement patterns, contributing to both academic knowledge and public archaeology through exhibitions and outreach.