Ulrich Müller

Ulrich Müller is Professor of Protohistory, Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeology at the Institute of Pre- and Protohistoric Archaeology at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, and part of the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence. He has held this position since 2004, succeeding Michael Müller-Wille, with a specialization in historical archaeology. His research spans the High Middle Ages to the early post-medieval period, focusing on Northern and East Central Europe, with thematic emphases on urbanization, artisan production, landscape and maritime archaeology, and material culture.

• PhD: Kiel (1992)
• Habilitation: Greifswald (2000)
• Professor: Kiel (2004–present)

His research interests include social practices, urbanism, theoretical archaeology, and the archaeology of modernity and resistance. He investigates cultural practices of social groups, urban development, and the interplay between environment and society, particularly in maritime and lacustrine regions. He contributes to theoretical frameworks in archaeology, emphasizing connectivity, transculturality, and the negotiation of individual and collective needs.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary and critical approaches, exploring topics such as protest archaeology, ephemeral material culture, twin cities, and urban water systems. He employs concepts from social theory, such as Appadurai’s scapes, to analyze complex spatial interactions in port cities like Haithabu, Schleswig, and Lübeck.

Ulrich Müller is deeply involved in academic leadership and editorial roles, serving as director of the German Society for Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeology (DGAMN) since 2013 and as a member of several scientific advisory boards, including the Mediävistenverband, the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology (ZBSA), and the Stiftung Oldenburger Wallmuseum. He is also an appointed member of the monument council of Schleswig-Holstein.

He has made significant contributions to archaeological publishing, editing journals such as Zeitschrift für Archäologie des Mittelalters and Historische Archäologie, and series like Offa-Books and Universitätsforschungen zur Prähistorischen Archäologie. His editorial leadership underscores his influence in shaping the discourse in historical archaeology.

He leads and collaborates on major research projects, including those on water supply and settlement organization, the archaeology of protest, and the theoretical foundations of modernity. His work bridges theoretical archaeology with empirical studies, fostering a dynamic research environment. He also mentors students and early-career researchers, though specific advisees are not listed in the provided text.

Ulrich Müller is actively engaged in the development of maritime and computational archaeology at Kiel, having strengthened these areas through institutional collaboration. His work on the archaeology of contemporary society, including protest camps and ephemeral art, demonstrates a commitment to expanding the temporal scope of archaeology into the present.