Ursula Brosseder

Ursula Brosseder is a faculty member in the Department of Prehistoric and Early Historical Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Bonn, Germany. She has held academic positions continuously since 2005 and currently leads the DFG-funded BARCOR project on bioarchaeological research in Mongolia.

• PhD in Pre- and Early Historical Archaeology, Freie University of Berlin, 2001
• Habilitation, University of Bonn, 2022
• Studied at Ludwig-Maximilians-University (Munich), Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University (Frankfurt), and Freie University (Berlin), 1991–1998

Her research centers on Iron Age Eurasia, with a focus on pastoralist societies, mounted warriors, the Xiongnu, Scythians, and early Silk Road networks. She integrates bioarchaeology, material culture analysis, and landscape studies to explore interaction, exchange, and social complexity across the steppes. Her work spans from Europe’s Hallstatt culture to the trans-Eurasian networks of Mongolia and Siberia, emphasizing long-distance contacts and cultural memory.

The most recent publications reflect a consistent focus on the Xiongnu Empire, elite burial practices, cross-cultural exchange, and the application of network theory in archaeology. Her work increasingly integrates multidisciplinary methods and global perspectives on ancient connectivity, especially around the turn of the era.

Scientific Awards and Fellowships:

• Visiting Research Fellow, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, NYU (2018–2019)
• Member, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (2013–2014)
• Research Fellowship, Gerda Henkel Foundation (2013–2014)
• Feodor Lynen Fellowship, Alexander Humboldt Foundation (2004–2005)
• Fellowship, German Archaeological Institute (2002–2003)
• Dissertation Fellowship, Berlin County (1999–2001)

She has hosted Alexander von Humboldt Fellows and served as a grant reviewer for major international bodies including the European Research Council, National Science Foundation (USA), and Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France). She is an active peer reviewer for leading journals such as Antiquity, Radiocarbon, and Praehistorische Zeitschrift. Since 2017, she has been an Associate Member of the ERC-funded BASAR research group on economic developments beyond the Silk Road.

Dr. Brosseder has organized several international workshops and conferences, including events at NYU, LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, and Ulaanbaatar, focusing on ritual landscapes, interaction zones, and Xiongnu archaeology. Her projects are funded by DFG and the Gerda Henkel Foundation, reflecting sustained support for her innovative research in Inner Asian archaeology.