معرفی
Prof. Dr. Winfried Held is the Managing Director (Geschäftsführender Direktor) and Chair Holder (Lehrstuhlinhaber) of the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of History and Cultural Sciences, Philipps University of Marburg. He has held this position since 2008 and leads multiple international research projects focusing on ancient architecture, Anatolian and Near Eastern archaeology, and nautical studies.
His academic background includes:
- M.A. from Freie Universität Berlin (1991)
- Ph.D. from Freie Universität Berlin (1995)
- Habilitation from Universität Würzburg (2004)
Prof. Held's research focuses on ancient architecture with particular emphasis on Seleucid architecture, Carian studies, and the transition from Achaemenid to Hellenistic periods in the Levant. His work spans Anatolian archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology from Achaemenid to Parthian periods, and nautical archaeology, with field projects across Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. His approach integrates architectural analysis with cultural and historical contexts to understand ancient societies.
His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on temple architecture across the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly Seleucid-era structures, Carian sanctuaries, and monumental buildings in Anatolia and the Levant. There's a clear trajectory toward interdisciplinary studies combining architectural analysis with cultural history, as evidenced by his work on the Donuk Taş temple in Tarsus (purported to be the largest temple of the ancient world), the BERYTOS project on ancient Beirut, and underwater archaeology in the Red Sea.
Prof. Held has led multiple DFG-funded research projects including:
- "Die Architektur der Seleukiden" (The Architecture of the Seleucids)
- "Vom Karischen Bund zur griechischen Polis" (From the Carian League to the Greek Polis)
- "Berytos. Archäologie einer antiken Handelsmetropole in der Levante" (Berytos. Archaeology of an ancient trading metropolis in the Levant)
- "Der Donuk Taş in Tarsos" (The Donuk Taş in Tarsos)
- "Mare Erythraeum. Seefahrt und Handel im Roten Meer" (Mare Erythraeum. Navigation and trade in the Red Sea)
Prof. Held co-directs the "Marburger Unterwassersurvey" (Marburg Underwater Survey) project in Saudi Arabia and leads the "BERYTOS Project" on ancient Beirut's archaeology. His team includes international collaborators from Germany, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, working on interdisciplinary research that bridges archaeology, architecture, and maritime studies.
