May 6, 2024
To celebrate our 2024-2025 Fellowship recipients, we reached out to our winners to learn about their projects and their experiences in archaeology. We’re excited for you to meet Dr. Regina Anna Uhl, this year’s AIA-DAI-Exchange Fellowship winner.
Harriet and Leon Pomerance Fellowship: Dr. Regina Anna Uhl; German Archaeological Institute, Eurasia-Department
In the Fall of 2024 C. Brian Rose AIA/DAI Exchange fellow Dr. Regina Uhl (German Archaeological Institute, Berlin) will spend the semester at the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World at Brown University. There she will work on a project that seeks to understand social and political systems for early nomadic states in Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and West Asia during the Iron Age. Dr. Uhl will focus her study on specific metal objects, technologies, and burial mounds of the early first millennium across the Eurasian continent. With network analysis and data modeling, she hopes to learn more about the emergence of early socio-political systems, their failures, and what the archaeological record can tell researchers about the gaps in between.
How did you get your start in archaeology?
I grew up in a region rich in archaeological treasures and started collecting shards in a Roman fort during my primary school years. The history that lies beneath the earth has always fascinated me, as has the development of humanity as a social being and explorer. My fascination with ancient archaeological eras deepened as I explored the burial mounds of Hallstatt and the intricate exchange rings nearby. This passion led me to study prehistory and early history with a focus on Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Western Asia at the University of Heidelberg. There I developed a deep interest in the aspects of social change and technical innovation.
Where in the world has archaeology brought you (fieldwork, research, conference travel, etc.)?
Since my studies, I have actively participated in field research projects ranging from the Paleolithic to the Early Middle Ages, taking me to different regions around the world. From Germany and Austria to the ancient Himyarite kingdom in Zafar, Yemen, to expeditions to Arkaim, Sintashta and the Ural Mountains in Russia, I have participated in various field research projects and study trips. In recent years, my field research has taken me to the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the North Caucasus (Southern Russia) and Georgia. I have also participated in conferences and study trips to Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Armenia, Italy, the Western Balkans, the Baltic States, New Zealand and West Africa.
What is one of the most memorable things that has happened to you in the field?
It is difficult for me to name a single event or a single moment, as international field research in particular involves more than just archaeological excavations and often entails an intense relativization of one’s own perspective.
I remember the field research in Austria, where I was involved in uncovering one of the oldest twin burials in the world as a student, as being particularly impressive. Not only because the find itself was so unique, but because the loving treatment and laying down of the newborns was very touching for all the archaeologists involved; the find created a deeply human connection.
How has the AIA contributed to your success/professional goals?
The AIA enables me to exchange ideas with colleagues in the USA, network and gain new input. The fellowship will also help me to complete my habilitation project. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work and exchange ideas as part of an exchange fellowship at Brown University.
Learn more about what Fellowship opportunities are available through the AIA or reach out to our Director of Programs, Meredith Langlitz, at mlanglitz@archaeological.org.
