Gropius Bau

Restless Times. Archaeology in Germany

21 Sep 2018 - 06 Jan 2019

Himmelscheibe. Oldest European representation of the night sky, found in 1999 by illegal amateur treasure hunters at Mittelberg, Sachsen-Anhalt
© Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt, photo: Juraj Lipták
Through spectacular new archaeological finds, and fresh perspectives on old ones, the exhibition reveals an unparalleled network of cultural interaction existing in Europe from earliest times to the recent past. Mobility, conflict, exchange and innovation – their origins, effects and interconnections – have always shaped coexistence in Europe. Within these four major subject areas, high-profile exhibits from every state in the Federal Republic shed light on the way transregional interaction affected the personal, economic and religious spheres. Parallels are drawn with aspects of modern life, such as migration, integration, iconoclasm and technical and intellectual knowledge-transfer, giving the archaeological finds relevance for visitors today. Regional cultural characteristics are tied in with transregional archaeological phenomena across Europe to highlight the European dimension of Germany’s cultural heritage.

A special exhibition organised by the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin in cooperation with the Association of Federal State Archaeologists on the occasion of the 2018 European Cultural Heritage Year.