Dr. Daniel Berger

From 2001 to 2006, Daniel Berger studied archaeometry at the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg/Saxony, where he received his diploma in 2006. This was followed by a doctorate at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, which he completed in 2011. Since 2013, Daniel Berger has been working at CEZA as a research associate and is the contact person for the field of archaeometallurgy. He is involved in the conception and management of various projects, he is responsible for sample management in the laboratory for material analyses and since 2022 he is part of the extended management of CEZA gGmbH.

Academic and professional background

2001–2006

Studies of archaeometry at the Technical University Freiberg, title of the diploma thesis: „Steingussformen aus dem spätromanischen-frühgotischen Magdeburg: Archäometrische und experimentalarchäologische Untersuchungen zum mittelalterlichen Zinnguss an ausgewählten Fundstücken“ (“Stone casting moulds from the late Romanesque-early Gothic Magdeburg: Archaeometric and experimental archaeological investigations on medieval tin casting”)

2007–2010

Research associate at the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale), Germany, within the project FOR 550 “Der Aufbruch zu neuen Horizonten”

2011

PhD at the University of Tübingen in Archaeological Sciences; title of the thesis: „Bronzezeitliche Färbetechniken an Metallobjekten nördlich der Alpen: Eine archäometallurgische Studie zur prähistorischen Anwendung von Tauschierung und Patinierung anhand von Artefakten und Experimenten“ (“Bronze Age colouring techniques on metal objects north of the Alps: An archaeometallurgical study of the prehistoric application of inlaying and patination using artefacts and experiments”

2010–2013

Freelancer for archaeometric investigations

since 2013

Research associate at the CEZA, part of the ERC project „BronzeAgeTin“ aiming on provenancing tin in bronze and tin artefacts

since 2019

Research associate at the CEZA and part of the project “Infrastruktur Archäometrie”

since 2022

Project leader of the interdisciplinary project “Origin, development and technology of Bronze Age blades from the Sögel-Wohlde-District”

Main area of research

Archaeometallurgy
Metallurgy of tin, bronze, copper and lead

Metallurgical practices in the Bronze Age
Provenance studies of tin and other metals by means of isotopes and trace elements
Early post medieval lead type and type casting
Medieval manufacturing and casting techniques of pewter objects
Patination and inlay techniques in pre- and early history

Memberships and honorary activities

GNAA
Historical Metallurgy
peer-reviews for scientific journals

News

Dr. Daniel Berger

Academic and professional background

Main area of research

Memberships and honorary activities

Publications

Berger, D. et al.: Why Central Asia’s Mushiston is not a source for the Late Bronze Age tin ingots from the Uluburun shipwreck

Berger, D. et al.: The rise of bronze in Central Asia: new evidence for the origin of Bronze Age tin and copper from multi-analytical research

Berger, D. et al.: Shiny bronze in glassy matter: an inconspicuous piece of slag from the Bronze Age mining site of Mušiston (Tajikistan) and its significance for the development of tin metallurgy in Central Asia

Berger, D. et al.: Metallurgical investigation of tin rings from grave no. 50

Berger, D. et al.: Oberfläche, Werkspuren, Tauschierung: Ästhetische Metallbearbeitungstechniken der frühen Bronzezeit im Zusammenhang mit dem Hortfund von Nebra

Berger, D. et al.: Isotope systematics and chemical composition of tin ingots from Mochlos (Crete) and other Late Bronze Age sites in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: An ultimate key to tin provenance?

Berger, D.: Intention or coincidence: Bracelets from the Early Bronze Age from Thierschneck, Thuringia (Germany), and the possible tinning in the Únětice culture

Nessel, B. et al.: Bronze production and tin provenance – new thoughts about the spread of metallurgical knowledge

Berger, D. et al.: Tin isotope fractionation during experimental cassiterite smelting and its implication for tracing the tin sources of prehistoric metal artefacts

Berger, D. et al.: On smelting cassiterite in geological and archaeological samples: Preparation and implications for provenance studies on metal artefacts with tin isotopes

Brügmann, G. et al.: Tin Isotope Fingerprints of Ore Deposits and Ancient Bronze

Brügmann, G. et al.: Determination of the tin stable isotopic composition in tin-bearing metals and minerals by MC-ICP-MS

Berger, D.: Post-medieval printing type from Mainz and Oberursel, Germany, and the composition of early German type metal

Berger, D. et al.: Neue Letternfunde aus der Wittenberger Altstadt. Ein weiterer interdisziplinärer Beitrag zum frühneuzeitlichen Buchdruck und zur Schriftgussgeschichte

Berger, D. et al.: A mysterious black ornamentation on an Early Bronze Age dagger from Schoolbek (Kosel)

Berger, D.: Zur Technologie frühbronzezeitlicher Tauschierarbeiten nördlich der Alpen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Schwertes aus den »Marais de Nantes«

Berger, D.: Sieben Notenlettern

Berger, D.: Bleilettern

Berger, D.: Artificial patination in Early Iron Age Europe

Berger, D. et al.: Noten für den Reformator?

Berger, D.: Late Bronze Age iron inlays on bronze artefacts from central Europe

Berger, D. et al.: Noten für den Reformator? Zur Untersuchung der Drucktypen aus dem Wittenberger Franziskanerkloster und ihr Zusammenhang mit dem Musikaliendruck der Reformationszeit

Berger, D. et al.: Untersuchungen zum frühneuzeitlichen Buchdruck an Bleilettern aus Wittenberg

Berger, D.: Neue Tauschierungen an alten Funden. Untersuchungen zur Verzierungs- und Herstellungstechnik zweier Vollgriffschwerter der Hügelgräberbronzezeit

Berger, D. et al.: Das Projekt „Lutherarchäologie“ – ein Forschungsbeitrag zum Reformationsjubiläum

Berger, D. et al.: Frühe Belege mittelalterlicher Zinngießer in Zerbst, Lkr. Anhalt-Bitterfeld

Berger, D. et al.: Neue Wege zur Herkunftsbestimmung des bronzezeitlichen Zinns

Berger, D. et al.: Die Wittenberger Letternfunde aus der Bürgermeisterstraße 5. Eine typografische, historische und materialkundliche Betrachtung

Cassitti, P. et al.: ‘St Peter in Volders’ and related base metal figurines resembling the famous statue in the Vatican Basilica

Berger, D. et al.: New insights into Early Bronze Age damascene technique north of the Alps

Berger, D.: Mittelalterliche Weißmetallfunde aus Halle (Saale) und einige Anmerkungen zu ihrer Identifizierung