I am an archaeologist and ancient historian with over a decade of research experience at the Universities of Heidelberg and Erfurt and the Römisch Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz in Germany.
In 2017 I started to look for ways to make my archaeological research beneficial for the present. I came across a number of globally scattered, independent projects in which ancient technologies were „rehabilitated“ due to their efficiency, simplicity and sustainability: Agriculture in Bolivia, land use in Peru, water supply in Iran, the American Southwest and India, irrigation systems in Sri Lanka, cultivation of desert areas in Israel and Africa, earthquake-resistant houses in earthquake-prone areas. Often these projects were carried out with the involvement of governmental institutions and public funding.
In 2020 I left University and founded the Amatek Institute - Ancient Technologies in Modern Contexts. I am specialized in the implementation of ancient technologies and archaeological data into the development of sustainable solutions to current ecological challenges. My focus is on water supply, agriculture, and architecture in arid and semi-arid regions. I offer research, consulting and training in contexts of development aid, sustainable agriculture, green architecture and climate change adaptations.
I am currently preparing a "Handbook of Buried Clay Pot Irrigation" in which I evaluate about 100 scientific studies and large scale projects. I am also preparing a popular scientific book which introduces 50 examples of ancient technologies in modern contexts.
