Our Research Partners
Welcome to the Dark Side is a groundbreaking project, making waves across Europe, and we are thrilled to have the support of so many dedicated partners. With their help, we are able to push the boundaries of what is possible and make a real impact in the field.
Sarah Lo Russo
Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BE
Sarah Lo Russo is co-developing the two-pillar database system I-GEOARCHrec and I-GEOARCHive.
Visit AMGC online.
Luc Vrydaghs
Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BE
In collaboration with Prof. Y. Devos, Luc Vrydaghs developed the phytolith analysis of soil thin sections. Aside of contributing to micromorphology, this technique turns around some of the taphonomical, taxonomical and quantitative issues phytolith analyses face for decades". I also added a photo of Luc on the microscope.
Visit AMGC online.
Rita Gautschy
Swiss National Data and Service Center for the Humanities (DaSCH), CH
Rita is an archaeologist and research data management specialist. She is involved in the conception and development of GEOARCHive and the long-term preservation of the data.
Visit DaSCH online.
Werner Vach
Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science (IPAS), University of Basel, CH
I am looking forward to support the project by giving advice on statistical analyses and general research methodology.
Visit IPAS online.
Martin Hinz
Departement for Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Bern, CH
Martin Hinz is an archaeologist specialised in computer-assisted and quantitative methods who will support the project by advising on database design and statistical analysis.
Visit Departement for Prehistoric Archaeology online.
Lucia Wick
Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science (IPAS), University of Basel, CH
I am a palynologist working on pollen and NPP (non-pollen palynomorphs) records from the site St. Ursanne to get information about human activities and environmental changes within the Dark Earth-layers.
Visit IPAS online.
Michel Guélat
Sediqua Geosciences sarl, CH
Geoarchaeological field investigations on the site of St. Ursanne (Jura, Switzerland): definition of the stratigraphy, diagnostics and micromorphological sampling targeted for the Dark Earth issue.
Visit Sediqua Geosciences sarl online.
Philippe Rentzel
Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science (IPAS), University of Basel, CH
Philippe is the head of the Geoarchaeology Reseach Group at IPAS providing the laboratory facilities (micromorphology) and scientific support.
Visit IPAS online.
Astrid Röpke
Laboratory for Archaeobotany, Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, DE
Dark Earth deposits from the city of Cologne
Visit Labor für Archäobotanik online.
Debora Schmid
Project Römerstadt Augusta Raurica, CH
In the area of the late antique Castrum Raurcacense at Kaiseraugst, an increasing number of dark earth strata was observed during excavations in recent years, which were sampled and examined by IPAS staff. These samples were made available to the project. We hope that their evaluation within the framework of the project will give new results on the transitional period between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages at Kaiseraugst.
Visit Augusta Raurica online.
Guido Lassau
Archäologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt, CH
Settlement structures with dark-earth layers are repeatedly encountered in the area of the medieval city of Basel: The archaeological service of Basel (Archäologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt) provides the research project with various soil samples which offer great potential for the reconstruction of the city’s early history. Among those are samples from two current large excavations (UMIS/AUE).
Visit Archäologische Bodenforschung BS online.
Robert Fellner, Céline Robert-Charrue Linder, Ursule Babey and Karine Marchand («team Saint-Ursanne»)
Section d’archéologie et paléontologie, Office de la culture, République et Canton du Jura, CH
The Section d’archéologie et paléontologie has contributed sediment samples from the dark earths of Saint-Ursanne/Vieille ville.
Visit SAP online.
Thomas Doppler
Kantonsarchäologie Aargau, CH
Thomas is head of the Archaeology department in the Canton of Aargau providing samples from Kaiseraugst which is part of the former Roman town Augusta Raurica.
Visit Kantonsarchäologie Aargau online.