Erik Beck

I completed my PhD in August 2015. My thesis is concerning the perception and use of roman remains during the middle ages within the upper Rhine Valley (Supervisor Prof. Dr. Thomas Zotz, Universität Freiburg i. Br., Germany). My work is part of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 692:  Gegenwartsbezogene Landschaftsgenese.
In my studies I focussed on the afterlife of roman architectural and archaeological remains in the landscape of the upper Rhine Valley during the middle ages. Recent research has shown that roman remains in the north-western provinces of the former Roman Empire survived till the later middle ages in form of hulks which could be reused.
I analysed how those ruins were experienced by the coevals and how they could be used. The focus was on both, the pragmatical, architectural usage and the evocated associations of the observers.
To examine those associations, narrative sources, such as chronicles, and toponyms were helpful. Another focus was on the analysis of medieval castles which were errected over or in roman structures. In order to analyse these phenomenons I did apply an interdisciplinary research approach, situated in between history and archaeology.

I completed my master’s at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany in 2004. My thesis was concerned with castles during the central middle ages in the Trier region. One focus was on the reuse of roman structures and the relation between castles and the roman infrastructure in this area.
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Thomas Zotz (Freiburg) and Prof. Dr. Lukas Clemens (Trier)
Phone: +492955762228
Address: Kreismuseum Wewelsburg
Burgwall 19
33142 Büren