Stefan Heidemann

Over the past years, I became known as a historian of the Middle East who has an equal command in the study of literary and legal sources, material culture, numismatics, and archaeological evidence. I focus mainly on periods of transition and economic, cultural change in Islamic societies and cultural memory. My interest in material culture, seals and numismatics was incited by its underused potential of being a powerful source for the societies and polities creating them.

Currently I am Professor of Islamic Studies at Universität Hamburg, and and co-director of the “RomanIslam Center” of Advanced Studies for Comparative Empire and Transcultural Studies. Formerly I served as Associate Curator of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum and Professor of Islamic History and Material Culture at The Bard Graduate Center, New York. From 2014 to 2019, I directed the ERC Advanced Grant Project “The Early Islamic Empire at Work – The View from the Regions Toward the Center”. I co-operated with German, British, French, and Syrian archaeological missions, in al-Raqqa, Damascus, Aleppo, Masyaf, Balkh, and other sites.

For further information view my profile on the Asien-Afrika-Institut's website.