Department of Prehistorical Archaeology

Department is committed to the scholarly investigation of prehistory, the most extensive epoch in human history. This period is primarily reconstructed through the systematic recovery and critical interpretation of material remains. The department’s research methodologies are deliberately diverse, enabling a multifaceted engagement with a wide range of prehistoric contexts and ensuring adaptability to emerging theoretical and methodological paradigms. DPA operates through a collaborative and interdisciplinary model and is structured around six specialized research groups/strategic teams: Neolithic; Dawn of the Bronze Age; Late Prehistory; Cross-cultural Studies; African Drylands; Kutná Hora branch. The department includes a Surface and Use-wear Research of Tools (SUTR) laboratory.

Branch office in Kutná Hora

The branch office, which emerged from a former archaeological field expedition at the Neolithic site of Bylany, is now dedicated to studying the long-term impact of anthropogenic activities in a selected area, acquiring, processing and using various types of data for partial and complex analyses. The branch office is also responsible for carrying out archaeological monument care in the Kutná Hora region and, occasionally, also in the Kolín region.

Surface and Use-wear Research of Tools (SUTR Lab.)

The laboratory focuses on the analysis of so-called macrolithic artefacts. Tools from this group were primarily used for crushing, breaking, grinding, pounding, milling, and abrading various substances and materials. The laboratory systematically creates a reference collection of silicone impressions of active surfaces from artefacts and replicas of tools. For microscopic analysis, it uses an Olympus SZX7 Stereomicroscope, an Olympus BXFM Optical Microscope with a CANON EOS 1200D camera, and, most recently, a LEXT OLS5100 3D Measuring Laser Microscope.

Department members

Head of the department: Mgr. Jaroslav Řídký, Ph.D.
Deputy: Mgr. Michaela Kosová (Langová), Ph.D.
Head of the branch office in Kutná Hora: PhDr. Radka Šumberová, Ph.D.
Administrator: Lenka Skalická

RNDr. Hana Brzobohatá, Ph.D.
PhDr. Pavel Burgert, Ph.D.
PhDr. Miroslav Dobeš, Ph.D.
Mgr. Kristina Doležalová
Mgr. Michal Ernée, Ph.D., DSc.
Mgr. Zuzana Golec Mírová
Mgr. Daniel Hlásek, Ph.D.
PhDr. Miloslav Chytráček, Ph.D., DSc.
Mgr. Martin Ježek, Ph.D.
doc. PhDr. Luboš Jiráň, CSc.
Mgr. Jan Kolář, Ph.D.
Jan Komberec
Mgr. Markéta Končelová, Ph.D.
Veronika Kunová
doc. Mgr. Petr Květina, Ph.D.
PhDr. Petr Limburský, Ph.D.
prof. Ikram Madani Ahmed Mohammed
prof. Hamad Mohamed Hamdeen Abdelrahman
prof. PhDr. Ivan Pavlů, DrSc. (emeritus)
Mgr. Daniel Pilař
Jana Poupová
doc. PhDr. Vladimír Salač, CSc.
Mgr. Dominika Schmidtová
Mgr. František Trampota, Ph.D.
Mgr. Ladislav Varadzin, Ph.D.
Mgr. Filip Velímský, Ph.D.
Milan Zápotocký (emeritus)