People

Doctoral research student Daniel Kossack, M.A.

Doctoral research student

Daniel Kossack (Germany, 1988)

M.A. in Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology

PhD project
High- and Late Middle Ages mottes in the shire Holstein (ca. 11th - 16th Century). Their significance for the colonization of the region and the socio-economic formation of the landscape.
Holstein was settled by Slavics until it was conquered by “Germans” during the 12th century. This caused a change from the Slavic structures to feudalism, which was based on settlers from old territories in the Holy Roman Empire. Within this process, the lower nobility occupied a special position. They were granted sovereign rights and constituted the basis for a successful change in social, political and economic ways. Initiated transformation processes in this region are also visualized in the stock of castles. The role of the gentry is reflected in their castles, whose construction made significant contributions to consolidation of power and formation of space. Castles are not only a visual and structural landmark, they also act as administrative, cultural, social and economic centres. Especially in a landscape where towns developed at the same time as mottes, they probably are of huge importance. Particularly regarding the replacement of Slavic gords by mottes, this period of transition is barely investigated. Most of these castles are not researched at all and only dated by written sources. So it will be necessary to get more information about the mottes itself to investigate their integration and significance for their surrounding. Therefore it is planned to collect all data about medieval mottes in Holstein. These data persist of old measurements from the 1970s, finds from excavations and surveys, written sources, onomastic studies and ALS-Data. In addition three local areas (not bigger than 5 x 5 km²) shall be investigated to enlighten detailed questions. For this GIS-aided analyses of the areas are planned, as well as taking bore-cores, surveys and geophysical prospections.
Research interests Maritime archaeology, development of medieval towns, monasteries and castles, Christianisation, archaeology of conflicts
Education

Since November 2014
Member of the graduate school "Human Development in Landscapes" at Kiel University.

2011 - 2014
Master in Prehistoric- and Historic Archaeology at Kiel University. Masterthesis: The castle Lipperode. An analysis of the excavations 1985-1987.

2007 - 2011
Dual-subject Bachelor in Classical- and Early Christian Archaeology and Archaeology-History-Landscape at Westfälische-Wilhelms-University of Münster (Germany).

Work experience

August - September 2014
Excavation in the medieval castle Falkenburg (Detmold).

September 2012
Rescue excavation in the medieval and early modern age town centre of Lippstadt (Soest).

March/October 2012
Excavation in the medieval castle Altena (Märkischer Kreis).

February 2011
Excavation in the medieval and modern age manor Störmede (Soest).

March 2010 - September 2011
Student Assistant at the “Altertumskommission für Westfalen” in Münster.

August - September 2009
Excavation (field school) in the palaeolithic site Weitsche/Grabow (Lüchow-Dannenberg).

August 2008
Excavation (field school) in the Slavic gord Friedrichsruhe (Parchim).

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