Dietrich Mania

Dietrich Mania (born January 31, 1938 in Orlamünde , Thuringia ) is a German archaeologist , geologist and paleontologist . He taught at the University of Jena . His name is inextricably linked with the old Paleolithic open-air storage area Bilzingsleben .

Fossil bones of large mammals were found there as early as the early 18th century. The site was of paramount importance in 1969, when Dietrich Mania came across a previously unknown archaeological horizon at the base of the travertine deposits in the now abandoned travertine quarries. He found the campsite of a group of prehistoric people with artefacts made of stone, cracked animal bones and in 1972 a fragment of the occiput of a Homo erectus , which was only recognized as such later. The Bilzingsleben research center was established in 1974 and Mania, as head of the research group, set up the branch and an interdisciplinary working group with numerous specialists, which he headed until he left in 2000.

The excavations gave rise to a picture of the life of early humans. The importance of Bilzingsleben lies in the uniqueness of a completely preserved camp site with traces of all human activities from the time of Homo erectus and thus represents an important contribution to the human tribal history. Dietrich Mania has found the site Bilzingsleben in 26 years of research under often difficult conditions made his life's work. In addition to the Bilzingsleben project, there are other excavations and investigations such as the bank settlement on the former Ascherslebener See (1962/1969), Markkleeberg (1977–1980), Neumarkt-Nord opencast mine in the Geiseltal (1987–1996), and since 1992 excavations in the Helmstedt lignite area and in archaeological excavation sites in the Schöningen opencast mine .

In 1986 he received the National Prize of the GDR III. Science and technology class. He is a member of the Academy of Non-Profit Science in Erfurt .

Fonts (selection)

• In the footsteps of primitive man. The finds from Bilzingsleben . Theiss, Stuttgart 1990, ISBN 3-8062-0832-8
• The first people in Europe . Stuttgart 1998 ISBN 3-8062-1245-7
• Bilzingsleben V. Homo erectus - its culture and environment, the image of primitive man . Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2004, ISBN 3-930036-99-1 ( contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe 40).
• with Ursula Mania: A thousand years like a day / Thousand years like a day 2005

literature

• Jan Michal Burdukiewicz et al. (Ed.): Knowledge hunters . Culture and Environment of Early Man. Festschrift for Dietrich Mania publications of the State Office for Archeology Saxony-Anhalt 57, Halle 2003.

Web links

• Literature by and about Dietrich Mania in the catalog of the German National Library
• List of publications by Mania, University of Jena