Dieter Vieweger
Encyclopedia
Dieter Vieweger, a German Biblical scholar and Prehistorian Archaeologist, was born in Chemnitz
, East Germany in 1958.
He studied Theology
(Old Testament
Studies) and Prehistoric Archaeology
in Leipzig
and Frankfurt
on Main. He then held a number of distinguished research and educational positions.
, where he received his doctorate (Dr. theol.) in 1985. From 1986 to 1989, he was parish priest at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, church of Johann Sebastian Bach
's choir Thomanerchor
, and in 1987, he received his ordination at the St. Thomas Church. In 1989, he received his habilitation
(Dr. theol. habil.) at the University of Leipzig. From 1994 to 1998, he studied prehistoric archaeology at the University of Frankfurt, and received his doctorate (Dr. phil.) there in 1998.
Since 2001 he has run the Gadara Region Project
. This project has focused on the interdisciplinary investigation of the Wadi al-'Arab south-west of Gadara and the excavation of its most prominent site, Tall Zira'a
. Since 2003, the over 5000 year old fascinating history of Palestine has been excavated there.
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
, East Germany in 1958.
He studied Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
(Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Studies) and Prehistoric Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
on Main. He then held a number of distinguished research and educational positions.
Career to date
- 1989-1991 professorship (Old Testament Studies) Kirchliche Hochschule Berlin.
- 1991-1993 professorship Humboldt University of BerlinHumboldt University of BerlinThe Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
. - since 1993 full professorship at the "Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal" (Old TestamentOld TestamentThe Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Studies and Biblical archaeologyBiblical archaeologyFor the movement associated with William F. Albright and also known as biblical archaeology, see Biblical archaeology school. For the interpretation of biblical archaeology in relation to biblical historicity, see The Bible and history....
). - since 1999 Director of the Biblical Archaeological InstituteBiblical Archaeological InstituteThe Biblical Archaeological Institute Wuppertal was established in 1999 by the Protestant Church of the Rhineland.It constitutes an institute of the “Protestant University of Wuppertal” as well as an associated institute of the University of Wuppertal and holds the right to award doctorates at...
Wuppertal. - since 2002 also research-professorship for ArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
at the Witten/Herdecke UniversityWitten/Herdecke UniversityWitten/Herdecke University is a private university in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Unlike most other German universities, it is a private enterprise with about 1100 students and 400 employees...
. - since 2005 Director-General of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology Jerusalem and Amman, Research Unit of the German Archaeological InstituteGerman Archaeological InstituteThe German Archaeological Institute is an institution of research within the field of archaeology , and a "scientific corporation", with parentage of the federal Foreign Office of Germany-Origin:...
. - since 2005 Deputy provost in Jerusalem and coordinator of the German Protestant education in the Holy City.
- Since 2005, he has been dividing his duties between Germany and the German Protestant Institutes in Jerusalem and Amman.
- 2009 he received a Honorary degreeHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
(Dr. h.c.) of the University of WuppertalUniversity of WuppertalThe University of Wuppertal is a German scientific institution, located in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia.The university, the full German name of which is Bergische Universität Wuppertal , was formed in 1972 and is located in the city of Wuppertal, within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia,...
, Faculty of Philosophy. - Visiting professor at summer universities of the Studienstiftung des deutschen VolkesStudienstiftungThe German National Academic Foundation is Germany's largest organisation sponsoring students of outstanding academic achievements.It is non-political and non-denominational....
in the years 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008 (German National Academic Foundation). - Visiting professor at the Dormition Abbey, Jerusalem, for Biblical Archaeology in the years 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Education
From 1976 to 1981, Vieweger studied Protestant theology at the University of LeipzigUniversity of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, where he received his doctorate (Dr. theol.) in 1985. From 1986 to 1989, he was parish priest at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, church of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's choir Thomanerchor
Thomanerchor
The Thomanerchor is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys from 9 to 18 years of age...
, and in 1987, he received his ordination at the St. Thomas Church. In 1989, he received his habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
(Dr. theol. habil.) at the University of Leipzig. From 1994 to 1998, he studied prehistoric archaeology at the University of Frankfurt, and received his doctorate (Dr. phil.) there in 1998.
Excavation projects
- 1992 Survey at Maschana (JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
) - 1995–1996 Tell el-´Oreme (IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) - 1998–1999 Esch-Schallaf (JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
) - 1999 Ba'ja I, near PetraPetraPetra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
(JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
) - 1999–2000 Sal (JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
)
Since 2001 he has run the Gadara Region Project
Gadara Region Project
In the Wādī al-‘Arab, one can find traces of human activities and settlement places from all periods. The surveys and excavations, which have applied the latest archaeological technologies and methods, show that the Wadi al-'Arab was inhabited from the Palaeolithic period to modern times...
. This project has focused on the interdisciplinary investigation of the Wadi al-'Arab south-west of Gadara and the excavation of its most prominent site, Tall Zira'a
Tall Zira'a
The Tall Zira'a is one of the most promising talls of Palestine. Surveys and geophysical investigations showed the site’s great potential for excavations...
. Since 2003, the over 5000 year old fascinating history of Palestine has been excavated there.
Memberships
- since 1992 confidant of the Studienstiftung des deutschen VolkesStudienstiftungThe German National Academic Foundation is Germany's largest organisation sponsoring students of outstanding academic achievements.It is non-political and non-denominational....
; - 1992–2005 member of the council of the German Protestant Institute of the Exploration of the Holy Land;
- since 2005 member of the board of trustees for the Zeitschrift für Orientarchäologie (former Baghdader Mitteilungen and Damaszener Mitteilungen) at the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Berlin;
- since 2006 Senior Fellow of the Albright Institute, Jerusalem.
- since 2007/2009 member of the German Archaeological InstituteGerman Archaeological InstituteThe German Archaeological Institute is an institution of research within the field of archaeology , and a "scientific corporation", with parentage of the federal Foreign Office of Germany-Origin:...
(since 2009 “Ordentliches Mitglied”).
Journals/books
- 1994–2008 editor: Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins and Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins;
- Die Spezifik der Berufungsberichte Jeremias und Ezechiels im Umfeld ähnlicher Einheiten des Alten Testaments. Lang: Frankfurt a. M., Bern, New York 1986, ISBN 3-8204-8948-7
- Die literarischen Beziehungen zwischen den Büchern Jeremia und Ezechiel. Lang: Frankfurt a. M., Bern, New York 1993, ISBN 3-631-40725-4
- Zur Chronologie der Nekropole von Tamassos-Lambertis, Zypern. Dissertationsschrift Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt a. M. 1998.
- Proseminar Altes Testament. Ein Arbeitsbuch. (with Siegfried Kreuzer) 2nd edition Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-17-019063-6
- Archäologie der Biblischen Welt. UTB-Taschenbuch 2394, 2nd edition Göttingen 2006. ISBN 3-8252-2394-9
- Wenn Steine reden. Archäologie in Palästina. Göttingen 2004. ISBN 3-525-53623-2
- Das Geheimnis des Tells. Eine archäologische Reise in den Orient. (with Friederike Rave und Claudia Voigt) Zabern: Mainz 2005, ISBN 3-8053-3519-9 (for children).
- 2010 Streit um das Heilige Land. Was jeder vom israelisch-palästinensischen Konflikt wissen sollte. 2nd edition Gütersloh 2010, ISBN 978-3-579-06757-5