Brigitta Mader Knihy

When the Imperial Academy of Sciences initiated archaeological activities around 150 years ago, prehistoric archaeology was emerging as an independent discipline. The confirmation of humanity's ancient history by Darwin and new geological findings prompted the need for answers, which prehistoric research aimed to provide. Ferdinand von Hochstetter, a geologist and director of the Natural History Court Museum, advocated for the establishment of a Prehistoric Commission to conduct research and excavations in the Austrian monarchy. This initiative flourished, leading to a comprehensive history of the Prehistoric Commission being documented for the first time. From its founding in 1878 until the end of the Habsburg monarchy in 1918, the Commission excavated over one hundred sites across regions including Bohemia, Moravia, and Dalmatia, significantly advancing the field of prehistory and laying foundations for future research in successor states. The volume presents previously unpublished archival material, detailing the Commission's establishment, organization, and activities, while situating Austrian prehistoric research within the broader European context. Additionally, it includes a catalog of excavations from 1878 to 1918, along with biographies of key researchers and images of excavations, illustrating the pioneering efforts of the Commission's members in the quest to understand human history and establish a new scientific di