RGK: An International Hub for Archaeological Research

by Sina-Marie Hahn

The German Archaeological Institute (DAI) promotes young scholars, international exchange, and cooperation with partner institutions. Scholarship programmes, research support and extended research stays at its library the DAI supports researchers in their work, as well as specific independent, clearly defined projects. In 2025, three international researchers took up three month stays at the Romano-Germanic Commission (RGK), supported by an internal funding line aimed at enabling significant scientific contributions and promoting international scholarly exchange. 

Dr. Jan Jílek (Masaryk University / East Bohemian Museum) (Photo: Sina-Marie Hahn (RGK) // DAI + RGK).

One of these researchers is Czech archaeologist Dr. Jan Jílek (Masaryk University / East Bohemian Museum). His research focuses on the Roman Iron Age and the interactions between Romans and the communities of the Central European Barbaricum. During his stay at the RGK, he aims to develop a Corpus of Roman finds from Eastern Bohemia, integrating both older and newly discovered objects to systematically analyse trade and contact networks beyond the Roman frontier.

The RGK provides ideal conditions for this work. Its extensive specialist library grants access to catalogues and journals from across Europe that are not available in the Czech Republic. Jílek also benefits from professional exchanges with international colleagues, as well as from the literature available to him, allowing him to incorporate new methodological approaches and literature from Great Britain, Scotland, and Scandinavia into his research.

Dr. Jan Jílek working in the RGK library (Photo: Sina-Marie Hahn (RGK) // DAI + RGK).

His studies concentrate on Roman bronze vessels and small art objects. Alongside typological and stylistic analyses, his colleagues and he apply scientific techniques to investigate metal alloys and glass, and employ cultural anthropological approaches to interpret the significance of these objects in both the Barbaricum and the Roman Empire.

Roman-provincial fibula from Ráby, Pardubice distr., stored: East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice (photo: L. Vojtěchovský).
Roman-provincial fibula from Kasalice, Pardubice distr., stored: East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice (photo: L. Vojtěchovský).
Roman bronze gilt finger ring from Přelouč, Pardubice Dist., stored: City Museum in Přelouč (photo: A. Pukanczová).
Another important aim is the re-evaluation of older finds including settlement and hoard discoveries, to gain more nuanced insights into trade, diplomacy, and power structures.
Jílek emphasizes that this work is not only historically significant: it also provides insights into the dynamic relationships between centres and peripheries, which remain relevant for contemporary societies. Moreover, the research helps make complex historical processes accessible to a broad audience, from academics to enthusiasts of Roman history.
For Jílek, the RGK is an ideal environment for focused scholarly work. Its quiet, creative atmosphere supports intensive research and the development of interdisciplinary approaches, opening up unique opportunities to analyse roman imports, interpret cultural contacts, and foster international collaboration.
 
More information about Dr. Jan Jílek and his ongoing projects can be found on Masaryk University and on Academia.