On 26th June in Berlin, Prof. Aleksander Bursche from the UW’s Faculty of Archaeology received the Reimar Lüst Research Award presented by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation from Germany. The UW researcher is the first Polish scientist to be honoured by the foundation.
“Aleksander Bursche has spent decades studying the coinage of the Roman Imperial Era and its spread in Barbaricum, the areas outside of the Roman Empire. His outstanding research on the roots of Germanic coinage has opened up new perspectives on the relations between Romans and the Germanic tribes. Through his numismatic analyses which interpret coins not only as a means of payment but also as a medium of communication and as symbols, Bursche has shaped our understanding of the contacts the Roman Empire had with outside societies in Late Antiquity. His work in this area makes vital contributions to the study of economic, political and identitary networks in the transition period of Late Antiquity,” writes the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
The Reimar Lüst Award, named after an eminent astrophysicist, is given twice a year by the A. v. Humboldt Foundation to representatives of the humanities or social sciences for outstanding achievements in their field and the development of international cooperation. I owe it largely to the strong support given to me by the UW in organising many international meetings, such as the International Numismatic Congress held in 2022. I am the first Polish recipient of this prestigious award – says Prof. Aleksander Bursche.
Archaeologist and numismatist
Prof. Aleksander Bursche is an archaeologist and numismatist from the Faculty of Archaeology at the UW. He is also a visiting professor at Wolfson College in Oxford, the American Academy in Rome, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the German Archaeological Institute.
Parallel to his academic pursuits, Prof. Bursche is actively involved in the popularisation of archaeological knowledge and the protection of cultural heritage. He is the initiator and co-organiser of numerous popularisation events, including the Archaeological Festival in Biskupin – one of the most important events of its kind in Europe.
In 2022, he was the main organiser of the 16th International Numismatic Congress in Warsaw. He was also the author of the concept and chief scientific consultant of the educational multimedia series “Wieści ze świata” and “Poszukiwacze Zaginionych Cywilizacji” produced by Polish Television in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Prof. Bursche holds important positions in the structures of national and international scientific institutions – e.g. as Vice-President of the International Numismatic Council, Chairman of the Programme Council of the Copernicus Science Centre, and President of the Board of DARIAH-PL – the largest Polish infrastructure consortium in the humanities, coordinated by the University of Warsaw.
As part of his research activities, he coordinated a number of projects funded by the National Science Centre and the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities. For his achievements in research, education and the protection of national heritage, Prof. Aleksander Bursche was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland (Polonia Restituta) by the President of the Republic of Poland in 2014.