Despite its location in the northwestern periphery of the Roman Empire, modern-day Germany has yielded a significant number of archaeological finds from the Roman period and beyond. However, such discoveries – whether made accidentally, through rescue excavations, or as part of systematic explorations – often reach broad audiences not through academic publications or museum exhibitions, but through mass-market media shaped by simplification, emotionalization, and political polarization. In these settings, archaeological knowledge does not simply become more accessible, it is fundamentally reframed.
This presentation examines the portrayal of archaeology in Germany’s largest tabloid newspaper, asking what these representations reveal about the intersection of heritage, populist rhetoric, and contemporary identity politics. Based on this framework, the presentation identifies recurring narrative patterns centered around entitlement and distrust of institutions, paying particular attention to the language used to describe archaeological actors, expertise, and legal contexts. Selected articles serve as case studies illustrating how dramatization and emotionalization structure these stories, shifting attention away from archaeological context and heritage protection.
The presentation concludes with a consideration of how archaeological disciplines might respond to such media environments in Germany and throughout Europe. Understanding these narrative transformations is essential for archaeologists to communicate more effectively, challenge distorted representations, and remain critically engaged in an increasingly polarized public landscape.

First Author: Matthias Kalisch

Keywords:
Archaeology and society
Media framing
Archaeological communication
Populist discourse