TOPOI – Space – a broad subject

The exploration of topoi – or “spaces” – forms a part of a wide range of academic and scientific disciplines. The term “topos” occurs, for example, in mathematics, rhetoric, and medicine. In archaeology, finds and written documents are used to investigate the spatial expansion of ancient empires and their political influence.

Scholars in the Excellence Cluster Topoi investigate the meaning, definition, perception and also the formation of the many aspects of space. Archaeologists and geographers work hand in hand: they examine, for example, core samples which provide insights about the climate in a particular place during a particular period of time, and thus tell us whether a place was suitable for settlement or not. The philosophers of the Cluster explore, inter alia, early cosmological models which form an inherent part of ancient theories of space. Other researchers investigate, from a cultural-historic point of view, accounts of travels and paintings dating from the 18th century.

The Cluster is is hosted by the Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt-University of Berlin. Further partners are not only the State Museums but also other, non-university institutions.