Famous archaeologist

Died at the age of 55: Mourning for Sabine Ladstätter

Archaeologist Sabine Ladstätter, who was named "Scientist of the Year" in 2011, died on Monday afternoon at the age of 55 after a long illness.

The Carinthian had led the excavations of Austrian archaeologists in the ancient city of Ephesus on the Turkish Aegean coast for 14 years - it was only on Monday that Martin Steskal was announced as the new excavation director there.

Ladstätter was born in Klagenfurt on 22 November 1968, studied Ancient History and Classical Archaeology at the University of Graz and specialized in economic archaeology. In 1997 she completed her doctorate in Classical Archaeology at the University of Vienna.

From 1987 to 1998, she worked on the excavations at Hemmaberg in Carinthia, from 1992 as local excavation director. From 1995, Ladstätter worked in Ephesus, became deputy excavation director, took over the management of the Austrian Archaeological Institute in 2009 and finally became excavation director in Ephesus in 2010.

The Governor of Carinthia, Peter Kaiser, is also shocked by the death of Sabine Ladstätter: "On behalf of the Province of Carinthia, I would like to express our sincere condolences to the family in these difficult times. She always followed her path, refused to be put off and was in her element throughout her life. Carinthia and science have lost a recognized researcher."