Lothar J. F. Herling was born in Sulingen, district Diepholz in Lower Saxony (Germany) on 9th May 1950. Together with his sister Christel he spent a carefree childhood, which was marked by curiosity and the urge for adventure. After finishing school in 1970 he undertook his first far journey as a backpacker, which led him through many metropolises in Europe to India and Egypt back to Germany. From 1984 to 1994 he studied Pre- and Early History, Near Eastern Archaeology and Classical Archaeology at the University of Heidelberg.

During his studies he spent every year several weeks and months on different archaeological excavations in Germany, Austria and Turkey. In addition Lothar undertook private travels to Turkey, partly with public transport as well as with his own car. Due to the daily contact with the people during these journeys Lothar learned a practical knowledge of the Turkish language. With his master's thesis on "The Bronze Age finds from the Lidar Höyük" in Southeastern Anatolia he manifested his passion in exploring Anatolia. Nevertheless, after his studies, Lothar participated excavations in Buto in the Nile valley (Egypt) for the German Archaeological Institute Cairo Department (as trench supervisor) and from 1994 to 1996 he led the excavation in the medieval city centre of Chemnitz, Germany, for the Department of Archaeology of Saxony. Afterwards, Lothar worked for various departments of the German Archaeological Institute (Berlin) and for different Universities at home and abroad, on whose behalf he led surveys and excavations in several countries of the Near East.

In addition to his surveys in the Afrin-valley, Syria (1996; discovery of Prepottery Neolithic sites), in the Wadi Umm Harraq bei Aqaba, Jordan (2000-2002; emphasis on Epipalaeolithic), in the district Kilis in southeastern Turkey (2000-2002; discovery of Middle Palaeolithic open sites and of a Prepottery Neolithic B Tell) and around the Late Bronze Age settlement mound of Kraltepe at Kaleburnu in Northern Cyprus (2008-2010, 2014) as well as its excavations activities in Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan, Jordan (2000), in Metropolis/Dedecik at Izmir, Turkey (2004) and in Tatlisu, Northcyprus (2001-2008), he made numerous material recordings of smallfinds and especially lithic finds (1998/1999; Tell Magass and Tell Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan at Aqaba, Jordan). However, his main focus was on Turkey and Northern Cyprus. Especially the material recordings of Lidar Höyük in Şanli Urfa in Southeastern Turkey (1997-1998), of Oylum Höyük/Kilis also in Southeastern Turkey (2000-2002) and of Metropolis/Dedecik at Izmir, Turkey (2004), but also during the excavation accompanying material recordings of Tatlisu (2001-2008; 2012) and of Kraltepe (2008-2010, 2014) in Northern Cyprus accompanied Lothar until his death.

Despite his numerous stays in Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Syria and Jordan, Lothar never lost interest in the Pre- and Early History of Germany and Europe. He planned and organized private hikes as well as guided tours in small groups (since 2008). In doing this, Lothar explained his profession, his interest and his passion in archaeology in a colourful and narrative way and substantiated this with his numerous experiences he gained when traveling through the diverse countries and getting to know the variety of already past and still living cultures. His repertoire ranged from Anatolia through Syria to Iran and Egypt and continues to North Africa until Morocco. In addition, Lothar was influenced by his adventurous Sahara transitions over Algeria, Niger and Nigeria to Cameroon.