Institute Collections
The Collections of the Institute of Archaeology, which includes some 30,000 items, were established in the early days of the Hebrew University. They include pottery vessels from various periods and regions, stone tools, glassware, metal weapons, jewelry and tools, inscribed cuneiform clay tablets, figurines, Egyptian objects, Hebrew seals from the period of the Judean Monarchy and coins, with an emphasis on Jewish numismatics (the largest such collection in Israel), as well as ossuaries from the Second Temple Period. There is also an extensive ethnographic collection.
The Collections serve for both teaching and research, as well for exhibits. The artifacts are available to the Institute’s students, enabling them to achieve “hands-on” familiarity with the wide variety of objects, particularly pottery, flint tools, coins and cuneiform tablets. Scholars from Israel and abroad are welcome to examine the objects, which have consequently achieved worldwide renown in academic publications.
The Collection Room opens its doors to varied activities for the general public, such as advanced study days for tour guides, school visits and tourist group. The collection room is also a participant in the "Open House Jerusalem" events. Archives of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem hold unique collections of documents and photographs that record the history of Israeli archaeology from the early 20th century.
