PhD research topic: Spring Tunnels in the Southern Levant: Chronology, Geography and Culture

Advisors: Prof. Uzi Leibner, Prof. Amos Frumkin

Research Abstract: The central mountain range of Israel suffered from low habitation potential through history due to harsh environmental conditions: Mediterranean to semi-arid climate; significant climate changes; fluctuations in annual and seasonal precipitation, and the absence of large stable water sources. These preconditions forced mountains settlers to concentrate near small perched springs, while trying new hydro-technologies to extract and preserve their limited water sources. One of the most important hydro-tech-innovations was the excavation of a sub-horizontal tunnel, In order to increase the discharge of a perched spring. This water installation is called spring-tunnel.

In this interdisciplinary research, this phenomenon will be examined from two perspectives: Environmental- physical-geographic perspective, and through the historical human view. An extensive field work will be carried out in which more than 150 spring-tunnels will be mapped and researched, enabling to build a comprehensive database of this phenomenon. Each spring-tunnel data will include geographical, geological, hydrologic and archaeological-historical information.