Professor of prehistoric archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology and an International affiliate at the Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University.

Research Interests

Plio-Pleistocene archaeology in East Africa; The Middle Paleolithic of the Levant; The evolution of symbolism and art; Lithic technology; Subsistence and mobility (land-use strategies) of early hominins; Taphonomy and site formation processes; Archaeological theory.

Teaching

• Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology
• Hunter-Gatherers Decision-making Processes
• The Quaternary of Israel – The Lower and Middle Paleolithic Periods
• Hunter-Gatherer Territoriality
• Gender in Prehistory
• Site Formation Processes
• Inventions and Innovations – The Appearance and Spread of Technological Ideas
• Prehistoric Migrations and Dispersals
• Scientific Writing
• The Prehistoric Colonization of Australia and America
• Center and Periphery – The Middle Paleolithic Period in Europe

Ongoing Projects

• Hominins and their environment during the Upper Pleistocene in the Nahal Amud drainage  – a micro-regional study
• Excavations in the Early Stone Age site of Melka Wakena, southeastern  Ethiopia (with T. Gossa Aredo, A. Asrat, P. Renne, Elizabeth Niespolo and B. Martinez-Navarro)
• Goda Buticha, a late MSA and LSA site in southeast Ethiopia (with D. Pleurdeau, A. Leplongeon, C. Tribal, O. Pearson, Z. Assefa and A. Asrat)
• Amud Cave, Israel: excavations (1991-1994) and publication of interdisciplinary research results 
• Late Pliocene archaeology in Hadar, Northern Ethiopia: excavations (1994, 2000-2002) and publication of interdisciplinary research results (with C. Feibel, B. Martinze-Navarro, T. Goldman, C. Campisano, W. Kimbel and others).
• Excavations in the Middle Paleolithic open-air site of 'Ein Qashish’ (with Ravid Ekshtain, Ariel Malinsky-Buller, and Omry Barzilai)
• Paleoclimate and cryptotephra at Hayonim Cave, western Galilee (with G. Hartman and D. White)
• Dating and paleoenvironment of Zuttieyh Cave, eastern Upper Galilee, Israel (with A. Ayalon, M. Bar-Matthews and Y. Rak)

Publication List

For the full publication list, please enter the following link

Graduate Students

M.A. students:

• Avia Hamami - current (co-advisor with Dr. David Friesem, Haifa University)
• Zvika Mintzer - current
• Chen Zeigen (graduated 2020)
• Masha Krakovsky (graduated 2017)
• Nadav Nir (graduated 2016)
• Micka Ullman (graduated 2015)
• Ariel Malinsky-Buller (graduated 2008)
• Ravid Ekshtain (graduated 2006)
• Hila Ashkenazi (graduated 2005)
• Rachel Pear (graduated 2004)
• Talia Goldman (graduated 2004)
• Nira Alperson (graduated 2001)
• Mae Goder-Goldberger (gradudated 1997)

Ph.D. students

• Anaëlle Jallon - current (co-advisor with Prof. Rivka Rabinovich, HUJI)
• Yotam Ben-Oren - current (co-adivsor with Dr. Oren Kolodny, HUJI)
• Chen Zeigen - current (co-adivosr with Prof. Gideon Hartman, UConn)
• Maya Oron - current (co-adivosr with Dr. Yoav Avni, Geolgoical Survey of Israel)
• Netta Mitki - current
• Laura Centi - (graduated 2021)
• Tegenu Gossa (graduated 2020)
• Mae Goder-Goldberger (graduated 2015)
• Ravid Ekshtain (graduated 2015)
• Ariel Malinsky-Buller (graduated 2015)

Post-doctoral Studens

• Dr. Giuseppe Briatico (Lady Davis Fellow 2023-2024)
• Dr. Tegenu Gossa Aredo (Thyssen Foundation, 2022-2023)
• Dr. Eduardo Paixao (CArEHB, Portugal)
• Dr. Ravid Ekshtain (Adjunct researcher, Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Dr. Alicia Hawkins (Laurentide University, Canada)
• Dr. Alice Leplongeon (KU, Leuven, Belgium) 
• Dr. Yossi Zaidenr (Associate professor, Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Prof. Ruth Shahack-Gross (Associate Professor, Department of Maritime Civilisations, University Haifa).