I am an archaeologist who deals with Biblical Archaeology (Bronze and Iron Age Archaeology of the Southern Levant). For the last 30+ years I have directed the archaeological project at Tell es-Safi/Gath (biblical Gath of the Philistines; gath.wordpress.com) that is one of the largest archaeological projects in the near east. In addition, I have research projects in Central Asia, Ethiopia and Bahrain. I am co-director of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org), direct the Ingebort Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies, and co-edit the Israel Exploration Journal. I am particularly interested in inter- and multi-disciplinary research on the ancient cultures of the ancient near east, with particular focus on that of the Philistines, Israelites, Judahites and Arameans, as well as intercultural connectivity in antiquity.

Research Areas:

• Archaeology of the Land of Israel and its environs in the Bronze and Iron Age (Biblical Archaeology);
• The Philistines and their culture;
• Relations between Israel and Aram in the biblical period (Head of the Minerva Center for Israel and Aram Relations in the Biblical Period aramisrael.org)
• The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project (https://gath.wordpress.com/);
• Ancient Jerusalem (Head of the Ingeburg Rennert Center for the Study of Jerusalem)
• Archaeological Science
• Relations of trade and culture in ancient times;
• Western Pacific cultures (Oceania);
• Archaeology of the Ethiopian Jewish Community in Ethiopia
• Archaeology of Central Asia
• Archaeology of connections between the eastern Mediterranean and Southern Asia
• Co-editor of Israel Exploration Journal