I was born in Rochester, NY, in 1958, and immigrated with my family to Israel in 1969. I completed my elementary and secondary schooling in Jerusalem. Between 1977 and 1982 I served in the Israeli army, attaining the rank of Captain.  

I studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, attaining a B.A. in Archaeology and Jewish History (1986, summa cum laude), and a Ph.D. in Archaeology (1997, summa cum laude). My primary expertise is Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology. I have participated in excavations at numerous sites in Israel, including: Hazor, Jerusalem, Beth Shean, and Qasile, and have directed archaeological excavations and surveys in Jerusalem (The Western Wall Tunnels, Mamilla, Kikar Safra, Malha), Tell es-Safi/Gath, the Beth Shean Valley, and Tel Yavneh. Needless to say, my primary professional focus is the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project (see www.dig-gath.org).  

Over the years I have published more than 100 scholarly and popular studies in various journals and books, and have written and edited several books. Up till recently, I served as the chairmen of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, which is located in Ramat-Gan, Israel, where I teach Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology. I also serve as the co-director of the Bar-Ilan University/Weizmann Institute of Science Joint Program in Archaeological Science.  

I am married to Adina (neé Hartman), and we have three sons, Noam, Uri, & Netanel (and our Labrador, Nona), and we live in Jerusalem.  

Lectures:

Over the years, I have lectured before very diverse crowds (of various denominations, faiths, and backgrounds), and have been interviewed by various printed and electronic media. My lectures are can be geared for academic, semi-popular, and/or popular settings, and are always accompanied with extensive color slides. I am completely fluent in both Hebrew and English.   

Among the public lectures that I have presented in the past:

• The Search for Goliath – Excavating Biblical Gath of the Philistines

• Goliath in myth, text and reality

• What’s “new” (or “old”) in biblical archaeology? Recent finds and current debates

• The Archaeology and History of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem: Perspectives from the past – prospectives for the future

• The Archaeology of Biblical Jerusalem

• Archaeology and politics in contemporary Israel

• Archaeology and religion – the viewpoint of an Orthodox Jewish archaeologist

• How the ancient Israelites worshipped – the view from archaeology

• The art of warfare in biblical times  

If you are interested in the possibility of coordinating lectures, please contact:

Prof. Aren M. Maeir

The Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology

Bar-Ilan University

Ramat-Gan 52900, ISRAEL

Tel: ++972-54-620-5082

Fax: ++972-3-635-4941

maeira@mail.biu.ac.il