Aren Maeir

Aren M. Maeir is a professor of archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University (Ramat-Gan, Israel). He directs the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project – biblical Gath of the Philistines, home town of Goliath, co-directs the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times, and is co-editor of the Israel Exploration Journal. Prof. Maeir is one of the leading archaeologists in Israel. Over the years, he has been awarded ca. $6M in research grants from various Israeli and foreign scientific granting agencies (e.g., ISF, GIF, ARC, SSHRC, Minerva Stiftung). He has authored and/or edited ca. 200 books, articles and chapters, dealing primarily with ancient near eastern archaeology, culture and history, but also with aspects such as the ancient Mediterranean, ancient ecology, and Melanesian ethnoarchaeology. Among his more recent publications are: Lipschits, O., and Maeir, A. M., eds. 2017. The Shephelah during the Iron Age: Recent Archaeological Studies. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns; Berlejung, A., Maeir. A. M., and Schuele, A., eds. 2017. Wandering Arameans: Arameans Outside Syria - Textual and Archaeological Perspectives. Leipziger Altorientalische Studien 5. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz; Maeir, A. M., ed. 2017/2018. The Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath Archaeological Project. Near Eastern Archaeology 80/4–81/1. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research. Prof. Maeir is an engaging lecturer, with extensive experience in front of various crowds, profession and public, throughout the world, and has regular appearances in the printed and digital media, both in Israel and throughout the world (e.g., appearances on CNN, BBC, National Geographic, History Channel, etc.).