Dr. Aren Maeir
Dr. Aren Maeir was born in Rochester, NY, in 1958, and immigrated with my family to Israel in 1969. He completed elementary and secondary schooling in Jerusalem. Between 1977 and 1982 he served in the Israeli army, attaining the rank of Captain.
He 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). His primary expertise is Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology. He has 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. Currently, his primary professional focus is the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project (see www.dig-gath.org).
Over the years Dr. Maeir has published more than 100 scholarly and popular studies in various journals and books, and has written and edited several books. Dr. Maeir has served as the chairmen of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, where he teaches Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology. He also serve as the co-director of the Bar-Ilan University/Weizmann Institute of Science Joint Program in Archaeological Science.
