News Release
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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
‫האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים‬
Hebrew U. Prof. Amihai Mazar wins Israel Prize for
archaeological research
Jerusalem, February 24, 2009 - Hebrew University Prof. Amihai Mazar will be
awarded the Israel Prize 2009 for his research in archaeology, the Education Minister
Prof Yuli Tamir announced this week.
In explaining their decision, the awarding panel stated that, Prof. Amihai Mazar of the
Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology "is among the leading archaeologists
today in Israel active in research and in teaching and world renowned in the field of
biblical archaeology. His research is the foundation stone to understanding the history
of the Land of Israel over a wide range of periods, from the Bronze Age to the end of
the First Temple period."
Amihai Mazar was born in 1942 in Haifa. When he was a young boy, his parents
would take him to visit excavations and as he got older, he would volunteer at
archaeological digs at Ramat Rachel and Ein Gedi.
On completing his army service in 1963, Prof. Mazar began his academic studies at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He finished his B.A. in archaeology and Jewish
history in 1966, received his M.A. in archaeology in 1972 and completed his Ph.D. in
1977. Following his studies, Prof. Mazar participated in some of the most important
archaeological excavations taking place in Israel in the 1960's. After the Six Day War,
he participated as a team member at the excavations at Tel Ashdod and in the Jewish
Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
In 1968, he conducted a survey of the aqueducts to Jerusalem and in the early 1970's
began excavations at Tel Kasila which occupied him for many years. At this
excavation, he unearthed a series of Philistine temples that formed the basis of his
doctoral thesis. He then turned to three excavation projects, among the most important
in Israel in recent decades – the excavations in Tel Batesh/Timna; the renewed
excavations at Beit She'an; and the ongoing excavation project at Tel Rehov which
has headed since 1997.
Prof. Mazar began teaching in 1977 as a lecturer at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem and at Ben Gurion University of the Negev and became a senior lecturer at
the Hebrew University in 1982. In 1986, he was appointed an associate professor, and
eight years later full professor, from which he was appointed to the Eleazar L.
Sukenik Professor of Archaeology of the Land of Israel. As an enthusiastic, devoted
and stimulating teacher, Prof. Mazar inspired and trained generations of Israeli
archaeologists.
From 1995-1996, Prof. Mazar served as the head of the Institute of Archaeology at the
Hebrew University. He has edited numerous publications, professional journals and
semi-popular magazines, was a member of the Israeli Archaeological Council, and
since 2001, has been a member of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Prof. Mazar is married to Orna and has three children – Sigal, Ran and Yotam.