Research Fields
- Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods
- History of Dance
- Kingdom of Judah
About
Prof. Yosef Garfinkel was born in Israel. He studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology and Geography, his Master of Arts degree in Prehistory and Biblical Archaeology and completed his PhD on the Pottery Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic periods. Since 1993, Garfinkel has been teaching archaeology of the Bronze and Iron Periods at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology. Garfinkel has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University, Yale University, Oxford University, Cambridge University and Kings College in London. Over the years, he has conducted excavations at various Proto-historic sites in Israel, including Yiftahel, Gesher, Tel Ali, Sha'ar Hagolan, Neolithic Ashkelon and Tel Tsaf.
In 2007 Garfinkel began the excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, where, for the first time in the archaeology of Israel, a fortified city from the time of King David had been uncovered. Between 2013 and 2017 Garfinkel excavaed at the biblical city of Lachish, the second most important city in Judah (second only to Jerusalem). Since 2015 he has been excavating at Khirbet al-Ra'i, another site in Judah from the time of King David.
Selected Publications
Y. Garfinkel, 2003. Dance at the Dawn of Agriculture. Austin: Texas University Press.
Y. Garfinkel and M. Mumcuoglu, 2016. Solomon’s Temple and Palace: New Archaeological Discoveries. Jerusalem: Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem & Biblical Archaeology Society.
Y. Garfinkel, I. Kreimerman and P. Zilberg, 2016. Debating Khirbet Qeiyafa: A Fortified City in Judah from the Time of King David. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society.
Y. Garfinkel, S. Ganor and M. Hasel, 2018. Khirbet Qeiyafa Vol. 4. Excavation Report 2009–2013: Art, Cult and Epigraphy. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society.
Y. Garfinkel, S. Ganor and M. Hasel, 2018. Footsteps of King David in the Valley of Elah. London: Thames & Hudson.
Selected Awards
Recipient of the Polonsky Book Prize 2006 for creativity and originality in the Humanities for the
book Dance at the Dawn of Agriculture