Amihai Mazar

Amihai "Ami" Mazar (born 1942) is an Israeli archaeologist. Born in Haifa, Israel (then in Palestine), he is currently (since 1994) Professor at the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, holding the Eleazer Sukenik Chair in the Archaeology of Israel.

Mazar has directed archaeological excavations at a number of sites in Israel that include:

*Tel Qasile
*Timnah (Tel Batash) - from 1977 - 1989
*Bet She'an - from 1989 - 1996
*Rehov (Tel Rehov) - from 1997 onwards (ongoing)

Mazar is a widely-recognised author in the field of Biblical archaeology, his "Archaeology of the Land of the Bible" being a well-received text in many universities worldwide.

Mazar is married with three children and resides in Jerusalem. He is the nephew of Benjamin Mazar, one of the first generation of pioneering Israeli archaeologists after Independence, and cousin to fellow archaeologist Eilat Mazar.

Ancient beehives

Archaeologist Amihai Mazar of Jerusalem's Hebrew University said that findings in the ruins of the city of Rehov (with 2,000 residents at that time, Israelites and Canaanites) include 30 intact hives, 900 B.C., an evidence that an advanced honey industry existed in the Holy Land at the time of the Bible or 3,000 years ago. The beehives, made of straw and unbaked clay were found in orderly rows, with 100 hives. Ezra Marcus, expert of Haifa University, said the finding was a glimpse of ancient beekeeping seen in texts and ancient art from the Near East. Religious practice was evidenced by an altar decorated with fertility figurines found alongside the hives. [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070905/ap_on_sc/ancient_honey;_ylt=ApX_cnDrIS2D05PENWgwNlOs0NUE Yahoo.com, Archaeologists discover ancient beehives] ]

Publications

Monographs

Excavations at Tell Qasile, Part One. The Philistine Sanctuary: Architecture and Cult Objects (Qedem 12). Jerusalem: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1981.

Excavations at Tell Qasile, Part Two. Various Finds, The Pottery, Conclusions, Appendices (Qedem 20). Jerusalem: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1985.

*"Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, 10,000 - 586 B.C.E.", Anchor Bible Reference Library, Doubleday, 1990. ISBN 0-385-23970-X (Hbk) ISBN 0-385-42590-2 (Pbk)

Timnah – A Biblical Town in the Sorek Valley. Winona Lake 1995 (with G. L. Kelm).

Timnah (Tel Batash) I: Stratigraphy and Architecture (Qedem 37). Jerusalem 1997.

Timnah (Tel Batash) II: The Finds from the First Millennium BCE (Qedem 42). Jerusalem 2001 (with N. Panitz-Cohen).

Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989 -1996, Volume I. From the Late Bronze Age IIB to the Medieval Period. Jerusalem 2006.

Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989 -1996, Volume II: The Middle and Late Bronze Afe Strata in Area R (editor with Robert Mullins). Jerusalem 2007.

The Quest for the Historical Israel (Archaeological and Biblical Studies 17)(with I.Finkelstein. editor B.B.Schmidt), Atlanta 2007.

Articles

* [1990] , “The Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean”, "Eretz-Israel" 21 (1990), pp.197-211 (יברית).
* [1992] , “Temples of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages and the Iron Age”, in Kempinski, A. & Reich, R. (eds), "The Architecture of Ancient Israel from the Prehistoric to the Persian Periods - in Memory of Immanual (Munya) Dunayevsky", Jerusalem: IES, 1992, pp.161-187.
* [1993a] , “The Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean in 1989-1990”, in Biran, A. & Aviram, J. (eds), "Biblical Archaeology Today, 1990 - Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Biblical Archaeology", Jerusalem, 1990, Jerusalem: IES, 1993, pp.606-619.
*1993b, “Beth Shean in the Iron Age: Preliminary Report and Conclusions of the 1990 - 1991 Excavations”, "IEJ" 43.4 (1993), pp.201-229.
* [1994] , “Four Thousand Years of History at Tel Beth-Shean”, "Qadmoniot" 27.3-4 (1994), pp.66-83 (יברית).
* [1997a] , “Four Thousand Years of History at Tel Beth-Shean - An Account of the Renewed Excavations”, "BA" 60.2 (1997), pp.62-76.
* [1997b] , “The Excavations at Tel Beth Shean during the Years 1989-94”, in Silberman, N.A. & Small, D. (eds), "The Archaeology of Israel – Constructing the Past, Interpreting the Present", [JSOT Supplement Series 237] , Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997, pp.144-164.

External links

* [http://archaeology.huji.ac.il/depart/biblical/amihaim/amihaim.html Hebrew University Departmental Page for Amihai Mazar] - includes a link to a summary of publications
* [http://www.rehov.org Tel Rehov Excavations] - page includes volunteer information, preliminary reports and an image gallery.
* [http://www.sourceflix.com/vid_rehov.htm "The Beehives of Tel Rehov" (SourceFlix Productions)] - A short video clip produced by an independent documentary film group concerning the discovery of the beehives at Tel Rehov, including an interview with Dr. Mazar.

References