The modern archaeological research of ancient periods and cultures is not an easy task, which can be significantly advanced through the intelligent use of a scientific approach and the tools used by natural science researchers (physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, etc.)
The Weizmann Institute of Science and Bar-Ilan University signed a cooperation agreement in a unique program for teaching and multidisciplinary research in archeology and natural sciences. The modern archaeological research of ancient periods and cultures is not an easy task, which can be significantly advanced through the intelligent use of a scientific approach and the tools used by natural science researchers (physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, etc.).
The program will allow three scientists who are currently engaged in various applications of natural sciences in archeology (dating using carbon 14, archaeo-botany, and geo-archaeology), within the Kimmel Institute for Scientific Archeology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, to integrate into the teaching staff of the Martin (Zos) Department of A and archeology at Bar-Ilan University, where they will conduct courses in various fields related to scientific archaeology. In this way, the scientists will be able to integrate into the "normal" archaeological activity, in all its aspects, which is conducted at Bar-Ilan University, using multidisciplinary research approaches and research infrastructures of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The students of the program will learn from the beginning to combine the ways of thinking, research and scientific tools from the fields of archeology and natural sciences. This will ensure a true multidisciplinary ability and vision in their future research.
On the part of Bar-Ilan University, the agreement was signed by the President, Prof. Moshe Kou, the Rector, Prof. Yosef Yeshuron, and the Head of AI Studies and Archeology and co-director of the program, Prof. Aharon Meir. On the part of the Weizmann Institute of Science, the president, Prof. Ilan Hat, the vice president, Prof. Shmuel Shafran, and the head of the Kimmel Center for Scientific Archeology and co-director of the program, Prof. Steve Weiner, signed.
To enable effective integration between the two fields of study and research, Bar-Ilan University will open a number of interdisciplinary tracks, between the Department of AI Studies and Archeology and other departments such as Geo-Archaeology (in collaboration with the Department of Geology and Environment); Chemical-archaeology (in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry) and Bio-archaeology (in collaboration with the Faculty of Animal Sciences. Students who choose the new track will receive a bachelor's degree upon graduation, both in archeology and in the chosen field of natural sciences. The program will begin operating in the next academic year (2007/2006).
The integrated program is the first and only one of its kind in Israel and the scientists hope that it will make an important contribution to the advancement of archaeological research in Israel, and will place it at the forefront of global research.
