About - The School of Archaeology & Maritime Civilizations

The School of Archaeology and Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa is unique within the academic landscape in Israel and internationally by integrating four distinct departments: Archaeology, Maritime Civilizations, Archaeological Sciences, and Conservation of Material Cultural Heritage. With three of these departments being the only ones of their kind in Israel, this four-way cluster positions the School and the university at the forefront of global instruction and research. Headed by Prof. Israel Finkelstein, The School encompasses the largest concentration of archaeologists in an Israeli academic institution, featuring advanced research laboratories, field training, and collaborative ties with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The School addresses all historical eras – from prehistory through the Bronze, Iron, Classical, Early Islamic, and Medieval periods – spanning terrestrial and underwater archaeology, exact and natural sciences in historical research, and cultural heritage management. The Department of Archaeology offers B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Hebrew (including an Antiquities Authority-recognized field certificate) alongside an international English M.A., covering coastal cultures, paleo-environments, zooarchaeology, archaeometallurgy, spatial archaeology, and theoretical frameworks across prominent excavation sites like Mount Carmel, Tel Kabri, Dor, Bet She’arim, Banias, Shivta, and Montfort. The Department of Maritime Civilizations pioneers the integration of underwater archaeology, coastal geoarchaeology, and Mediterranean history, granting M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in both Hebrew and English while training students in maritime trade, ancient harbors, seafaring, level changes, and underwater excavations of submerged Neolithic settlements, anchorages, and shipwrecks. The Department of Conservation of Material Cultural Heritage builds upon a robust foundation in heritage preservation, offering Hebrew and English M.A. tracks in conservation and heritage management, preparing students for professional roles in site management, curatorial practices, and field conservation amid modern environmental and development challenges. Complementing these programs.The Department of Archaeological Sciences offers an English-only M.Sc. degree focused on applying exact and natural sciences to historical inquiry – utilizing advanced dating methods, ancient DNA, molecular residue analysis, archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, archaeometallurgy, and stable isotope biogeochemistry to illuminate ancient climate conditions, human mobility, trade networks, and social structures.