Trude Dothan
Encyclopedia
Professor Trude Dothan (Hebrew: טרודה דותן, born 1923) is one of Israel
's leading archaeologists, specializing in the Late Bronze and
Iron Age
s in the region, in particular in Philistine culture.
, Austria
, in 1923. In 1924, her family emigrated to Mandate Palestine. Her father was an artist and architect, responsible for many Bauhaus
-style buildings in Jerusalem’s Rehavia
neighborhood and elsewhere. Her mother was an abstract painter.
Dothan graduated from the Gymnasia Rehavia
high school, and in the mid–1940s began her studies in archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
.
Between 1948 and 1950, Dothan served in the mapping and photography division of the newly formed Israel Defense Forces
(IDF). In 1950, she returned to her studies and earned her M.A.
In 1950–1951, she went on to post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago Oriental Institute as a Beyrson fellow, and at the Institute of Archaeology
at the University of London
. In 1961, she earned her Ph.D. from the Hebrew University, writing her thesis on the Philistine and Egyptian pottery in the region during the Early Bronze period, and she began teaching at the Institute of Archaeology. In 1977, she was promoted to full professor. In 1985, she was appointed to the Eliezer Sukenik Chair of Archaeology at the Hebrew University and served for many years as head of the Berman Center of Biblical Archaeology.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's leading archaeologists, specializing in the Late Bronze and
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
s in the region, in particular in Philistine culture.
Early life
Born Trude Krakauer in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, in 1923. In 1924, her family emigrated to Mandate Palestine. Her father was an artist and architect, responsible for many Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
-style buildings in Jerusalem’s Rehavia
Rehavia
Rehavia is an upscale Jerusalem neighborhood located between the city center and Talbiya.-History:Rehavia was established on a large plot of land purchased in 1921 from the Greek Orthodox Church by the Palestine Land Development Company . The area was known at the time as Ginzaria, a native...
neighborhood and elsewhere. Her mother was an abstract painter.
Dothan graduated from the Gymnasia Rehavia
Gymnasia Rehavia
Gymnasia Rehavia is a high school in the Rehavia neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel.-History:Gymnasia Rehavia was the country’s second modern high school, after Gymnasia Herzliya in Tel Aviv. The school was first established in Jerusalem's Bukharan Quarter in 1909. The building on Keren Kayemet...
high school, and in the mid–1940s began her studies in archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
.
Between 1948 and 1950, Dothan served in the mapping and photography division of the newly formed Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF). In 1950, she returned to her studies and earned her M.A.
Career
Dothan participated in many excavations including:- Bet Yerah (1945–1946), a Canaanite city of the third millennium BCE.
- Tel QasilaTell QasileTell Qasile is an archaeological site in Tel Aviv, Israel. Over 3,000 years old, the site contains the remains of a port city founded by the Philistines in the 12th century BC...
(1949–1950), where she first became acquainted with Philistine culture. - Tel Hazor (1955–1958).
- Ein GediEin GediEin Gedi is an oasis in Israel, located west of the Dead Sea, near Masada and the caves of Qumran.-Etymology:The name En-gedi is composed of two Hebrew words: ein means spring and gdi means goat-kid. En Gedi thus means "Kid spring."...
(1961–1962), where she was co-director of the excavation. - Deir el-BalahDeir el-BalahDeir el-Balah or Dayr al-Balah is located in the central Gaza Strip and is the capital or muhfaza of the Deir el-Balah Governorate...
(1972–1982) in the Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
.
In 1950–1951, she went on to post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago Oriental Institute as a Beyrson fellow, and at the Institute of Archaeology
Institute of Archaeology
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is an academic department of the Social & Historical Sciences Faculty of University College London , England. It is one of the largest departments of archaeology in the world, with over 80 members of academic staff and 500 students...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. In 1961, she earned her Ph.D. from the Hebrew University, writing her thesis on the Philistine and Egyptian pottery in the region during the Early Bronze period, and she began teaching at the Institute of Archaeology. In 1977, she was promoted to full professor. In 1985, she was appointed to the Eliezer Sukenik Chair of Archaeology at the Hebrew University and served for many years as head of the Berman Center of Biblical Archaeology.
Awards and honors
- 1991 – the Percia Schimmel Award in archaeology, awarded by the Israel MuseumIsrael MuseumThe Israel Museum, Jerusalem was founded in 1965 as Israel's national museum. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, near the Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
. - 1998 – the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for archaeology. - 2003 – an honorary PhD from the Hebrew Union CollegeHebrew Union CollegeThe Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
, Jerusalem.
Publications
- The Philistines and Their Material Culture, 1982
- People of the Sea: Search for the Philistines (with Moshe Dothan), 1992
- Deir el-Balah: Uncovering an Egyptian Outpost in Canaan from the Time of the Exodus