Scienceמשה דותן

Moshe Dothan

Moshe Dothan was an Israeli archaeologist and professor at the University of Haifa, known for his excavations at Ashdod and Acre.

1919 to 1999Excavations at AshdodExcavations at AcreHaifa University archaeology department

Born: 13 September 1919, Kraków
Died: 9 September 1999
Occupation: university teacher, archaeologist

Moshe Dothan was born in 1919 in Kraków

Moshe Dothan was born in Kraków, Poland, and grew up there. He immigrated in 1938. In 1942 he joined the British Army, and after seeing the antiquities of Rome with his unit he decided to become an archaeologist.

In 1946 he began studying geography and archaeology at the Hebrew University. He finished his master's degree in 1950 and received a doctorate in 1958. He became a member of Kibbutz Nahshonim in 1949.

From 1950 he worked for the antiquities authority and dug at sites such as Afula, Safed and Hazor. In 1959 he became head of its survey and excavation department. He dug at Hamat Tiberias, where synagogues were found, and led excavations at Ashdod from 1962 to 1972 and at Acre from 1972 to 1989.

He taught at the Technion from 1961 to 1965 and joined the University of Haifa in 1972. There he co-founded the department of maritime civilizations in 1973 and founded the archaeology department in 1983. He retired in 1988 but kept doing research. He was married to archaeologist Trude Dothan and had two sons, including singer Dani Dothan.

Milestones in Moshe Dothan's life

1938
Immigrated to the Land of Israel.
1942
Joined the British Army.
1958
Received a doctorate from the Hebrew University.
1962
Began the excavations at Ashdod.
1972
Began excavating at Acre and joined the University of Haifa.
1973
Co-founded the department of maritime civilizations at the University of Haifa.
1983
Founded the archaeology department at the University of Haifa.
1988
Retired and received the Percia Schimmel Prize.

Moshe Dothan served in the military

From 1942 he served in a British Army transport unit in Egypt and Europe with the Eighth Army. In the War of Independence he served as deputy to Mordechai Gichon, chief intelligence officer in the Jerusalem area.