Israel Hershkovitz
Israel Hershkovitz is an Israeli anthropologist and anatomist, and a Professor Emeritus at Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. Hershkovitz is known for his extensive study of skeletal remains from various prehistoric and historic populations in Israel, including significant discoveries from Qesem Cave, Misliya Cave, Skhul Cave, Geula Cave, Tinshemet Cave, Manot Cave and Nesher Ramla open-air site. He founded and led the Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research and the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute, and he held the Tassia and Dr. Joseph Meyshan Chair of the History and Philosophy of Medicine.
Early life and education
From 1968 to 1972, Hershkovitz served in the Israel Defense Forces, completing his service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He received a bachelor's degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1977, a master's degree from Tel Aviv University in 1981, and a PhD from Tel Aviv University in 1985.Biography
Hershkovitz was born in Kibbutz Gvar-am in 1950 to Dov and Rachel Hershkovitz, Holocaust survivors. He spent his childhood on a small farm. At the age of 14, the family moved to Ashqelon City, where he finished high school. After completing his army service, he began studying toward his first degree in psychology and anthropology at the Hebrew University. When he graduated, he moved to live in the South Sinai where he first worked for the Society for the Protection of Nature and later for the local archeological officer. In 1979, he moved to Tel Aviv University's School of Medicine, where he earned his MSc and Ph.D. in physical anthropology and anatomy. His MSc was dedicated to the Neolithic hunters of the desert and his Ph.D. on the effect of mating types on the growth and development of Bedouin children. In 1984, he began teaching at the School of Medicine. He was appointed associate professor in 1994 and full professor in 1999.Early in his career from 1978-1982, Hershkovitz participated in two research missions to the South Sinai Desert, one focused on excavating and studying the local prehistoric and protohistoric populations and the second, on the biology of the local living Bedouin populations, with emphasis on the children. His paleoanthropological study focused on early pastoralist communities in the Sinai Desert. From 1982 to 1992, he directed his scientific efforts toward the Levantine Neolithic populations in order to reveal the impact of the agricultural revolution on the local population's health, demography, and physical appearance. He took an active part in excavating and studying the human skeletal remains of sites such as Kefar Hahoresh, Yiftahel, El-Wad, Horvat Galil, Nahal Betzet and Atlit Yam. He then moved his interest to the field of paleopathology, and established evidence-based methods for identifying a variety of diseases in ancient bones. He later focused on evolutionary explanations for spinal maladies, before moving into the field of human evolution, with emphasis on Middle and Upper Paleolithic Levantine populations. He excavated and studied human fossils from archeological sites like Qesem Cave, Misliya Cave, Geula Cave, Tinshemet Cave, Manot Cave, Taun Cave, Skhul Cave, Nesher Ramla open-air site, and Ohalo submerged site, to mention but few. In Between, Hershkovitz was involved in studying skeletal remains from many historic sites, with a focus on the Byzantine period.