BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Milestones: Yuval Goren (1956–2026)

Archaeologist and scientist who debunked modern forgeries

Photo by Dani Machlis/Courtesy Ben-Gurion University.

Yuval Goren, a professor of archaeology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, was a pioneer in the fields of archaeometry and microarchaeological research. Born in Petah Tikvah in 1956, Goren’s life was storybook, and his interests in both archaeology and the hard sciences began at an early age.

When he was just three years old, his family moved to Beer-Sheva in southern Israel. During those years, his father was employed by Dead Sea Works, and his mother worked at a scientific and environmental research institute in the Negev. Always known to have a keen eye for archaeology, Goren discovered his first ancient coin when he was 12 while walking to school and, after that, knew he wanted to be an archaeologist. Similarly, he often accompanied his mother to the research institute, where he first experienced the wonders of science through a microscope. Enchanted by this new world, he soon began wishing for a microscope of his own and, before too long, his parents indulged his fascination. This proved a watershed moment for Goren, as it set him on the path that he would tread through the rest of his life.

Goren began his studies as an undergraduate at Ben-Gurion University, and went on to complete his Ph.D. at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, focusing on the petrographic analysis of ancient pottery. In 1989, while still a doctoral student, he established his first archaeological lab with the Israel Antiquities Authority (then the Israel Department of Antiquities). He joined the faculty of Tel Aviv University’s archaeology department in 1996, earning the rank of Professor in 2005. While at Tel Aviv, he founded the Laboratory for Comparative Microarchaeology, chaired the department for several years, and served as Vice Dean of the Humanities from 2010 to 2012. In 2015, Yuval moved back to Ben-Gurion University, where he created a special research program in archaeology and conservation science for international students.

Among Goren’s several hundred publications, especially noteworthy were those involving the laboratory analysis of objects and artifacts that originated not from controlled excavations but from the antiquities market. His use of the hard sciences to debunk the authenticity of sensationalized objects that most now consider forgeries will be especially familiar to long-time BAR readers.¹ With Israel Finkelstein and Nadav Na’aman, Goren also pioneered the use of petrographic analysis to study the Amarna Letters, an approach that revolutionized our understanding of where and how the clay tablets from this invaluable Late Bronze Age archive were produced.²

With Goren’s passing, the field has lost one of its most impactful scholars and, for many of us, a cherished friend. May we continue to benefit from his many enduring publications, and may his memory be a blessing.

Portions of this article were adapted from Yuval Goren’s autobiographical reflections shared on his personal blog.

Christopher A. Rollston is Professor of Biblical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at George Washington University. His areas of expertise include Northwest Semitic epigraphy and the origins and use of the early alphabet.

Notes

[ 1 ] Hershel Shanks, “Fudging with Forgeries,” BAR, November/December 2011.

[ 2 ] See Nadav Na’aman, “The Trowel vs. the Text,” BAR, January/February 2009.