Appointment period: 1/10/2023 – 30/9/2026

Dr. Ashkenazi’s research topics focus on the examination of the interactive relationship between the environment and human activities, aiming to lead to an improved understanding of the relationships between geology, topography, soils, water and human activity, during historical generations, from ancient periods to the modern era. The focal points of his research relates to soil, water, flora and agriculture, with a particular interest in research on desert environments and the current adaptation of obsolete technologies and insights that may be practical even today, based on the practical knowledge employed by the ancient inhabitants of the Negev desert and the Sinai Peninsula.

Dr. Ashkenazi also studies human influence and the design of local environments that are consistent and in agreement with landscape architecture. In addition, he researches the correlation between heritage trees and human activities in arid and Mediterranean landscapes.

E-mail: eli.ashkenazi@mail.huji.ac.il