Dr. Omry Barzilai is an archaeologist specializing in prehistoric periods. In the last two decades, his research focused on socio-cultural aspects of the Paleolithic and Neolithic populations in the Levant. He specializes in material culture studies, and specifically in lithic technology. Among his many field projects, he directed excavations at  Manot Cave, Boker Tachtit, Nahal Aqev, Ein Qashsish, and Ubeidiya.

Dr. Barzilai recently began an exclusive ERC Synergy research project titled “LAST NEANDERTHALS: The physical, cultural, and bio-genetic landscape of the last Neanderthals” together with colleagues from the universities of Siena and Bolonga. This project aims to comprehensively reconstruct the concurrent causes and events that led to the demise of the Neanderthals between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago by integrating biological, cultural, and paleoecological data.