Dr. Shulamit Miller
Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
My life before BGU:
I am a lifelong Jerusalemite. I earned both my BA and MA at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and went on to complete my doctorate there, while also studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Before joining BGU, I held three postdoctoral fellowships: at the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Haifa Center for Mediterranean History at Haifa University, and the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem.
Why BGU?
I came to BGU for the wonderful Department of Archaeology. I was drawn by the familial and collegial atmosphere and the possibilities of thinking outside the box won me over. After three years as an associate lecturer in the department, I am thrilled to be joining now as a senior faculty member.
My research:
I study the social, economic, and cultural practices of people who lived in antiquity through the architectural remains and material culture they left behind. My research focuses on the Land of Israel, primarily during the Roman period and late antiquity, but also addresses cross-cultural encounters throughout the Mediterranean basin and the innovations these encounters produced. Examples include the incorporation of figures from Greek mythology into synagogue decoration, or the construction of a Roman temple in Sepphoris, a city whose population was predominantly Jewish.
My work spans a range of other subjects, including houses and daily life, food and feasting, urban agriculture, monumental architecture, mosaic art, religious art and architecture, and other aspects of the ways in which people used built space as a means of communicating identities, ideas, and values.
An insight from my research:
We have much to learn from the ancients: about investment in infrastructure, urban planning in which function does not come at the expense of aesthetics, sustainable building practices, and of course the ability of people from diverse backgrounds to live side by side working toward shared goals.
Something you won’t find on my CV:
I’m a life-long vegetarian and love cooking, baking, fermenting, and generally making the kitchen a place for experimentation and personal therapy.
My source of inspiration:
My father.
When I grow up…
As a kid I dreamed of being a paleontologist, but now I’d never give up archaeology. I suppose I was always destined to dig deep and go on about it! 😊
If I weren’t a researcher, I would be…
Traveling the world.
In brief:
- Summer or winter? Spring
- Steak or tofu? Tofu
- Careful planning or spontaneity? Meticulously planned spontaneity
- Hiking or lounging? Both
- Car or train? Train
- Market or mall? Market
- Sea or pool? Sea
- Dog or cat? Both
- Cinema or streaming? Streaming
- Three things I would take to a desert island? A hat, a book, and a chef’s knife
