Gabriel Barkay is a renowned Israeli archaeologist, born in 1944 in Hungary, who made the bold decision to immigrate to Israel in 1950, a move that would shape his future academic pursuits. He went on to earn his PhD in Archaeology from Tel Aviv University in 1985, with his dissertation focusing on the fascinating topic of LMLK seal impressions on jar handles.
Throughout his illustrious career, Barkay has been involved in various significant excavations, including the Lachish excavations alongside the esteemed archaeologist David Ussishkin. His academic interests are diverse and far-reaching, encompassing the archaeology of Jerusalem, biblical archaeology, burials and burial customs, art, epigraphy, and glyptics in the Iron Age.
One of Barkay's most remarkable discoveries is a set of small silver plaques containing the priestly benediction from the Book of Numbers, unearthed in 1979 at Ketef Hinnom. These plaques hold the distinction of being the oldest surviving biblically-related inscription discovered to date, dating back to a remarkable 600 BC. In addition to this groundbreaking find, Barkay has also excavated the Iron Age tombs on the grounds of the École Biblique in the early 1970s, further solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in the field of archaeology.
