PhD - Alumni

Advisors: Prof. Yigal Bronner

Abstract: The dissertation deals with the redefining of the bodily perception in Hatha Yoga. The corpus of texts dealing with Hatha Yoga contains various physical practices and deals, among other issues, with the relationship between physical energy (śakti) and the soteriological state of liberation (mokṣa). By examining these texts a new discourse of health and immortality appears as well as a detailed catalog of physical exercises. Thus, the main questions of the dissertation are: How is the human body conceptualized and constructed in this textual corpus? What, according to these texts, is the body’s direct connection with immortality, health, and the soul’s freedom from earthy existence? What is the interface between the Haṭhayogic body in its strictly anatomical sense and its underlying metaphysical body?  The way to answer these questions dominates a diachronic axis when multidisciplinary research is conducted: a textual philological study that examines texts between the 11th and 15th centuries in the Sanskrit language. The second part is an ethnographic study centered on the main three ascetic orders in modern India (Daśanāmīs, Rāmānānīs, Nāth) who are the heirs of the textual tradition and whose lives are devoted to yoga.
By examining the body as a cultural product, in both the scriptures and the living tradition, it will be possible to better understand the historical transformation of this tradition and the ways in which modernity has shaped, distorted and even reconstructed the early notions of yoga. Such an examination can shed new light on the categorization of the body in the sciences of religion and anthropology.

Publications:

Sharabi, Asaf and Hagar Shalev. 2016. From Ruler to Healer: Changes in Religious Experience in the Western Himalayas. HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies. 6 (2):20-35.

Shalev, Hagar and Sharabi Asaf. Sanskritization of the Upper Castes: the Case of Mahāsū Followers. Ethnic and Racial Studies. (excepted for publication) 

Sharabi, Asaf and Hagar Shalev. 2018. Charismatic Mediumship and Traditional Priesthood: Power Relations in a Religious Field. Religion 48 (2): 198-214. 
 

Rotenstreich Scholarship 2018/19

President  2015/16

Subject: The Formal Writing in Early Modern Hebrew: From Diversity to Standardization

Supervisor: Prof. Yael Reshef

Abstract: My research, focuses on the development of the formal writing in Modern Hebrew, as reflected in the letters of The Hebrew Language Committee (Vaʻad HaLashon HaʻIvrit) from the beginning of the 20th century until the thirties of this century.

Bio: Ph.D student in the Department of Hebrew Language. My current research, under the supervision of prof. Yael Reshef, focuses on the development of the formal writing in Modern Hebrew, as reflected in the letters of The Hebrew Language Committee (Vaʻad HaLashon HaʻIvrit) from the beginning of the 20th century until the thirties of this century.

Publications:

"איגרות הגאונים כמקור לנוסחות כתיבה המשמשות בעברית החדשה", מחקרים בלשון, יט (בהכנה).

"The Importance of Medieval Hebrew Innovations for the Study of Modern Hebrew: The Case of the Presentatives hinneni and hareni", Hebrew Studies (forthcoming ).

"'נא לשבת' ו'נא תשובתך' – על גלגוליה התחביריים והפונקציונליים של המילית 'נא'", העברית שפה חיה, ט (בדפוס).

"'השמועה הטובה ההגיעה': תווית היידוע הפותחת פסוקית זיקה נוטה בעבר", לשוננו פ (תשע"ח), עמ' 492-456.

"מגמות והתפתחויות במערכת הפועל של העברית החדשה לפי עיתוני הפועל הצעיר בשנים 1907‑1951", עבודת מוסמך בהנחיית פרופ' יעל רשף, ירושלים תשע"ו.

"The Noun ḥaluq and Its Variant Forms in Rabbinic Hebrew", Elitzur A. Bar-Asher Siegal and Aaron J. Koller (eds.), Studies in Mishnaic Hebrew and Related Fields: Proceedings of the Yale Symposium on Mishnaic Hebrew - May 2014, Jerusalem 2017, pp. 337-348.

 

President Stipend 2018/19

Subject: Parallel Dialectical Structures in the Babylonian Talmud

Supervisor: Yoav Rosenthal

Abstract: In this study, I wish to focus on textual units with parallel structures in the Babylonian Talmud. These textual units share almost identical dialectical structures, but differ from each other in terms of their specific contents. In many cases, this phenomenon can be described as follows: uniform sugya-structures contain open-ended functional templates, which are filled in different ways according to the subject matter or the basic sources discussed by a given sugya. These templates may contain a single word or several words, a whole argument or an entire source, varying both in terms of content and in wording but in all appearances fulfilling a similar function. Such parallels sometimes appear in a single textual sequence, one being designated as an alternative 'version' of the other with phrases such as ‘Ika de-Metanei/de-Amrei…' (i.e. 'some teach/say'). In other cases, parallels structures are far-removed from each other, appearing in distinct chapters, tractates and orders. 

My research will offer a comprehensive study of a phenomenon the extent of which has yet to be fully appreciated. It is already clear that the importance of this phenomenon is not negligible, and it still requires a full definition, classification and discussion. The basic value of this study will therefore be its drawing attention to a specific process in the Babylonian Talmud which has yet to receive a dedicated study. Furthermore, this study is expected to promote the discussion about the redaction processes of the Babylonian Talmud, and perhaps even the learning, transmission and literary methods of the Babylonian Amoraim.  In addition, I hope to deepen the discussion regarding the relations between the creation and redaction methods of the Babylonian sugyot, and between the different ways of transmitting them, as reflected in the textual witnesses of the Talmud.

Publications:

1.       "חילופי גמר עריכה במסורת נוסח מיוחדת בבבלי שבת", תרביץ, פה (תשע"ח), עמ' 399–476.  
2.       "פירוש אלמוני לספרי מגניזת אירופה", קבץ על יד, כד (תשע"ו), עמ' 123–149.

Azriely Fellows Stipend 2018/19

President Stipend 2017/18

Subject: Human selection and exploitation patterns of complex karstic caves during the later prehistory of the southern Levant

Supervisor: Dr. Uri Davidovich, Prof. Amos Frumkin

Abstract: From the dawn of prehistory, humans made use of natural caves for various purposes. In the southern Levant, occupation of caves began during the mid-Lower Paleolithic (ca. 600 ka) and increased during the Middle Paleolithic (ca. 250-50 ka). Paleolithic selection preferences of cave sites focused on large, spacious, well-lit and ventilated chambers with large openings. Groups of gatherers-hunters used those sites for a range of domestic activities, such as daily group gatherings, food preparation and consumption, and tool making. At times, the same sites were also used for mortuary purposes, probably in between occupation phases.     
During the Pottery Neolithic period (from ca. 6,500 BCE onward), as a result of the revolutionary changes associated with the transition to sedentary ways of life and food production (agriculture and animal husbandry), a shift can be observed in cave use patterns. Alongside a continuation in exploiting large, relatively open chambers, for the first time humans began to penetrate into deep and complex caves, which are difficult to negotiate through, challenging for orientation and navigation, completely dark and damp, and often presenting a variety of remarkable natural phenomena, such as stalagmites and stalactites. Preliminary study of the archaeological finds from several complex caves in the southern Levant indicates that during certain time-spans within the 7th-3rd millennia BCE (spanning the Pottery Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods), the depths of complex karstic caves were used for multiple activities, at least some of which are related to ritual and burial.      
The present research revolves around the interactions between humans and their natural landscape during the emergence of early complex societies, as can be deciphered from the study of human exploitation patterns of complex karstic caves. Karstic caves are abundant in most highland regions of the southern Levant, and dozens of them reach a total length exceeding 300 m. Many of these caves were recently explored by the Israeli Cave Research Center (ICRC), Institute of Earth Sciences, the Hebrew University, and archaeological finds from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods surfaced in numerous such caves, however these are yet to be thoroughly studied. The present research will focus on the comparative analysis of cave use patterns from the aforementioned periods, including regional distribution of complex caves, spatial distribution of artifacts and ecofacts within them, and analysis of material culture remains and their context of deposition. In addition, the environmental aspects of the caves and their surrounding landscape will be explored, and Holocene geological and geomorphological processes inside the caves will be inspected. This will allow discussing human selection and exploitation patterns of complex caves during the late prehistory, at the time of emergence of complex societies, as well as detecting trends of continuity and change in these patterns. The uniqueness of this research is drawn from its focus on the remains of ancient human activities that took place outside the settlement sites, and the possibility to shed light on least-known aspects of social interactions and worldviews.

Bio: I was born and raised at Kibbutz Bar-Am in the Upper Galilee.  After my military service I began hiking and trekking, both in Israel and abroad, with clear preference for the mountains and deserts. The love of nature and outdoors evolved into academic studies of archaeology and geography, which took place at the Hebrew University. During my bachelor’s and master’s degrees I specialized in prehistory studies at the Archaeological Institute of Mount Scopus, and about a decade ago I joined the Israeli Cave Research Center, located at the same academic institution. In the past decade year I participated in tens of cave-mapping and cave-research (speleology) projects, often involving significant archaeological aspects. Caving gradually became my major occupation and hobby. These days I work as an archaeologist: conducting excavations, field surveys and academic research. Between projects and excavations, I keep on traveling and exploring the outdoors. 

Publications:

English Publications

Articles in Refereed Journals

• Ekshtain R., Barzilai O., Inbar M., Milevski I., and Ullman M. (2012). "Givat Rabi East, a new Middle Paleolithic knapping site in the Lower Galilee (Israel)". Paléorient 37(2): 107-122.‏
• Davidovich U., Ullman M., and Leibner U. )2013(. "Late Prehistoric occurrences in Har Nitai and Khirbat Wadi Hamam, Northeastern Lower Galilee". Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society 43: 186-204.‏
• Frumkin A., Bar-Matthews M., Davidovich U., Langford B., Porat R., Ullman M., and Zissu B. (2014).  "In-situ dating of ancient quarries and the source of flowstone (‘calcite-alabaster’) artifacts in the southern Levant". Journal of Archaeological Science 41: 749-758.‏
• Yahalom-Mack N., Langgut D., Dvir O., Tirosh O., Eliyahu-Behar A., Erel Y., Langford B., Frumkin A., Ullman M., and Davidovich U. (2015). “The earliest lead object in the Levant”. PLOS ONE 10 (12): e0142948. https://doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142948
• Marder O., Ashkenazy H., Frumkin A., Grosman L., Langford B., Sharon G., Ullman M., Yeshurun R., and Peleg Y. (2015). “El-Hamam Cave: A New Natufian Site in the Samaria Hills”. Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society 45: 131–142.
• Frumkin A., Langford B., Marder O., and Ullman M. (2016). “Paleolithic caves and hillslope processes in south-western Samaria, Israel: Environmental and archaeological implications”. Quaternary International 398: 246-258.
• Langgut D., Yahalom-Mack N., Lev-Yadun S., Kremer E., Ullman M., and Davidovich U. (2016). “The earliest Near Eastern wooden spinning implements”. Antiquity 90(352): 973-990.
• Langgut D., Yahalom-Mack N., Lev-Yadun S., Kremer E., Ullman M., and Davidovich, U. (2017). “On Chalcolithic maceheads and spinning implements”. Antiquity 91(357): 777-782.
• Toffolo M.B., Ullman M., Caracuta V., Weiner S., and Boaretto E. (2017). “A 10,400-year-old sunken lime kiln from the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B at the Nesher-Ramla quarry (el-Khirbe), Israel”. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 14: 353-364.
• Davidovich U., Ullman M., Langford B., Frumkin A., Langgut D., Yahalom-Mack N., Abramov J., and Marom N. (2018). “Distancing the dead: Late Chalcolithic burials in large maze caves in the Negev Desert, Israel”. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 379: 113-152.
• Frumkin A., Aharon S., Davidovich U., Langford B., Negev Y., Ullman M., Vaks A., Ya‘aran S., and Zissu B. (2018). "Old and recent processes in a warm and humid desert hypogene cave: ‘A’rak Na ‘asane, Israel". International Journal of Speleology 47 (3), 307-321. Tampa, FL (USA) ISSN 0392-6672. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.47.3.2178
• Frumkin A., Barzilai O., Hershkovitz I., Ullman M., and Marder O. (2019). “Karst terrain in the western upper Galilee, Israel: Speleogenesis, hydrogeology and human preference of Manot Cave”. Journal of Human Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.05.006
• Ekshtain R., Malinsky-Buller A., Greenbaum N., Mitki N., Stahlschmidt C.M., Shahack-Gross R., Nir N., Porat N., Bar-Yosef Mayer E.D., Yeshurun R., Been E., Rak Y., Agha N., Brailovsky L., Krakovsky M., Spivak P., Ullman M., Vered A., Barzilai O., and Hovers E. (2019). “Persistent Neanderthal occupation of the Open-air site of ‘Ein Qashish, Israel”. PLoS One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0215668
• Ullman M., Brailovsky L., Schechter C.H.,  Weissbrod L, Zuckerman-Cooper R., Toffolo B.M., Caracuta V., Boaretto E., Weiner S, Abramov J.,, Bar-Yosef Mayer E.D., Avrutis W.V, Kol-Ya‘kov S., and Frumkin A. (2021). “The Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site at Nesher-Ramla Quarry, Israel”. Quaternary international, Nesher-Ramla special Issue. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.04.019
• Lazagabaster I.A., Ullman M., Porat R., Halevi R., Porat N., Davidovich, U. and Marom N. (2021). “Changes in the large carnivore community structure of the Judean Desert in connection to Holocene human settlement dynamics”. Scientific reports, 11(1): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.04.019
• *Lazagabaster A.I., Rovelli V., Fabre P.H., Porat R., Ullman M., Davidovich U., Lavi T., Ganor A., Klein E., Weiss K., Nuriel P., Meiri M., and Marom N. (2021). “Rare crested rat subfossils unveil Afro–Eurasian ecological corridors synchronous with early human dispersals”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118.  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105719118
• *Dvir R., Ullman M., Langford B., Frumkin A., Porat R., and Zissu B. (2021). “Finds from the Bar-Kokhba Revolt on the Cliffsides of Wadi Chariton (Naḥal Teqoa)”. Israel Exploration Journal 71(2): 204-223.
   

Books

• Ullman M. (2020). “The Early Pre-Pottery B Neolithic site at Nesher-Ramla Quarry (NRQN), Israel”. The Zinman Institute of Archeology, University of Haifa.

Chapters in books

• Hovers E., Ullman M., and Rak Y. (2017). “Palaeolithic Occupations in Nahal Amud”. In: Enzel Y., and Bar-Yosef O. (eds), Quaternary of the Levant - Environments, Climate Change, and Humans. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Pp. 255-266.
• Ullman M. (2020). “Chapter six - The groundstone assemblage”. In: M. Ullman (ed), The Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site at Nesher-Ramla Quarry (NRQN), Israel. Jerusalem. Pp. 75-112
• Ullman M., and Brailovsky L. (2020). “Chapter five - The flint assemblage”. In M. Ullman (ed), The Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site at Nesher-Ramla Quarry (NRQN), Israel. Jerusalem. Pp. 37-74.
• Frumkin A., and Ullman M. (2020). “Chapter two - The geology of an early Holocene sinkhole (NRQN) associated with hydrothermal karst, Israel”. In: M. Ullman (ed), The Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site at Nesher-Ramla Quarry (NRQN), Israel. Jerusalem. Pp. 9-16.

Conference Proceedings

• Ullman M., Hovers E., Goren-Inbar N., and Frumkin A. )2013(. “Levantine cave dwellers: geographic and environmental aspects of early human use of caves, case study from Wadi Amud, northern Israel”. Proceedings of 16th International Congress of Speleology. Vol. 1: 169-174, Brno.
• Sukenik N, Ulanowska A., Goshen N., Porat R., Klein E., Ganor A., Ullman M., and Davidovich U. (2020). “A New South Levantine Chalcolithic Tool and Its Possible Relations to Textile Manufacture. Redefining Ancient Textile Handcraft Structures, Tools and Production Processes”. Proceedings of the VIIth International Symposium on Textiles and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World. Pp. 499-511. Granada.

Other publications

• Klein E., Davidovich U., Porat R., Ganor A. and Ullman M. (2017). In the Cave of the Skulls – Again. Biblical Archaeology Review 43 (4): 18-19, 57.

Hebrew Publications

Books

• Davidovich U., Frumkin A., Langford B., Lisker S., Porat R., Ullman M. (edited by Frumkin A.) (2015). Holey Land Atlas: Judean Desert Caves. The Hebrew University, Magnes Press, Jerusalem (in Hebrew).

Conference Proceedings

• Porat R., Amit D., Frumkin A., Ullman M., and Langford B. (2019). “The caves of Wadi Charitun (Nahal Tqoa)”. Studies on the land of Judea: Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Conference in Memory of Dr. David Amit. Pp. 9-32 (in Hebrew).
• Ullman M. and Davidovich U. (2019). “Keep the Dead at a Distance: Burials in the Depth of Complex Chalcolithic Caves in the Northern Negev”. In: D. Varga, Y. Abadi-Reiss, G. Lehmann, and D. Vainstub (eds). Worship and Burial in the Shfela and Negev Regions throughout the ages. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Joint Conference the Department of Bible, Archaeology and the Ancient Near East Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and The Southern Regional Office of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Pp. 29-50 (in Hebrew).
• Klein E., Ganor A., Porat R., Ullman M., Sukenik N., and Davidovich U. (2020). “A renewed excavation in the “Large Cave Complex” in Nahal Ze’elim in the Judean Desert”. In: Y. Abadi-Reiss, D. Varga and G. Lehmann (eds). Desert Archaeology. Proceedings of the 16th Annual Joint Conference the Department of Bible, Archaeology and the Ancient Near East Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and The Southern Regional Office of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Pp. 33-56 (in Hebrew).

Other publications

• Klein E., Sion O., Cohen C., and Ullman M. (2020). “Enot Qumeran (West): Preliminary Results”. Hadashot Arkheologiyot – Excavations and Surveys in Israel 132 (in Hebrew).
• Langford B., Davidovich U., Ullman M., and Amos F. (2021). “The caves of Nahal Hever”. Niqrot Zurim – Journal of the Israeli Cave Research Centre (ICRC) 21: 109-135.
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President Stipend 2018/19