معرفی
Prof. Dafna Langgut serves as the Head of the Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments and holds the position of Senior Lecturer at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University. She is also the curator of pollen and archaeobotanical collections at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University.
Langgut specializes in the study of past vegetation and climate through the identification of botanical remains, including micro-botanical remains (pollen) and macro-botanical remains (wood-charcoal). Her research methodology enables her to investigate human-environment relationships throughout history, including human dispersal out of Africa and the origins of cultivation. She examines agricultural practices, dietary patterns, plant usage across social strata, plant migration patterns, ancient gardens, and wooden implements from archaeological contexts.
Her notable publication The Etrog: Celebrating Sukkot With a Persian Apple demonstrates her expertise in connecting archaeological botanical evidence with religious traditions, specifically tracing how the citron—a luxury Persian import known for its medicinal qualities and fragrance—became identified as Sukkot's "fruit of a splendid tree" (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר) in the first century C.E.
Langgut earned her Ph.D. in archaeology from Haifa University, establishing the foundation for her specialized work in archaeobotany. As curator of the pollen and archaeobotanical collections at the Steinhardt Museum, she maintains significant resources for ongoing research in ancient environmental conditions.
