Thomas Evan Levy

Thomas Evan Levy is a Distinguished Professor of Archaeology at the University of California, San Diego, holding the Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands. He leads the Cyber-archaeology research group at the Qualcomm Institute and directs the Levantine and Cyber-Archaeology Laboratory. His research focuses on ancient metallurgy, early mining technologies, and the socio-cultural evolution of societies from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (7500 BCE) to the Iron Age (1200-500 BCE). Levy has conducted extensive fieldwork in Israel, Jordan, and India, with projects funded by the National Geographic Society, NSF, and NEH. He is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and has received the 2011 Lowell Thomas Award for exploration.

Levy’s academic roles include Co-PI of the NSF TEECH grant ($3.2M) and Associate Director of CISA3 at UC San Diego. His interdisciplinary work integrates archaeology with digital technologies, addressing global heritage preservation and at-risk sites like those in Jordan’s Faynan region. Notable publications include Historical Biblical Archaeology (2010) and co-edited volumes on Edomite archaeology (2014). He chairs the American Schools of Oriental Research’s Committee on Archaeological Policy, advocating for ethical archaeological practices.