Our people

Dr Sophia Aharonovich

National School of Arts and Humanities

Areas of expertise: scientific methods in archaeology; residue analysis; pollen grains; phytoliths; biogeochemistry; environmental biomarkers; sedimentology; palynology; paleodiet; paleoclimate; household spatial analysis; prehistory; Bronze Age; Iron Age in the Levant

Email: Sophia.aharonovich@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU North Sydney Campus

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2288-261X

I embarked on my university journey in the field of biochemical engineering. My lifelong passion for history and archaeology found a way to intersect with my scientific background during my Master's studies. During this phase, my research involved the examination of pollen grains from prehistoric sites in the Levant spanning from the Middle Palaeolithic to Neolithic periods, encompassing a time frame of 250 to 10 thousand years ago. Additionally, I conducted palynological analyses on various archaeological sites, including Tel Dor, Tel Rehov from biblical times, classical sites like Sussita, and even Nabatean sites such as Shivta and Saadon.

Subsequently, I pursued my PhD at Macquarie University, focusing on the study of organic residues in deep ocean drilling sediments as part of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). I had the honor of representing Australia as an organic geochemist aboard the JOIDES Resolution during the Arabian Sea Monsoon expedition in 2015.

Following the completion of my PhD in 2019, I joined Macquarie University's Ancient History Department as a Research Fellow. During this time, I served as a course convenor and scientific archaeologist in collaboration with Prof. Gil Davis and Prof. Yosef Garfinkel during their Israeli excavations at Khirbet el-Rai.

Starting in 2022, I assumed the role of a Lecturer within the Ancient Israel Program at the Australian Catholic University. My current research focuses on employing a multi-proxy approach to archaeological data. I investigate organic residues, pollen grains, and phytoliths found in sediments and archaeological artifacts to reconstruct various aspects such as climate, vegetation, dietary practices, and land use during the biblical period in Israel. Additionally, I serve as a course convenor and scientific archaeologist for the Tel Lachish archaeological excavations, collaborating closely with Prof. Gil Davis and Prof. Yosef Garfinkel.

My research adds sensory dimensions-taste, smell, and colour-to the archaeological narrative. By meticulously analysing the traces left in rock layers and archaeological materials in the laboratory, we gain deeper insights into the site's environment, urban planning, dedicated functional zones, as well as the cooking and drinking customs of its inhabitants. This analytical approach allows us to discern details about the local environment, the purposes of different rooms within ancient dwellings, the composition of bedding materials, and the hues of clothing worn by the people of that era.

In the context of Tel Lachish, these investigations contribute to shedding new light on the cultural influences of the Philistine, Judean, and Canaanite civilizations in the region, offering insights into the lifestyles during the reign of King David. Ultimately, this research enhances our understanding of how different cultures coexisted and maintained their cultural identities.

Select publications

Scholarly Book Chapters

• Residue Analysis of the Judanite Decanter. S. Aharonovich. 100 Treasures/100 Emotions. The Macquarie University History Museum. Martin Bomas (ed.). 2022. Giles, UK.
• Sediments, rocks and chemical fossils in the Canterbury Basin, New Zealand: IODP Expedition 317. Simon C. George, S. Aharonovich, Greg H. Brown, and Julius S. Lipp. Exploring the Earth under the Sea. Australian and New Zealand Achievements in the First Phase of IODP Scientific Ocean Drilling, 2008-2013. Neville Exon (ed.). 2017. ANU Press, Australia.

Refereed Journal Articles

• Aharonovich, S., Lipp, J.S., George, S.C., 2023. Global sea level changes or local tectonics? Pliocene, Miocene and Oligocene biomarkers in cored sedimentary rocks from IODP Expedition 317, Canterbury Basin, New Zealand. Organic Geochemistry, 180.
• Aharonovich, S. and George, S.C., 2016. A possible shale gas prospect? First results of the organic composition and thermal maturity of the Carboniferous Namoi Formation, northern NSW, Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 63(6): 771-780.
• Aharonovich, S., Sharon, G., Weinstein-Evron, M., 2013. Palynological investigations at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Nahal Mahanayeem Outlet, Israel. Quaternary International, 331: 149-166.
• Dailey S.K., Clift P.D., Kulhanek D.K., Blusztajn J., Routledge C.M., Calvès G., O'Sullivan P., Jonell T.N., Pandey D.K, Andò S., Coletti G., Zhou P., Li Y., Neubeck N.E., Bendle J.A.P, Aharonovich S., and Expedition 355 IODP Scientists, 2020. Geological Society of America Bulletin.
• Ando S., Aharonovich S., Hahn A., George S.C., Clift P.D., Garzanti E., 2020. Integrating heavy-mineral, geochemical and biomarker analyses of Plio-Pleistocene sandy and silty turbidites: a novel approach for provenance studies (Indus Fan, IODP Expedition 355), Geological Magazine, 1-10.
• Tepper, Y., Weissbrod, L., Fried, T., Marom, N., Ramsay, J., Weinstein-Evron, M., Aharonovich, S., Liphschitz, N., Farhi, Y., Yan, X., Boaretto, E., and Bar-Oz, G., 2018. Pigeon-Raising and Sustainable Agriculture at the Fringe of the Desert:A view from the Byzantine Village of Sa'adon, Negev, Israel. Levant. Accepted.
• Tripathi, S., Tiwari, M., Lee, J., Khim, B.K., Pandey, D.K., Clift, P.D., Kulhanek, D.K., Andò, S., Bendle, J.A., Aharonovich, S., and Expedition 355 IODP Scientists, 2017. First evidence of denitrification vis-à-vis monsoon in the Arabian Sea since Late Miocene. Scientific reports, 7: 43056.
• Ramsay, J., Tepper, Y., Weinstein-Evron, M., Aharonovich, S., Nili Liphschitz, N., Marom, N., Bar-Oz, G., 2016. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 9: 718-727.
• D. Pandey, P.D. Clift, D. Kulhanek, S. Ando, J.A.P. Bendle, S. Bratenkov, and the Expedition 355 Scientists, 2016. Expedition 355 Preliminary Report: Arabian Sea Monsoon. IODP 355, 6-46.
• D. Pandey, P.D. Clift, D. Kulhanek, S. Ando, J.A.P. Bendle, S. Bratenkov, and the Expedition 355 Scientists, 2016. Expedition 355 methods. IODP 355, 1-46.
• D. Pandey, P.D. Clift, D. Kulhanek, S. Ando, J.A.P. Bendle, S. Bratenkov, and the Expedition 355 Scientists, 2016. Site U1456. IODP 355, 1-46.
• D. Pandey, P.D. Clift, D. Kulhanek, S. Ando, J.A.P. Bendle, S. Bratenkov, and the Expedition 355 Scientists, 2016. IODP 355, 6-46.

Projects

• 2019-2020 Archaeological Excavations, Khirbet el-Rai, Israel.
• 2023- Today Archaeological Excavations, Khirbet el-Rai, Israel.
• 2019- Today Imported pottery from Giza Thombs in collaboration with Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA and Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
• 2019-Today Climate reconstructions during Bronze and Iron Age in the Levant.
• 2019-Today Imported spices during the Iron Age in the Levant.
• 2019-Today Household activity reconstructions during the Iron Age in the Levant.
• 2019-Today Pottery Usage during Bronze and Iron Age in the Levant.
• 2022-Today Residue Analysis of Jericho pottery in collaboration with Chau-Chak Wing Museum, Sydney, Australia.

Accolades and Awards

Research funding

• 2020 Research Fellowship externally funded by Education Heritage Foundation (now Sir Asher Joel Foundation Research Fellowship) supporting the research in "Residue Analysis research in Iron Age in Southern Levant" $400,000.
• 2015 ANZIC post-cruse funding for "Models of local and global climate changes through organic inputs and biomarker geochemistry in deep water core sediments in the Indus Fan, Arabian Sea" study by Bratenkov S. and George S.C.; $40,000.
• 2015 Macquarie University Postgraduate Research Fund (PGRF) for "Exploration of climatic conditions during the Miocene period utilizing hydrocarbon biomarkers in cored sediments"; $5,000.
• 2014 ANZIC post-cruse analytical funding for "Patterns of global climate changes during the Miocene Epoch based on evaluation of the biomarkers from IODP expeditions 313 and 317" study by Bratenkov S. and George S.C.; $20,000.
• 2013 Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship for 3.5 years; $188,000.
• 2011 Irene Levi-Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation Grant; 8000 AUD.

Awards

• 2015 Organic Geochemistry, International Elsevier competitive research scholarship (4000 AUD).
• 2014 Spackman research award from the Society for Organic Petrology (400 AUD).
• 2014 Funding application for registration for the Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP) technical meeting in Sydney, NSW, Australia (500 AUD).
• 2014 GSA student scholarship to attend the Australian Earth Sciences Convention (AESC) meeting in Newcastle, NSW, Australia (500 AUD).
• 2012 Personal scholarship from Carmel Research Institute, Israel (1800 AUD).
• 2012 Excellence award, Faculty of Arts, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Appointments and Affiliations

• 2019-2022 Honorary Research Fellow, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Australia
• 2022-2025 Honorary Research Fellow, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Australia