Dan Bahat (Hebrew:דן בהט; born 1938 inLviv in Poland) is an Israeli archaeologist especially known for his excavations inJerusalem, particularly at theWestern Wall tunnels.
Dan Bahat was born inPoland toPolish Jewish parents who werecitizens ofMandatory Palestine.[1] The family moved toTel Aviv in 1939 and became Israeli citizens in 1952.[1] He served in theIDF from 1956 to 1958.[1] In 1964 he gained aBachelor's degree in archaeology and Jewish history at theHebrew University of Jerusalem. He finished his master's degree in 1978. In 1990 he obtained thePhD degree from the Hebrew University on the topic "Topography and Toponymy of Crusader Jerusalem" under the supervision ofJoshua Prawer.[1]
Between 1963 and 1990 Bahat was employed by the Israel Government'sDepartment of Antiquities, Ministry of Culture and Education, including as the District Archeologist of Jerusalem.
He taught until 2004 atBar-Ilan University, Israel, and he is currently[when?] teaching at St. Michael College, University of Toronto, Canada.
Bahat was the head of archaeological research at the Western Wall tunnels between 1986–2007.[2]
In January 1992, Dan Bahat published theIAA's archaeological finding of theWestern Stone, the largestashlar stone found to date in Israel, at ca. 10–12 metres above the base[citation needed] of theTemple Mount'sWestern Wall. The stone measures 13.6 metres (45 ft) in length, presumably 4.6 metres (15 ft) in depth, 3.5 metres (11 ft) in height, and is estimated at weighing ca. 517tonnes (570short tons), the world's third largest block of stone used in building.[3]
Bahat led the two-season dig atTel Yavne, unearthing remains of theCrusadercastle of theIbelin family.
