Amos Frumkin

Most of Frumkin's studies are performed on karst terrains in diverse fields of research, comprising palaeoclimate, geomorphology, hydrology, palaeohydrology, geoarchaeology, human impact on the environment and ancient water systems. The research is mostly associated with underground (speleological) features studied using earth-sciences methods. He studies the underground interface between geoscience, geography, environment, and archaeology. An interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary view of the sub-surface is achieved by wide-scale interaction and cooperation with scientists in various fields. The research has been performed mainly in Israel, complemented with research in other countries such as Jordan, United Emirates, and Bulgaria. Additional collection of data is done over the globe, resulting in a global karst geomorphology volume. Some of the research is performed in underground laboratories in which measuring equipment was installed. Within an underground laboratory in Sedom Cave, salt cave speleogenetic processes are monitored for since 1980’s. Much of the data collection is performed by graduate students.

Frumkin (עמוס פרומקין; born in 1953) is a professor of geology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Frumkin was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1953. His expertise is the geology of caves. As an active speleologist, he founded and directs the Cave Research Center of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Among the co-authored studies are: Dating of early Paleolithic cave inhabitants; evidence for habitual use of fire at the end of the Lower Paleolithic; paleoclimatic corridors for human migration out of Africa; dating ancient Jerusalem water supply system; technical innovations to bring water into ancient cities; Extending the knowledge on Bar-Kokhba Revolt, ~1900 yr ago, through remains including papyrus documents and hoards of coins from caves; Comparing field evidence with historic and archaeologic records. In 2003, Frumkin led a team that radiometrically-dated Siloam Tunnel. He is the author of the generally accepted explanation of how a tunnel dug by two teams working from opposite ends was engineered by the ancient Israelites before the development of trigonometry. He found for the first time that calcite-alabaster was produced in Israel and not only imported from Egypt.