Yehonatan Hershkovitz studies the history and archaeology of the ancient Near East, with a special focus on the languages of Mesopotamia. His research centers on the origins of writing, the development of cuneiform script, writing techniques, and the interactions between Sumerian and Akkadian as reflected in cuneiform writing. Additionally, Yehonatan is interested in the social aspects of language, particularly how different registers are used across various social classes.