Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale

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The Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale (or IFAO) is a French research institute based in Cairo, Egypt, dedicated to the study of the archaeology, history and languages of the various periods of Egypt's civilisation.

The IFAO is part of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique, and is under the authority of the French Ministry for National Education, Advanced Instruction, and Research.

The Institute conducts archaeological excavations and also publishes a number of books and journals.

History

The IFAO was created on 28 December 1880 by a signed decree of the French Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts Jules Ferry, which created a permanent Mission in Cairo, intended as a counterpart in Egypt of the French Schools of Athens and of Rome, under the name of the "French School of Cairo" ("École Français du Caire").

The School adopted its current name of "Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale" in 1898.

Administration

Directors

*????-1898: Urbain Bouriant
*1898–1911: Emile Gaston Chassinat
*????-????: François Daumas
*1969–1976: Serge Sauneron
*1977–1981: Jean Vercoutter
*1981–1989: Paule Posener-Kriéger
*1989–1999: Nicolas Grimal
*1999–2005: Bernard Mathieu
* since 30 May 2005: Laure Pantalacci

Head of Scientific and Technical Relations

*Jean-Pierre Corteggiani

Recent IFAO archaeological excavations

:"This section originally from French Wikipedia article: [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fouille_arch%C3%A9ologique_en_%C3%89gypte Fouille archéologique en Égypte]

*Abu Roash, directed by Michel Baud ::25 March - 28 April 2004 (10th expedition)
*Adaima::1 November - 15 December 2003 (15th expedition)
*'Ayn-Manawir (Kharga Oasis)::4 October - 28 December 2003::7 October 2005 - 7 January 2006
*'Ayn Soukhna, in collaboration with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities::4 January - 8 February 2004
*Bahariya Oasis, directed by Frederic Hake::27 March - 18 May 2004
*Balat ('Ayn-Asil, Dakhla Oasis)::20 December 2003 - 4 May 2004
*Baouit::11 September - 29 September 2003
*Cairo, on the Ayyoubide Wall (mediaeval)::12 April - 12 June 2003::7 October - 22 November 2003::26 April - 15 June 2004
*Deir el-Bahri, with Nathalie Beaux-Grimal
*Deir el-Medina
*Dendera, conducted by Sylvie Cauville ::27 September - 25 October 2003
*Ermant (temple of Montu), by Christophe Tiers::12 December - 15 December 2003
*Karnak-North (Treasury of Thutmose I)::November 2003 - February 2004
*Qal' At Al-Guindi::17 February-6 March 2004
*the temple of Qasr Al-Aguz ::April 2001, carried out by Pr Claude Traunecker (1st expedition) ::10 April 2004 - 29 April 2004 (4th expedition)
*Saqqara-South, directed by Vassil Dobrev::8 October 2003 - 30 December 2003
*Tebtunis (in the Fayum), joint mission with the University of Milan ::1994 (1st expedition) ::25 August - 30 October 2003
*in the area of Aïn Soukhna, joint with the University Paris IV-Sorbonne
*Tanis
*Tinnîs, in collaboration with the British expedition of the University of Cambridge ::5 April - 17 April 2004
*El Tôd, carried out by Christophe Thiers (6th expedition)::15 November - 11 December 2003
*Tuna el-Gebel (Tomb of Petosiris), by Jean-Pierre Corteggiani

Publications

The Institute has a library containing more than 80,000 volumes, and also publishes a variety of books and journals. The IFAO's scientific members belong to two sections: the first studies ancient Egyptian and papyrological matters, while the second studies the Coptic and Islamic periods.

Journals and book series of the IFAO include:
* "Annales islamologiques" (AnIsl)
* "Bibliothèque d'études"
* "Bulletin critique des Annales islamologiques" (BCAI)
* "Bulletin de la céramique égyptienne" (BCE)
* "Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale" (BIFAO)
* "Cahiers des Annales islamologiques" (CAI)
* "Cahiers de la céramique égyptienne" (CCE)
* "Documents de fouilles de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale" (DFIFAO)
* "Études alexandrines"
* "Études urbaines"
* "Fouilles de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale" (FIFAO)
* "Mémoires publiés par les membres de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale" (MIFAO)
* "Mémoires publiés par les membres de la Mission archéologique française du Caire" (MMAF)
* "Paléographie hiéroglyphique"
* "Publications du Service des antiquités de l'Égypte et de l'Ifao" (PIFAO)
* "Recherches d'archéologie, de philologie et d'histoire" (RAPH)
* "Répertoire chronologique d'épigraphie arabe" (RCEA)
* "Textes arabes et études islamiques"
* "Temples ptolémaïques"
* "Textes et traductions d'auteurs orientaux" (TTA)
* "Voyageurs occidentaux en Égypte"

External links

* [http://www.ifao.egnet.net IFAO homepage]
* [http://www.macscribe.com MacScribe] (IFAO's hieroglyphic text processing software)