Albright Institute of Archaeological Research
Encyclopedia
The W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research (AIAR), is an archaeological
research institution located in Eastern Jerusalem. The Albright Institute is the oldest American research center for ancient Near Eastern studies in the Middle East. Founded in 1900 as the American School of Oriental Research, it was renamed in 1970 after its most distinguished director, William F. Albright
. Today, the Albright Institute is one of three separately incorporated institutes affiliated with the American Schools of Oriental Research
(ASOR), the others being in Amman
and Nicosia
. In 1948, at the by that-time ASOR-Jerusalem were analysed the recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls
(see below). Between 1981 and 1996, together with the Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, the Albright Institute excavated at the ancient Philistine site of Tel Miqne-Ekron
. Egyptologist Flinders Petrie lived with his wife at ASOR-Jerusalem in 1933, and died there in 1942.
It provides a base for a broad range of American-led scholarly research projects in Near Eastern studies from prehistory to the early Islamic period in the Middle East. Located in an historic 1920s-period building, the Albright offers fellowships for doctoral and post-doctoral studies, and maintains residential and research facilities for its fellows, including an extensive library. The Institute fosters North American participation in, and provides support for, archaeological excavations and surveys; promotes working relationships with related institutions in Jerusalem and the neighboring communities.
. In the Spring of 1948, Dr. John C. Trever
was filling in for Millar Burrows, the director of ASOR in Jerusalem, when he was contacted by a representative of Mar Samuel
, who wanted to authenticate three ancient scrolls that he had recently purchased from an antiquities dealer. Trever photographed the scrolls, and immediately sent copies to his mentor—famed Near East scholar William F. Albright
, who congratulated him on the "greatest manuscript discovery of modern times!”
In early September 1948, Mar Samuel contacted Professor Ovid R. Sellers
, Burrows' successor as ASOR Director in Jerusalem. Samuel showed Sellers some additional scroll fragments that he had acquired. Sellers then focused on finding the cave in which the scrolls had been found. In late 1948, nearly two years after the discovery of the scrolls, scholars had yet to locate the cave where the fragments had been found. Conducting such a search was dangerous. When the British mandate in Palestine ended on May 15, 1948, war broke out immediately, and peace would not be restored until November. With the unrest in the country, Sellers attempted to get the Syrians to help locate the cave, but they demanded more money than Sellers could offer. The cave was finally discovered on January 28, 1949 by a UN observer, and Sellers brought his box brownie camera to take the first photos of the cave, which were soon published in Life Magazine.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
research institution located in Eastern Jerusalem. The Albright Institute is the oldest American research center for ancient Near Eastern studies in the Middle East. Founded in 1900 as the American School of Oriental Research, it was renamed in 1970 after its most distinguished director, William F. Albright
William F. Albright
William Foxwell Albright was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, philologist and expert on ceramics. From the early twentieth century until his death, he was the dean of biblical archaeologists and the universally acknowledged founder of the Biblical archaeology movement...
. Today, the Albright Institute is one of three separately incorporated institutes affiliated with the American Schools of Oriental Research
American Schools of Oriental Research
The American Schools of Oriental Research, founded in 1900, supports and encourages the study of the peoples and cultures of the Near East, from the earliest times to the present. It is apolitical and has no religious affiliation...
(ASOR), the others being in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
and Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
. In 1948, at the by that-time ASOR-Jerusalem were analysed the recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
(see below). Between 1981 and 1996, together with the Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, the Albright Institute excavated at the ancient Philistine site of Tel Miqne-Ekron
Ekron
The city of Ekron , was one of the five cities of the famed Philistine pentapolis, located in southwestern Canaan. Ekron lies 35 kilometers west of Jerusalem, and 18 kilometers north of ancient Gath, on the eastern edge of Israel's coastal plain.-History:...
. Egyptologist Flinders Petrie lived with his wife at ASOR-Jerusalem in 1933, and died there in 1942.
It provides a base for a broad range of American-led scholarly research projects in Near Eastern studies from prehistory to the early Islamic period in the Middle East. Located in an historic 1920s-period building, the Albright offers fellowships for doctoral and post-doctoral studies, and maintains residential and research facilities for its fellows, including an extensive library. The Institute fosters North American participation in, and provides support for, archaeological excavations and surveys; promotes working relationships with related institutions in Jerusalem and the neighboring communities.
ASOR-Jerusalem and the Dead Sea Scrolls
ASOR-Jerusalem also played a significant role in the discovery of the Dead Sea ScrollsDead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
. In the Spring of 1948, Dr. John C. Trever
John C. Trever
John C. Trever was a biblical scholar and archaeologist, who was involved in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls....
was filling in for Millar Burrows, the director of ASOR in Jerusalem, when he was contacted by a representative of Mar Samuel
Mar Samuel
Metropolitan Athanasius Yeshue Samuel , more often referred to as Mar Samuel, was a Metropolitan and Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, as well as a central figure in the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls....
, who wanted to authenticate three ancient scrolls that he had recently purchased from an antiquities dealer. Trever photographed the scrolls, and immediately sent copies to his mentor—famed Near East scholar William F. Albright
William F. Albright
William Foxwell Albright was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, philologist and expert on ceramics. From the early twentieth century until his death, he was the dean of biblical archaeologists and the universally acknowledged founder of the Biblical archaeology movement...
, who congratulated him on the "greatest manuscript discovery of modern times!”
In early September 1948, Mar Samuel contacted Professor Ovid R. Sellers
Ovid R. Sellers
Ovid Rogers Sellers was an internationally known Old Testament scholar and archaeologist who played a role in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls...
, Burrows' successor as ASOR Director in Jerusalem. Samuel showed Sellers some additional scroll fragments that he had acquired. Sellers then focused on finding the cave in which the scrolls had been found. In late 1948, nearly two years after the discovery of the scrolls, scholars had yet to locate the cave where the fragments had been found. Conducting such a search was dangerous. When the British mandate in Palestine ended on May 15, 1948, war broke out immediately, and peace would not be restored until November. With the unrest in the country, Sellers attempted to get the Syrians to help locate the cave, but they demanded more money than Sellers could offer. The cave was finally discovered on January 28, 1949 by a UN observer, and Sellers brought his box brownie camera to take the first photos of the cave, which were soon published in Life Magazine.
Directors
- William F. AlbrightWilliam F. AlbrightWilliam Foxwell Albright was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, philologist and expert on ceramics. From the early twentieth century until his death, he was the dean of biblical archaeologists and the universally acknowledged founder of the Biblical archaeology movement...
- Ovid R. SellersOvid R. SellersOvid Rogers Sellers was an internationally known Old Testament scholar and archaeologist who played a role in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls...
- Nelson GlueckNelson GlueckNelson Glueck was an American rabbi, academic and archaeologist. Dr Glueck served as president of Hebrew Union College from 1947 until his death, and his pioneering work in biblical archaeology resulted in the discovery of 1,500 ancient sites....
- William G. DeverWilliam G. DeverWilliam G. Dever is an American archaeologist, specialising in the history of Israel and the Near East in Biblical times. He was Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Arizona in Tucson from 1975 to 2002...
- David Noel FreedmanDavid Noel FreedmanDavid Noel Freedman , son of the writer David Freedman, was a biblical scholar, author, editor, archaeologist, and ordained Presbyterian minister ....
- Seymour Gitin
Alumni
- Cyrus Herzl Gordon
- Baruch HalpernBaruch HalpernBaruch Halpern is the Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies at Pennsylvania State University. He has been a leader of the archaeological digs at Tel Megiddo since 1992. As an undergraduate at Harvard in 1972, he wrote a political analysis of the Bible, which subsequently influenced research into...
- Gary N. KnoppersGary N. KnoppersGary Neil Knoppers is a professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Pennsylvania State University. He has written books and articles regarding a range of Old Testament and ancient Near Eastern topics...
- Peter Machinist
- Jodi MagnessJodi MagnessJodi Magness is the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She previously taught at Tufts University. She received her B.A. in Archaeology and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , and her Ph.D. in...
- Anson RaineyAnson RaineyAnson Frank Rainey was Professor Emeritus of Ancient Near Eastern Cultures and Semitic Linguistics at Tel Aviv University. He is known in particular for contributions to the study of the Amarna tablets, the legendary administrative letters from the period of Pharaoh Akhenaten's rule during the...
- Lawrence StagerLawrence StagerLawrence E. "Larry" Stager is Dorot Professor of the Archaeology of Israel in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University and is Director of the Harvard Semitic Museum...
- John C. TreverJohn C. TreverJohn C. Trever was a biblical scholar and archaeologist, who was involved in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls....
Sources
- King, Philip J. American Archaeology in the Mideast: A History of the American Schools of Oriental Research (1983).
- Clark, D.G. and V.H. Matthews 100 Years of American Archaeology in the Middle East: Proceedings of the American Schools of Oriental Research Centennial Celebration (2003).