The çaisdArchéInstitut français d'archéologie orientale (or IFAO), also known as the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology in Cairo, 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 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 School at Athens (Ecole française d'Athènes) and French School of Rome (Ecole française de Rome), under the name of French School of Cairo (École française du Caire).
The School adopted its current name of Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale in 1898. In 1907, the IFAO moved into Mounira Palace. In 1929, a restoration of the building is undertaken, which includes the replacement of the art nouveau decoration on the façade with neo-classical.
Since February 2011, the IFAO has been a part of the network, Écoles françaises à l’étranger (EFE), made of five higher education and research establishments. The other four establishments are École française d'Athènes (French School in Athens), École française de Rome (French School in Rome), École française d’Extrême-Orient (French School of the Far East), and Casa de Velázquez, Madrid.
Administration
Directors
1880–1881: Gaston Maspero
1881–1883: Eugène Lefébure
1883–1886: Eugène Grébaut
1886–1898: Urbain Bouriant
1898–1912: Émile Chassinat
1912 Mgr Louis Duchesne
1912–1914: Pierre Lacau
1914–1928: Georges Foucart
1928–1940: Pierre Jouguet
1940–1953: Charles Kuentz
1953–1959: Jean Sainte-Fare Garnot
1959–1969: François Daumas
1969–1976: Serge Sauneron
1977–1981: Jean Vercoutter
1981–1989: Paule Posener-Kriéger
1989–1999: Nicolas Grimal
1999–2005: Bernard Mathieu
2005–2010: Laure Pantalacci
2010–2015: Béatrix Midant-Reynes
2015–2019: Laurent Bavay
Since 2019: Laurent Coulon
Head of Scientific and Technical Relations
Jean-Pierre Corteggiani
Recent IFAO archaeological excavations
This section originally from French Wikipedia article: 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 11–29 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 12–15 December 2003 Karnak-North (Treasury of Thutmose I) November 2003 - February 2004 Ouadi Sannour, directed by François Briois and Béatrix Midant-Reynes 2014 to present 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 5–17 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.