The Institut 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.
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 (Ecole française d'Athènes) and of Rome (Ecole française de Rome), under the name of the "French School of Cairo" (École française du Caire).
The School adopted its current name of "Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale" in 1898.
1880-1881 Gaston Maspero1881-1883 Eugène Lefébure1883-1886 Eugène Grébaut1886-1898 Urbain Bouriant1898-1912 Émile Chassinat1912 Mgr Louis Duchesne1912-1914 Pierre Lacau1914-1928 Georges Foucart1928-1940 Pierre Jouguet1940-1953 Charles Kuentz1953-1959 Jean Sainte-Fare Garnot1959-1969 François Daumas1969–1976: Serge Sauneron1977–1981: Jean Vercoutter1981–1989: Paule Posener-Kriéger1989–1999: Nicolas Grimal1999–2005: Bernard Mathieu2005-2010: Laure Pantalacci2010-2015: Béatrix Midant-ReynesSince 2015: Laurent BavayHead of Scientific and Technical Relations
Jean-Pierre CorteggianiThis section originally from French Wikipedia article: Fouille archéologique en ÉgypteAbu Roash, directed by Michel BaudAdaima'Ayn-Manawir (Kharga Oasis)'Ayn Soukhna, in collaboration with the Egyptian Supreme Council of AntiquitiesBahariya Oasis, directed by Frederic HakeBalat ('Ayn-Asil, Dakhla Oasis)BaouitCairo, on the Ayyoubide Wall (mediaeval)Deir el-Bahri, with Nathalie Beaux-GrimalDeir el-MedinaDendera, conducted by Sylvie CauvilleErmant (temple of Montu), by Christophe TiersKarnak-North (Treasury of Thutmose I)Qal' At Al-Guindithe temple of Qasr Al-AguzSaqqara-South, directed by Vassil DobrevTebtunis (in the Fayum), joint mission with the University of Milanin the area of Aïn Soukhna, joint with the University Paris IV-SorbonneTanisTinnîs, in collaboration with the British expedition of the University of CambridgeEl Tôd, carried out by Christophe Thiers (6th expedition)Tuna el-Gebel (Tomb of Petosiris), by Jean-Pierre CorteggianiThe 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'étudesBulletin 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 alexandrinesÉtudes urbainesFouilles 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 hiéroglyphiquePublications 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 islamiquesTemples ptolémaïquesTextes et traductions d'auteurs orientaux (TTA)Voyageurs occidentaux en Égypte
