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 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 ArtsJules 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.[1] In 1907, the IFAO moved into Mounira Palace.[2] In 1929, a restoration of the building is undertaken, which includes the replacement of the art nouveau decoration on the façade with neo-classical.[2]
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)