Council for British Research in the Levant
The Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) is a non-profit organisation that promotes humanities and social science research in the Levant.[1] It consists of two research institutes, the Kenyon Institute in Jerusalem[2] and the British Institute in Amman (BIA) in Amman, Jordan.[3]
History
The CBRL was established in 1998 as an amalgamation of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem (now the Kenyon Institute) and the British Institute at Amman for Archaeology and History (now the British Institute in Amman).[1] While its predecessors mainly existed to support archaeological research in their respective host countries, the newly formed CBRL, sponsored by the British Academy,[4][5] broadened its remit to include all research into the history, culture, society and archaeology of the Levant.[1]
Plans to open a CBRL institute in Damascus have been suspended due the ongoing Syrian Civil War.[1]
Kenyon Institute
History
Directors of the Kenyon Institute
British Institute in Amman
| Founder | Crystal Bennett |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| Director | Carol Palmer |
| Formerly called | British Institute at Amman for Archaeology and History (BIAAH) |
| Address | 102 Uhod Street Tla' Al-Ali Amman 11953 Jordan |
| Location | , , |
| Coordinates | 32°00′45″N 35°51′45″E / 32.012600°N 35.862441°E |
| Website | cbrl |
The British Institute in Amman (BIA, Template:Lang-ar) is a research institute in Amman, Jordan. Its patron is Prince Hassan bin Talal and its current Director is Carol Palmer.[3]
History
After the Six-Day War in 1967 it became increasingly difficult for archaeologists to use the Jerusalem as a base for conducting fieldwork in neighbouring countries. Consequently, in 1968, the BSAJ established a store of field equipment in Jordan.[2] From 1970 onwards the Director of the BSAJ, Crystal Bennett, conducted excavations in southern Jordan using this equipment and a private flat in Amman as a base. However the need for a larger and more permanent base became apparent when Bennett was asked by the Jordanian Department of Antiquities to direct major excavations of the Amman Citadel. Bennett rented a large house opposite the University of Jordan and established it as the new British Institute at Amman for Archaeology and History (BIAAH) in 1975. Bennett served as both the Director of the BSAJ and the BIAAH until 1978, when she retired from the BSAJ and relocated to Amman full-time. In the same year, the British Academy agreed to register the BIAAH as an official overseas institute.[2][3][6]
The BIAAH remained an independent institute until 1998, when a review by the British Academy recommended that the BIAAH and BSAJ be combined to form the CBRL.[2] In 2009 it was renamed the British Institute in Amman, to reflect the wider range of disciplines supported by the institute since the merger.[3]
Facilities
The BIA is currently located in the Tla' Al Ali district of Amman, close to the University of Jordan and the original BIAAH building.[7] It houses a public, English-language reference library, specialising in the archaeology, anthropology, history, and international relations of Jordan;[8] an archaeological laboratory;[9] equipment store;[9] and accommodation for visiting scholars and field crews.[10]
Directors of the BIA
- Crystal Bennett (1978–1983)
- Andrew Garrard (1983–1989)
- Alison McQuitty (1989–1991)
- William Lancaster (1991–1994)
- Alison McQuitty (1994–1999)
- Bill Finlayson (1999–2009)
- Carol Palmer (2009–present)
Publications
Levant
The Council's research journal, Levant (ISSN 0075-8914), is employed to document and promote the research of CBRL members and others in the region. Each issue includes a number of scholarly articles and book reviews. As of 2008, Levant is published biannually by Maney Publishing, both in print and online form.
Bulletin of the Council for British Research in the Levant
An annual Bulletin is produced to inform about current research activities and information about events and CBRL publications.
Directors of the CBRL
- Alison McQuitty (1998–1999)
- Bill Finlayson (1999–present)
See also
- British Institute at Ankara
- British Institute in Eastern Africa
- British Institute of Persian Studies
- British School at Athens
- British School at Rome
- British Institute for the Study of Iraq
- Society for Libyan Studies
References
- ^ a b c d "About us". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ a b c d "Kenyon Institute". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ a b c d "The British Institute in Amman". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ "Who funds us". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ "Academy-Sponsored Institutes". British Academy website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ Balderstone, Susan. "Crystal-M Bennett" (PDF). Breaking Ground: Women in Old World Archaeology. Brown University. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ "Contact | The British Institute in Amman". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ "Library | The British Institute in Amman". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ a b "Workplace, Vehicles and Equipment | The British Institute in Amman". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ "Accommodation | The British Institute in Amman". CBRL website. Retrieved 2016-04-23.