American Research Center in Egypt Inc

I'm so impressed with all the good work ARCE does in Egypt and promoting educational lectures locally. Volunteers work hard to bring impressive speakers, often with yet to be published work. The quality of the talks in my area (Southern California) is often astounding and fascinating. I'm so pleased to support ARCE and I really do love learning new things about ancient Egypt every time!

ARCE can be considered the most important American organization for cultural heritage management and archaeological research in Egypt. Its mission includes multiple objectives and initiatives that support researchers from Egypt and the US as well as offering possibilities for training Egyptians in archaeological methods and practices in addition to conservation and preserving ancient monuments. I cannot stress enough how important this organization is on many levels. ARCE has much impact for advancing cultural heritage matters on a national and international level. I cannot stress enough how important your support is to keep this organization continuing its work in Egypt. As far as my personal experience with ARCE is concerned, staff members have been incredibly helpful and supportive towards my own project in Egypt, both on an administrative and organizational level.

My wife and I have been members of the American Research Center in Egypt for years, and have enjoyed monthly lectures at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana California the entire time. My primary attraction for the ARCE, Orange County Chapter has been the opportunity, on a monthly basis, to absorb/enjoy lectures from world class Egyptologists (often fresh from a dig) for no charge! I recommend ARCE to anyone who has been infected with a need to learn everything possible about ancient Egypt. At the same time, financial contributions from members help with grants that are used for preservation, discovery, and teaching Egyptians about archeological best practices.

After having the privilege of taking a trip to Egypt in 2010 and seeing for ourselves what a great job ARCE has done supporting the ancient Egyptian antiquities, we are proud to recommend ARCE to all others.

As an ARCE member for 19 years, I have found kindred spirts who love Egypt and its rich history as much as I do. ARCE's work in preserving Egyptian monuments, training Egyptian inspectors, and supporting USA archaeological teams in the field is second to none. The Cairo staff is incredible. I'm exceedingly proud to be a part of an organization which is making a difference every single day.

ARCE supports so many archaeology, history, and cultural projects in Egypt, where funding is so badly needed. Students and professional archaeologists alike benefit from their support of digs, restoration efforts, and research projects. It's a small non-profit with a small staff and a huge effort. In a climate where such funding is almost non-existent now (government money for such purposes has completely dried up, and other non-profits focus elsewhere) ARCE almost stands alone to keep so many important projects going on. While the other non-profit organizations have turned their back on Egypt and its incomparable history, ARCE is still there, spreading its donations around to keep the important work going on. I have supported ARCE for a number of years, and plan to keep doing so. I hope others will consider this cause. With all the competing charities around, it's a huge struggle for them to keep going.

As an ARCE fellow this year, I can attest to this organization's vital role for the preservation of cultural heritage in Egypt. ARCE has supported and overseen, and still is, a number of major conservation projects in Cairo and elsewhere in the country. It facilitates fruitful collaborations between the Egyptian government, the Coptic Church, and foreign missions. Its archives house materials related to those projects, and they are a rich resource for historians of late antique and medieval Egypt. Moreover, ARCE's annual fellowship programs are superb. They give junior and senior scholars opportunities to do research productively in Egypt with the support of ARCE's very helpful staff who has got a lot of experience working in this country.

I am a relatively new member to this organization, but having seen the devastation caused by political unrest in Egypt, I see the need for ARCE. Not only do they endeavor to save the history of Egypt they link that country to communities around the world.

ARCE is a fantastic organization. It creates and maintains links between a variety of communities, including scholars and the general public, in both the US and Egypt. It is therefore a crucial resource not only for professionals in the field but also for anyone interested in any aspect of Egyptian culture. Perhaps the strongest point for recommendation is that everyone involved has an infectious passion for what they do. I can think of no other organization so committed to its area of interest or so devoted to sharing that passion with others.

I can't say enough about how much ARCE has enriched my life, both personally and professionally. Many of my most enduring friendships and collegial associations had their origin in ARCE conferences. Committed to exploring multiple aspects of the present and past alike, ARCE has a diverse membership. Because it attracts participants from all over the world, ARCE's annual meeting provides a rare venue for dialogue about current issues in Egypt as well as issues stemming from antiquity. The global scholarship is consistently impressive, and I learn much from attending ARCE events whether I am presenting a paper or listening to a presentation. ARCE's publications are not only useful for specialists but of interest to general readers.
As one who has taught ancient cultures at the university level for many years, I value very highly the unique opportunities for cultural insight which ARCE makes possible.

I have been a member of ARCE for several years now, and it has been tremendously useful for my career and professional development. I attend both local and national meetings, and the number of connections and friendships I have made through these events is invaluable to me. They are a sincere organization that spreads knowledge and opportunity to its members. ARCE unites the Egyptological community, fosters academic development, professional connections, and personal friendships and for that I could not be more grateful.

I have been a member of ARCE for several years, and now am on the board of the Oregon chapter. I recently returned from Egypt and saw first hand the efforts needed to keep this amazing country restored for future generations to enjoy as I did. Beyond the saving and protection of these treasures, employment and training of the local people is as important as the restoration itself. I am very happy to see my donations going to such a worthwhile cause. Thank you ARCE for all the work you are doing!
Mary Marlowe

Amazing organization. I never thought I would find an Egyptological society I liked so much. Very informative, great communication and plenty of events to attend.

I have been attending ARCE Chapter Meetings regularly for the past 6 years and have been on the Board of the Arizona Chapter for 2 years and now additionally on the Board for the Orange County starting this year. I have gotten the chance by attending these local talks on Egyptology to expand my knowledge of really interesting topics in Egypt studies - presented by the researchers involved in the work. The topics covered vary from the History of the wives of Rameses II, the re-use of coffin material from earlier dynastic burials by the priestly class in the 22nd Dynasty, to the discovery of KV5, KV63 and other new making items. There is no end to what topics ARCE can introduce your to, remind you of, make you want to dig deeper and learn more about. All Talks are great for the truely new student of Egyptian history as well as the experienced scholar. I try never to miss any talks - they are great

I am what is known in Egyptology as an "interested amateur". I have always enjoyed studying and learning about Ancient Egypt, and use many resources to do so. ARCE is a source I return to again and again for the high quality of their information and materials. Their lecture programming is outstanding, and there are many local chapters. I'm pleased to offer this positive recommendation to assist them in continuing their work.

ARCE does a tremendous job in protecting monuments, training young scholars, both American and Egyptian and in promoting goodwill between the US and the international community. I don't think any other NGO in Egypt works as hard or does as much as ARCE. The organization has a long and proud tradition of working in Egypt and has led the way in promoting professional training, conservation and public awareness of Egypt's unique cultural heritage from prehistory to the present day. Everyone can be prod of the exemplary work they have done and should support its continued growth and success well into the future.

ARCE is the only group of its kind to focus on Egyptology in America. For professionals it provides grants and conferences and to students, a place to share their work. The aid programs that are run by ARCE support work in Egypt and engagement with Egyptian communities. It is an excellent way for professionals to share their knowledge with enthusiasts in the US.

ARCE serves as a gathering place for armchair Egyptologists (and I am one of them) to learn more from the experts, and share their love for all aspects of Egyptian history and arts.
I have visited Egypt many times and seen the wonderful work they have done in the field of preservation and restoration of a wide range of buildings, murals, and other even larger historical sites such as the St. Antony's Monastery where they restored murals that had been so covered in the soot of hundreds of years, they had to experiment with cleaning to discover if there were murals there at all! There Fr. Maximus revealed the cells cut in stone under the floor of the church, cleverly revealed beneath heavy sheets of glass, where the earliest monks - who may have existed in the living memory of Jesus - spent their lives in contemplation.
Sites have been opened to both Egypitan tourists and those from the whole world in methods that preserve all the visible signs of how they were originally conceived.
During the political upheavals of recent years when those working on the fringes of the tourist industry were suffering just to feed their families due to the devastating reduction in tourists, ARCE managed to bring many of these people into projects on location where they were able to earn money while learning the real craft of archaeology and preservation. A most deserving non-profit, that can stretch a dollar in a depressed economy where some of the greatest arts of the ancient world beg for help. The staff at all levels are dedicated and enthusiastic: shared passion that can do great things. I am proud to be a part of all they do. Through them I have met many renowned Egyptologists, and many of the ARCE staff. They are my friends. Katherine Kunhiraman

ARCE provides educational opportunities for students in the United States and Egypt, preserves Egypt's historical monuments which are world heritage sites and trains Egyptians to care and preserve this cultural heritage, ancient, Christian and Muslim for the world. ARCE is bridge between Americans and Egyptians, where our presence and good will is felt in localities throughout Egypt In the San Francisco area the local chapter provides outreach to students and teachers, fostering a better understanding of Egyptian culture both ancient and modern.

The contributions ARCE makes to the field of Egyptology cannot be measured. So many graduate students owe their start in field research to the programs run by ARCE, and ARCE's contribution to Egyptian scholars is unequaled.

The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) is a 65-year-old nonprofit that's been working to preserve and conserve Egyptian antiquities from seven millennia and to train Egyptian conservators in this mission. ARCE also supports more than a dozen local chapters around the United States in assisting with lectures from renowned Egyptologists from around the world. The ARCE annual conference is a must-go-to event where an attendee can listen to more than 20 lectures from academics and independent scholars across various Egyptology topics--religion, art, history, texts, and field-work reports from Egyptologists that appear regularly on the History, Discovery, National Geographic, and PBS television channels. As a regular field-work contributor to the work of the American University in Cairo Professor Salima Ikram's North Kharga Oasis Survey, I've had the opportunity to contribute my scientific and Coptic language expertise to this project.

The American Research Center in Egypt, Inc. (ARCE) is a charitable organization devoted to the study and preservation of Egyptian history and culture. Its members include many of the most well known and respected Egyptologists in the world as well as people like me who are interested in Egypt, especially ancient Egyptian history. Through its work ARCE helps to preserve the monuments of Pharonic and Islamic Egypt such as the beautiful Temple of Karnak in Luxor. It also supports the education of Egyptian archaeologists and conservationists so that they can work toward the preservation of these amazing monuments.

The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) is the most important organization in Egyptological studies today and its contribution to both modern academic research and the physical preservation and restoration of important ancient Egyptian objects and sites is absolutely essential. It has helped fund, educate, and train students in the field of Egyptology in Egypt and throughout the world. I am proud to be a member of ARCE.

I initially encountered ARCE in spring 2004 as a student studying abroad at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. My experience in Cairo was greatly enriched by the lecture series, and after my return to the US, I continued to attend the ARCE annual meetings. Thanks to both of these events, I have had the opportunity to meet several eminent scholars and fellow students in my field.

Even more importantly, ARCE has played a fundamental role in the preservation of Egyptian cultural heritage - Not only through expeditions that contribute to our understanding of important archaeological sites, but also the field schools that train antiquities inspectors in site management and conservation. The Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt (JARCE) is also a valuable reference for both scholars and students alike.

ARCE is the only organization of its kind. It's many facets include archaeology, cultural preservation, a reliable East to West bridge of exchange, endowments and research. In little more than half a century ARCE has developed a rich relationship not only with the public, but with its family of volunteers and staff. It's easy to feel important and unique when I give my time to ARCE because each and every person takes pride in what they are able to do. It's the best club I've ever been in!!!!

My first experience with ARCE was attending a conference and giving a short paper as a graduate student. The work ARCE does in Egypt to restore old monuments and to help budding scholars and archaeologists from all over the world is truly impressive. In addition many local Egyptians are trained in various avenues of work to preserve and care for Egypt's amazing Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic heritage, thus providing employment opportunities in a country where jobs are few and far between. In 2011 an ARCE trip gave some of us the opportunity to see and experience a number of the ARCE restored sites and buildings. I can not say enough good about the beneficial constructive and educational work ARCE does.

ARCE is one of the most important organizations involved with the preservation of Egypt's ancient heritage. They have proven time and time again that it is important to conserve what is left of Egypt's past so that modern Egyptians can remember where they have come from. ARCE works closely with local Egyptians, particularly in Luxor, to train up the next generation of Egyptologists and Conservators. This commitment to training the Egyptian population is key- providing Egyptians with the chance to study and work with their own cultural heritage.

I have been involved with ARCE chapters both in Cairo and in Orange County (California). In addition to monthly talks and conferences, ARCE provides members with chances to donate to ongoing conservation efforts- for monuments of ancient Egypt and the Islamic Era. Additionally, their regular publication of "The Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt (JARCE)" is a collection of scholarly papers that give advanced teaching of the ancient Egyptian culture. I have time and time again used this journal for my own research and papers for school. It is a valuable resource.

Year 2002, It was turning point of my life, I was a trainee of ARCE's archaeological field school at al-Fayum, after i finish my filed school training course, i was able to join the excavation in Sinai, ARCE help make me know the real meaning of archaeology

ARCE does an amazing job cultivating a cultural and academic community under some very difficult circumstances. The facility is welcoming and central. As a researcher in Egypt, all of my interactions with with the ARCE staff, especially Djodi Deutsch, have been extremely congenial and professional.

A wonderful and well respected organization dedicated to helping save ancient Egypt's treasures for future generations through preservation and education. The American Research Center in Egypt has chapters all over the United States that help fund important archeological sites and assist with their preservation and documentation efforts.

I learned about ARCe on my first trip to Egypt in 1998, when a couple on our Archaeological Tours trip insisted that we go to the headquarters. I'm so glad they did! I joined right away, and have enjoyed going to the annual conference and to lectures in New York City. ARCE is responsible for so much of the restoration and preservation of sites in Egypt. They fund independent scholars and projects in Egypt, and have chapters around the USA where there are lectures and visiting scholars.

ARCE serves an invaluable resource for scholars and the public, supporting important conservation efforts in Egypt and hosting dozens of public lectures and an annual meeting for Egyptologists in America. Fellowships for graduate students have benefited several members of our department, and without ARCE, important research projects would have gone incomplete. Thank you ARCE!

ARCE has been a source of support for our graduate students and junior faculty working in Egypt on archaeological or textual materials, either in the field or in the museums. The ARCE staff knows proper routine and have the proper connections to get papers processed and approved; they know the Egyptian academics who can help our young scholars with their research; and their fellowship and scholarship funding is crucial for most people who are working in Egypt. Their commitment to conservation of Egyptian antiquities, from prehistory through to the modern day, has made a direct impact on many Egyptians living and working near these monuments and has increased the profile of ARCE within the educated Egyptian population.

As a relative newcomer to ARCE, I can write with confidence how impressed I am with the organization's mission, professionalism, expertise and sensitivity toward its role in Egypt, a complex country politically, religiously and culturally. I travelled as part of the ARCE Egypt Tour in November of 2011, witnessed first-hand the successful results of their conservation work and met impressive American and Egyptian experts who are working to preserve for the entire world ancient treasures of priceless value. In addition to serving as a unique resource to protect Egypt's heritage, ARCE , I observed, is also about building critical, long-lasting relationships that cross national and international borders. I highly endorse ARCE, respect its history and know it will continue to make important contributions to our world.

As someone who has participated in archaeological excavations in Egypt for the last twelve years, I can honestly say that American archaeological missions such as ours in Egypt could not operate without the logistical support and assistance of The American Research Center in Egypt. No other organization within Egypt has the experience, expertise or outstanding staff to provide that support. In addition to its assistance with archaeological missions, ARCE’s conservation work within Egypt, ranging from pre-dynastic sites to endangered Islamic and Christian monuments, has helped to preserve the heritage of Egypt − and through it, the world’s heritage – as no other organization has done. Equally important, ARCE’s field schools are training Egyptians in modern archaeological techniques and instilling in the schools’ participants an understanding and respect for their own culture and history. The international conferences sponsored by ARCE within Egypt and in North America bring together noted scholars and interested non-professionals from throughout the world to listen to and discuss the latest developments in Egyptian archaeology, conservation and current scholarship. In addition, ARCE sponsors and assists numerous chapters and other study groups throughout the United States and Canada, providing information and expert speakers who promote the understanding and appreciation of the history and cultures of the Middle East.
Richard S. Harwood
Associate Director
University of Arizona Egyptian Expedition

I learned about ARCE from my Egyptian Guide on my very first trip to Egypt in 1993. At soon as I got home, I became a member. Since then ARCE has provided a way for me, a non-professional, to become intimately involved with many aspects of its work. I have enjoyed attending the annual meetings where I met professional Egyptologists and heard about their newest discoveries. I have used the ARCE Library in Cairo for my own research projects. It is one of the few libraries of its type in Cairo that welcomes and is intensively used by Egyptian students and professors. Last year, I participated in an ARCE-sponsored tour to a number of the sites where ARCE has administered conservation projects (funded by USAID). These sites, selected by the Egyptian Antiquities Authority, range from Pharaonic up through Islamic. I was impressed by the philosophy of “conserve/preserve/present” which underlies all such work. The monuments are preserved from further deterioration and become functioning structures again, often in a new role, but one that guarantees their survival. These conservation projects, as well as various field school supported by ARCE that train Egyptian conservators and archaeologists, are helping develop a new generation of Egyptians capable of preserving their heritage. Their gratitude was touchingly illustrated by our reception at one site where some recent field school graduates welcomed the ARCE group with cold cokes and a special behind-the-scenes glimpse of the slaughter house attached to the Seti I temple at Abydos. Besides serving the needs of professional Egyptologists, as described by other reviewers, ARCE serves a huge audience of amateur Egyptophiles and gives us ways of contributing to the field.

As a donor AND a volunteer ARCE allows me to feed my passion for all things Egyptian from Pharaonic through modern times. ARCE's conservation and education programs help save important world heritage and bring the results of this work for all to see and enjoy. Local chapters where I have been active for many years bring Egyptian history alive for the interested public.

My relationship with ARCE goes back to my days as a graduate student, when its annual meetings were a wonderful way for me to meet colleagues and have a chance to learn about their work. I became much more involved with this organization during my years in Egypt. In 2004, I assisted ARCE's director with an exhibition, from which I learned a great deal, and then went on to serve as project director for a series of grants focused on documentation and collections management at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Thanks to the unwavering support and vision of ARCE's leadership, this important museum now has a functioning collections management database and Egypt's first registrars' office. I have the highest regard for ARCE and the essential roles it plays -- both in terms of the preservation, documentation, and study of Egypt's monuments, and as the primary organization through which North Americans who study all periods of Egypt's history can come together.

ARCE runs the annual meeting for Egyptologists, and I go ever year. I would be lost without those meetings. ARCE facilitates my work in Egypt when I conduct research, getting my paperwork and security clearances sorted. Their library in Egypt is an incredibly useful resource. They are a center of Egyptology both in Egypt and in the United States. And their journal JARCE is excellent. They are engaged in dozens of projects, conserving, preserving, and documenting the information about Egypt's past. Thank you ARCE.

Worked for several seasons at the edifice of Amenhotep II at Karnak in the early 1990's, a gig that would not have happened without ARCE support. Still enjoy reading both the JARCE and especially the Bulletin. The annual meetings are a must for anyone interested in Egypt, ancient or modern.

I have been attached to ARCE since it welcomed me in 1985 when I was a student in Egypt studying Egyptology at the American University in Cairo. From that time on, Madam Amira, the directors, and the staff were welcoming and approachable. The library was a safe haven, and the lecture series provided intellectual stimulus as well as an opportunity to meet scholars of renown. Subsequently I have been a Fellow, a Board Member, and served on several committees of ARCE. It is an institution that fosters intellectual growth and serves as a forum for Egyptian scholars and students to meet their counterparts from the US and elsewhere. ARCE has served as a meeting point and a place of intellectual stimulus for several generations of scholars and should be recognised for its service to Egyptology (as well as Coptology, Islamic art, architecture, and history, the history of Egypt, as well as topics pertaining to the sociology, anthropology, and politics of Egypt.

Organization is very well run. The functions it has in Egypt, especially conservation, are a very important contribution to the region. ARCE has been a major contributor to preservation of the monuments.