WELCOME FROM THE ASOR PRESIDENT

Welcome to the website of ASOR: our mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the cultures and history of the Near East from the earliest times.

As an organization, we at ASOR go about fulfilling this mission in a number of ways. We publish journals, monographs, and e-newsletters, all dedicated to disseminating news of discoveries about, and cutting-edge analyses of, the Near East, to both scholarly and public audiences. We sponsor an Annual Meeting, where the same sorts of new discoveries and cutting-edge analyses are presented. We offer researchers our financial support, including support for archaeologists of the Near East engaged in field research and collection research and support for students who want to travel to the Near East to participate in an archaeological dig. We work with the US Department of State and other philanthropic organizations to preserve cultural heritage sites. And we’re even on television – via the ASORtv channel on YouTube.

Our members contribute to our mission through their participation in our organizational initiatives – for example, by publishing in our journals, monographs, and e-newsletters and by presenting at our Annual Meeting – and also by sharing their knowledge through teaching and lecturing, both in academic settings and other venues. Others participate in our mission by subscribing to our publications, by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, by joining our Friends of ASOR program, by working as a volunteer at an ASOR-affiliated dig or survey, or by offering us the financial support on which we depend to make all of our programs possible.

In short, we at ASOR are dedicated to finding a means for anyone interested in the cultures and history of the Near East and wider Mediterranean to discover and do more.  If you are already an ASOR member, we hope this website helps you expand your engagement with ASOR by leading you to organizational resources of which you may not have previously taken advantage. If you’re not a member, we hope this website helps you find ways to join in our efforts.

To one and all, then, welcome to ASOR and to our ongoing work of furthering our understanding of the Near Eastern and Mediterranean world!

Sharon Herbert
President

WELCOME FROM THE ASOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Just as it has done for the past 120 years, ASOR welcomes you and seeks to facilitate your study of and interest in the Near East and Mediterranean regions. Our charter states that we strive to enable persons to pursue “biblical, linguistic, archaeological, historical, and other kindred studies and researches.” The same is true today, and I invite you to not only explore the ASOR website, but to see how you can be a part of our mission and interdisciplinary work.

For new members, I encourage you to consider a membership and reap benefits that include our three journals (BASOR, NEA, and JCS). If you are a scholar, a Regular Membership will give you print delivery of two of our three journals or online access to all three. If you are a student or Early Career Scholar, our discounted memberships will give you online access to all of our journals. If you are a non-specialist or professional in another field who is interested in the history and archaeology of the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean regions, our Public Memberships are designed for you.

No matter which membership category you choose, all members qualify for a special, discounted rate at ASOR’s Annual Meeting. Approximately 1,100 scholars, students, and archaeology and history enthusiasts will come together for the intensive days of academic lectures, poster presentations, business meetings, evening receptions, and general conversation. This is a central event for our members as often as they are able to attend.

Finally, let me invite you to participate in our fellowship programs. If you are a student or early career scholar, ASOR wants to facilitate your study of the eastern Mediterranean regions through our Dana, Dever, MacAllister, Meyers, Meyers/Wright, Platt, Sheeler, Steinmetz, Strange/Midkiff, and Member-Supported Fellowships for summer field work. If you are a dig director, please consider our Gold, Harris, or Seger Excavation Grants. We also offer travel support to the Annual Meeting. I invite everyone to consider providing important financial support for these important fellowships (donate online). Please contact me directly for more information.

Again, welcome, and I look forward to working with you.

Andrew G. Vaughn, Ph.D., has been ASOR’s Executive Director since January, 2007.