British School of Archaeology in Iraq

Scope and Content

Correspondence concerned with the appointment of a member of Council to the British School of Archaeology in Iraq from the Royal Asiatic Society. These are:

  • Letter from E.H. Keeling, Honorary Secretary, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, to the Royal Asiatic Society to state that under the regulations of the School the Royal Asiatic Society had appointed Professor Margoliouth as a Member of the Council for three years ending in June 1935. He asks for the Society to appoint a member for the forthcoming three years. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 15 May 1933.
  • Letter from E.H. Keeling, Honorary Secretary, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to ask him to substitute the name of Professor Langdon for that of Margoliouth in the previous letter. Handwritten with printed letterhead, dated 15 May 1935.
  • Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to the Honorary Secretary, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, to inform him that Professor S.H. Langdon had been nominated as the representative member of Council for the period commencing 1 July 1935. Typed, dated 17 June 1935.

Administrative / Biographical History

The British School of Archaeology in Iraq (BSAI) was founded in 1932, in memory of the renowned explorer and diplomat, Gertrude Lowthian Bell. The School's excavations at sites such as Nimrud, Abu Salabikh and Samarra gave unprecedented insights into diverse periods of Iraq's past. In 2007, the School was renamed The British Institute for the Study of Iraq (Gertrude Bell Memorial).

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.

Access Information

Open. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Acquisition Information

The material is part of the institutional records of the Society from its dealings with other organisations.

Archivist's Note

This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2019.

Conditions Governing Use

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Custodial History

These papers were sent and received by the Royal Asiatic Society in the course of its business.

Related Material

Some published material of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq is held in our Collections. More details can be found here .

Geographical Names