The American Research Center in Egypt’s (ARCE) Conservation Archive

By Natalya Stanke, Tessa Litecky, and Elisabeth Koch

Hazine recognizes that most archives and libraries are closed right now and emphasize prioritizing during these times the health and safety of all those who work at archives and libraries as well as the health and safety of those who use archives and libraries. We are publishing archive reviews in the hopes that eventually these repositories will be accessible again.

The ARCE Grand Salon, Photo Credit: ARCE 3D Model

Just a block south of Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo lies the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE). Since 1948, ARCE has served as a powerful force for conservation, education, and historical research within Egypt. The archive and library collections cover 7,000 years of Egyptian history, including prehistoric Pharaonic, Coptic, Islamic, and more contemporary materials. ARCE’s conservation efforts are housed within the ARCE Conservation Archive, which serves as a resource for researchers interested in the dynamics of preserving Egyptian cultural heritage.

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Islamic Art as Inspiration: an Interview with Stephen Serpell, Creator of the Islamic Painted Page

The last ten years alone have seen a boom in digital resources for Islamicists and historians of the Middle East. Be it bibliographical tools, like Jara’id, or online photo archives, like Akkasah, the future will only continue to see the expansion of our toolkits, inspiring new research questions in the process. One such tool is the Islamic Painted Page (IPP). In honor of the site’s relaunch this month, we have an interview with its creator, Stephen Serpell.

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