The British Institute for the Study of Iraq
(Gertrude Bell Memorial)

A Short History of BSAI/BISI

The British School of Archaeology in Iraq was established on 14 January 1932, as a memorial to the life and work of Gertrude Bell. It is ninety years ago in 1921 that Gertrude Bell was made the Honorary Director of Antiquities in Baghdad and she founded the Iraq Museum in 1923.

BSAI carried out excavations in Iraq before the Second World War. Activities resumed in 1948, and BSAI worked continuously from then until 1990 with a very active presence in Iraq.

After 1990, the BSAI was prevented by political circumstances from resuming its research activities in Iraq. It continued to have productive relations with Iraqi colleagues and institutions during difficult times.

Since 2004 BSAI has organised training and research trips to the UK for over thirty scholars from Iraqi museums and universities under its ongoing visiting scholars programme, which is funded by a public appeal.

In recent years BISI has been widening its traditional remit from the study of ancient and pre-modern Iraq (a necessary limitation before the recent war) to include humanities and social sciences research on modern and contemporary Iraq, without abandoning its core identity. It is now funding research project in Iraq. The BISI newsletters provide details of the Institute's current activities.

At its AGM in December 2007 members of the BSAI voted to change the School's name to the British Institute for the Study of Iraq (Gertrude Bell Memorial).

A more detailed history of the School/Instititute will be developed. It has a rich and variable history. The Council of the Institute plans to return to Iraq in the future.