Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw


The Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw operates as an independent research institute of the University of Warsaw under the present name since 1990. It is dedicated to organizing, implementing and coordinating archaeological research, both excavations and study projects, as well as conservation, reconstruction and restoration projects, in northeastern Africa, the Near East and Cyprus. Projects include sites covering a broad chronological spectrum from the dawn of civilization through all the historic periods of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations to Late Antiquity and early Islam. Tasks beside fieldwork include comprehensive documentation of finds, archives management and publication of the results in keeping with international research standards. The PCMA manages the Research Centre in Cairo and Polish Archaeological Unit in Khartoum.

History

The PCMA draws on the pioneering archaeological work of Polish archaeologist and egyptologist Prof. Kazimierz Michałowski. It is the direct continuator, since 1990, of the Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw in Cairo, which Michałowski established in 1959. It was the first Polish institution dedicated to archaeological research in the Nile Valley.

Research projects and teams

The PCMA currently runs about 30 archaeological projects and teams. Detailed information on the scope of the projects are presented on the Centre’s home page, including an online scientific Newsletter.

Egypt

The PCMA publishes the results of its excavation and restoration projects in two journals and a series of monographs.

Journals

The PCMA UW is a joint organizer of the annual “Poles on the Nile” and "Poles on the Near East" conferences, presenting the results of excavations carried out by Polish teams. In 2006 the Polish Centre coorganized the 11th International Conference of Nubian Studies and in 2012 the 8th International Congress of the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, the most important and well attended archaeological conferences in their respective fields.