AERA 2009 Annual Report from Giza

AERA’s 2008–2009 fiscal year saw our 18th season of archaeology at Giza.

AERA, Inc., has grown into a viable research organization, with twelve full-time staff members, offices in Boston, and, now, AERA’s own Giza Archaeological Center and Field School. It was a year of doing what AERA does best—executing one of the largest archaeological missions in Egypt and teaching state-of-the-art archaeology in a field school that sets the standard for members of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).

AERA’s major discovery of the year: an entire new architectural layout east of the Khentkawes Town, what may indeed be the valley complex of this enigmatic queen who ruled as king.

AERA’s major leap forward this year: securing our own property, one block from the entrance to the Giza Plateau, at the bottom of the road leading to the very foot of the Great Pyramid. Here we will build our own facilities for the AERA Archaeological Center and Field School. Already in the month and a half at the end of our busy field season, we refurbished the old villa with a view to the pyramids. In the long term, this will prove the most important of AERA’s achievements during our year 2008–2009.

Let me list all of AERA’s achievements during the past year, which were possible thanks to your interest and generous support, combined with a skilled team of archaeologists who take on AERA’s mission with dedication, skill, and passion.