Israel Antiquities Authority Scientific Archive – Closing Announcement (03/11/2020)

The Scientific Archive of the Israel Antiquities Authority is moving to a new location at the National Campus for the archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.
Therefor the archive will close its doors to the public on November 20, 2022.
Announcement about reopening will be published on the Israel Antiquities Authorities site and social media.
Emails: iaa.archive.r@israntique.org.il , Visual Archive VisualArchive@israntique.org.il
.

• Visiting the Archives by appointment only, written application is required in advance to iaa.archive.r@israntique.org.il)
• Application for Archive  iaa.archive.r@israntique.org.il
• Visual Archive VisualArchive@israntique.org.il
• Note: The Archive of Maps and Plans is currently not open to the public.

British Mandate Archive: Includes the area west of the Jordan River, within the bounds of Mandate-ruled Eretz-Israel, as well as sites in Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Sinai, Iraq, Cyprus and Iran. The archive also contains material from the years under the Jordanian rule (1948–1967). 

Operations conducted by the British Mandate Department of Antiquities includes two types of files:

(1) Record Files – arranged in alphabetical order, according to the English names of sites

(2) ATQ files – Administrative files, kept in a separate repository room.

British Mandate Archive website

Archive of the Israel Antiquities Authority: Since 1984, this archive covers the area of the State of Israel within the Green Line. The archive includes material from Judea and Samaria, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights, beginning from 1967, and material from Sinai from the years 1967–1982.

Inspections and Occasional Finds: Material submitted to the Archive in various ways is kept in the inspection files, divided into scientific record files and administrative files, arranged in alphabetical order according to the site names.

Excavations with licenses (according to Clause 12 of the Antiquities Law – 1978): arranged by years and license numbers.

Excavations with permits: arranged according to permit number.

Maps: from the Survey of Israel (main map source) and British Mandate maps.

Antiquities sites and excavations plans: includes, inter alia, original excavation plans of published excavations.

Declarations of Antiquities Sites: includes sites that were published in the official government gazetteer of the State of Israel. The material of the gazetteer and the inspection files are kept in a special closet.

Conservation and Restoration Activities: survey and documentation files, work plans, and project files appendices to site plans.

Computerized Data Bases: antiquities sites (in cooperation with the IAA Surveys Branch) include declarations of sites and conservation files.

Survey Archive:

All survey maps and plans, located in the offices of the Excavations and Surveys Department at Har Hozvim, Jerusalem.
In charge: Dr. Ofer Sion, tel. 02-5892289

Photo Archive:

All negatives, slides and prints, including those made-up under the British Mandate. The photo archive is part of the Artifacts Treatment Department, located at Har Hozvim, Jerusalem.
VisualArchive@israntique.org.il tel. 02-5892221

Surveying plans are kept in the Surveyors’ Archive at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
In charge: Ms. Natalia Zak, tel. 02-5638421, ext. 110

Archaeological Staff Officer Archive:

Judea, Samaria and Gaza Strip scientific archive includes object cards and site documentation; it is located in the offices of the Archaeological Staff Officer.

jsarch@israntique.org.il

Archival Material in Regional and District IAA Offices:

A copy of every scientific document is generally transferred to the appropriate file in the Archive Branch located in the Rockefeller Museum building.

Archival Material for Uncompleted Conservation and Restoration Works:

Located at the Conservation Department Offices in the Rockefeller Museum building

Various IAA Units Archival Material of a Scientific Nature.

Located in the individual unit’s office.

The material is available for study at the IAA Archive, during regular working hours. Visits must be prearranged by phone.   

 Archival material in administrative inspection files consists of official government documents, and is thus, classified. The material is closed to the public for a period of 30 years, after which it will be opened in accord with Regulation no. 7 of the Archives Regulations (study of archival material in the government repository) – 1966; revision 1984; revision 1994. The material is available to IAA employees for purposes of inspection and site declarations.

Archival material in excavation files remains closed for 10 years after conclusion of the excavation (according to Clause 12B of the Antiquities Law 1978)

The Freedom of Information Act does not contradict or cancel the excavator’s rights under the Law of Antiquities and the Law of Copyrights.

1.  Before final scientific publication, no access to excavation files is permitted for ten years, beginning after the end of the final excavation season, without written permission from the license or permit holder and the institute on whose behalf the excavation was conducted. Study or publication is subject to the conditions below (written permission from excavator and institution), for excavations that received either a permit or a license.
2.  Excavation files will be opened for study and information after publication of a final report, or ten years after conclusion of the final excavation season.
3.  For any information from an excavation file, a signed agreement form is required. The undersigned declares that he/she is aware that use of material from the excavation file is subject to copyright laws and agrees to act in accordance with these laws.
   
   •  Study or publication of conservation archival material requires written permission from the Antiquities Authority Conservation of Monuments Department.
   •  Anyone wishing to study and publish archival material (not closed or classified, according to the Law of Antiquities and the Law of Archives), must submit a written request to the archive, listing the following: applicant’s name, any sites, finds, excavation files, inspection files, conservation files, maps, plans, etc. the applicant wishes to review. In addition, the applicant will list the reason for his application, and the name of the scientific institute or other body to which the applicant belongs. IAA employees will complete an application form for IAA personnel only.
   •  Applicants whose request to study or publish archival material is approved, will first sign an agreement form.
   •  The head of the Archive Branch may postpone access to the archival material in the following situations:
     
     1.    The material is being studied by another person;
     2.     The material has not yet been put in order and registered;
     3.     The material is needed at the same time for archival work
                  or by depositor of the material;
     4.     Access is denied for technical reasons.