About Hussein Bassir in Arabic.

Interests, expertise, and responsibilities

Predynastic and Archaic Egypt; art and archaeology of the Old and Middle Kingdoms; literature, religion, and cultural history of the Middle and the New Kingdoms, Third Intermediate, and Late Periods; the Twenty-first Dynasty; the Libyan Period; the Saite Period; the funerary architecture and beliefs and mummification of Greco-Roman Egypt; Nubia; the Egyptian Oases; the Delta; Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis; Heliopolis; Sinai; museology; and saving Egyptian heritage.

Trained in ancient Egyptian art, archaeology, literature, religion, scripts (Hieroglyphic,
Hieratic, Demotic, and Coptic), grammar and philology (Old Egyptian, Middle
Egyptian, Late Egyptian, Demotic, and Coptic); the archaeology and art of the ancient
Near East (Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia), and ancient Near East’s artistic interactions with
Asia Minor, the Greek World, and Anatolia, the history of Syria-Palestine and
Mesopotamia; Greco-Roman Egypt’s history, art, and archaeology; Islamic Egypt’s
history, art, archaeology; the arts of the Renaissance in Europe, the modern theories of
art history, and the new methods of museology display.

Writing articles and book reviews on the history of ancient Egypt, Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian, Late Egyptian, ancient Egyptian literature, ancient Egyptian art, Greek art and archaeology, the history of Mesopotamia, and the archaeology of Mesopotamia and ancient Syria.

Teaching classic Arabic, Lebanese and Egyptian Arabic dialects; and reviewing Arabic translations of English documentations.

Edited Arabic and English books and articles on ancient Egypt; being consulting on projects relating to ancient Egyptian and Arabic languages; and writing articles on ancient Egypt in Arabic and English.

Wrote and published extensively on literature (mainly on modern Arabic literature); cinematic history and criticism (mainly on Egyptian cinema), the cultural thought (mainly on ancient Egyptian and Islamic thoughts), the civilized character of Egypt in newspapers, magazines, specialized periodicals, and books related to the festivals and celebrations relevant to his expertise and interests, in Egypt, the Arab World, and Europe; translating archaeological, historical articles and books on Egypt and the ancient Near East from English into Arabic, and archaeological articles from Arabic into English; and literary novels as well.

Before traveling to the USA, I was working as an Egyptologist and archaeologist at the Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). I participated, directed, supervised, and organized archaeological and museological congresses at home and abroad, projects of saving and restoration of Egyptian antiquities, archaeological excavations, media, written and photographed guides for the public, and scientific publications of the SCA, opened new museums and archeological sites for the public; guided the Egyptian, Arab, and foreign visitors and academic scholars of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and of the Egyptian antiquities at Giza, Saqqara, Dahshur, Al-Lisht, Bahariya, and Heliopolis; and lectured on the monuments of Egypt for the public, the media, and press; and commented on current issues of the Egyptian antiquities, history, and archaeology; gave talks and wrote to the foreign, Arabic and Egyptian media and press on the monuments of Egypt. Talked and lectured on the Egyptian monuments to the youth at the Democratic Gathering Party and the National Democratic Party in Cairo. Participated in the program of the museology education at the Supreme council of Antiquities at the Cairo Museum and other places for adults and children. Appeared and having been interviewed on programmes on the monuments of Egypt for the National Geographic Channel and Magazine, Fox, BBC, Discovery, and History. Spoke on antiquities, literature, and cinema for Egyptian and Arabic radios and televisions.

Academic qualifications

1990-1994 Department of Egyptology, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University: B.A.
Egyptology (with Coptic art, grammar, and script); Near Eastern Studies;
Greco-Roman Egypt’s history, art, and archaeology; the arts of the
Renaissance; and Islamic history, art, and archaeology.

1996-98 Department of Egyptology, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University: Diploma Prehistory of Egypt, the ancient Near Eastern, and the ancient world.

2001 Academic visitor, the Oriental Institute, the University of Oxford.
2002 Graduate student, Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Johns Hopkins University.
2004 M.A. in Near East Studies, Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Johns Hopkins University.
2004–date Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Johns Hopkins University.
Grants, fellowships, and awards
1993 The Cairo University in Literary Criticism Award.
The Cairo University in Short Story Award.
The Cairo University in Philosophical Studies Award.
1994 The Cairo University in Religious Studies Award.
2000 The Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists Cairo Award.
The Field School of Combined Prehistoric Expedition in Nabta Playa Award.
2001 Sir Alan H. Gardiner’s Travel Scholarship, the Griffith Institute, the University of Oxford.
2002 Fellowship, Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Johns Hopkins University.
The Kuwaiti Princess, Dr. Souad Al-Sabbah, for the Arabic Novel Award.
2004 The Student Technology Services of Excellent in work Award, the Johns Hopkins University.
2005 The Student Technology Services of Excellent in work Award, the Johns Hopkins University.

Positions

1996-1997 Assistant of the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Cairo.

1997 Inspector of Antiquities of Matariya and Ain Shams (ancient Heliopolis).

1997-1999 Inspector of Antiquities of Giza Pyramids and assistant of its Director General.

1997-2002 Consultant of the Tourism and Antiquities’ Committee, the National Democratic Party, Cairo.


1999-2000 Inspector of Antiquities of Matariya and Ain Shams (ancient Heliopolis).

2000-2001 Inspector of Antiquities of Giza Pyramids and assistant of its Undersecretary of State.

2001-date Director of the Scientific Administration, the Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and assistant of its Secretary General.

2003-date Lab consultant, the Krieger Academic Computing Lab, the Johns Hopkins University.

2004-date Arabic TA, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

2005-date The Acquisitions and Monographs Department, the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, the Johns Hopkins University.

Museology activities

1994-date Member of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Friends’ Association

1996 Organized an Egyptian Exhibition in Dakar in the International Congress of Tenth Memorial Celebration of the Senegalese Egyptologist Prof. Sheikh Anta Diop.

Organized the First Congress of the Arabic Organization of Museums (the Arabic ICOM), Cairo.

Participated in the primary stages of the Nubia Museum, Aswan.

Participated in the primary stages of the Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza.

2002 Prepared and participated in the Centennial of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

Assisted at the Celebration of the Alexandria Great Library and the Archaeology Museum, Alexandria.

The Egyptian Antiquities’ Exhibit, Zagazig (Sharaqiya Governorate, Egypt).


Membership

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo Friends’ Association.
The American Research Center in Egypt.
The International Association of Egyptologists.
International congresses

1996 The International Congress of Tenth Memorial Celebration of the Senegalese Egyptologist Prof. Sheikh Anta Diop, Dakar.

The First Congress of the Arabic Organization of Museums (the Arabic ICOM), Cairo.

The Sixth Congress of the Demotic Studies, Cairo.

2000 The Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists, Cairo.

2002 The Salvation of the Monuments of Al-Qudus’ Congress (Jerusalem), the Arab League, Cairo.

Field schools

2000 Field School of Combined Prehistoric Expedition in Nabta Playa under the Supervision of Prof. Fred Wendrof, (the Southern Methodist University Department of Anthropology), in the Egyptian Western desert.

Excavations activities

1997 Field director of excavations at the Arab Al-Hisen Cemetery (New Kingdom), Heliopolis.

Field director of excavations at the Eastern Cemetery (26th Dynasty), Heliopolis.

1997-98 Field director of the excavations at the Teti Cemetery (Old Kingdom), Saqqara.

1999 Field director of excavations at the P3-NHsy Cemetery (26th Dynasty), Heliopolis.

2000 Excavations at the Nabta Playa (Neolithic Period), the Egyptian Western desert.

2001 Field director of the excavations at the Eastern Cemetery (26th Dynasty), Heliopolis.

2001 Field director of the excavations at Bahariya Oasis, Valley of the Golden Mummies (Greco-Roman Period).


2002 Field director of the excavations at Bahariya Oasis, the Sheikh Sobi Cemetery, (26th Dynasty).

Field director of excavations at the Eastern Cemetery (26th Dynasty), Heliopolis.

Salvation and restoration of Egyptian antiquities

1996 The Salvation of the Serapeum Project, Saqqara.

The Salvation of the Temple of Hibis Project, the Kharaga Oasis.

1996-98 The Project of Sphinx Restoration, Giza.

1997-2002 The Salvation of P3-NHsy Tomb Project, Heliopolis.

Documenting Egyptian antiquities

1996-97 The Documentation of the Ancient Egyptian Monuments in Islamic Cairo Project.

Field projects in Egyptian Antiquities

1996 Prepared and opened of the Northern Pyramid of Sneferu for the public visit.
Participated in the project of developing of Saqqara antiquities’ area.

Teaching experience at Johns Hopkins University

2006 Arabic teacher, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.
Intermediate Arabic, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

2004-date Arabic TA of the Arabic courses, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

2005 Arabic teacher, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

2005 Beginning Arabic, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

Intermediate Arabic, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

Advanced Arabic, Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

2006 Co-teacher, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

Beginning Arabic I, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.

Beginning Arabic II, the Language Teaching Center, the Johns Hopkins University.


Publications

Novels:

1998 The Search for Khnum (in Arabic). The General Organization for Culture Palaces, Ministry of Culture: Cairo.

2005 Old Red (Hippo). (in Arabic). The General Egyptian Organization for Book, Ministry of Culture: Cairo.

In preparation:

The Gate of Oxford. (in Arabic).
Books and monographs:

Unpublished:

Renenutet: The Goddess of Harvest in Ancient Egypt. (In Arabic).

In preparation:

The Royal Inscriptions of Ahomse II.
The Monuments of Ahmose II.
The Administration in the Reign of Ahmose II.


Personal Information:
Ph.D. Candidate
The Johns Hopkins University
Department of Near Eastern Studies
128 Gilman Hall
3400 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218
Work: 410.516.7499
Fax: 410.516.5218
Home: 410.366.7418
Email: ahassan3@jhu.edu
Home address: 3120 Saint Paul Street, Apt. # 216 G, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA