About
Chartered in 2025, the Center for Ancient Arabian Studies (CAAS) in GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is an interdisciplinary project aiming to serve as a North American hub for ancient Arabian studies. As the only center in the United States focused specifically on ancient Arabian studies, CAAS fills a gap in the archaeological field.
The center fosters a collaborative environment that extends beyond our research to engage a wide range of scholars and projects across disciplines. In addition to field research, the center is a hub for exciting new data collection, institutional collaborations and student opportunities.
Our Mission
- Provide a platform for presenting and discussing research through public lectures and workshops.
- Offer opportunities for collaboration on interdisciplinary projects beyond the ALIA-AI.
- Facilitate access to shared resources and datasets.
- Create networking opportunities with experts from various institutions.
- Engage students and early-career researchers in the field through educational initiatives and work opportunities.
Current Work
Research Initiatives
From cataloguing artifacts left by the Nabataeans, Romans and Byzantines to walking the ancient Incense Route, the center makes crucial archaeological connections to shed light on the way that ancient peoples traded, traveled, made art and preserved their history in the Arabian Peninsula.
Course Development
CAAS has designed new courses on ancient Arabian topics to engage GW students directly with ongoing research.
Digital Humanities Projects and Expanded Digital Resources
CAAS is developing the ALIA-AI Project, a digital resource for ancient Arabian studies that will benefit researchers across the field.
Institutional Collaborations
CAAS facilitates research collaborations with international institutions such as the American Center of Research (ACOR) in Amman, Jordan; the Roman Aqaba Project; the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DOAJ); and the University of Jordan. This work advances scholarly exchange and collaborative research breakthroughs.
Planned Projects
- Workshops: Host public-facing workshops on topics such as ancient Arabian languages, epigraphy and archaeological materials and methods.
- Public Talks: Deliver public lectures to engage the wider community and promote awareness of ancient Arabian history and culture.
- Student Research Opportunities: Provide research assistantships and positions for students interested in ancient Arabian studies.