The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago was founded in 1919
to as a laboratory for the study of the rise and development of ancient
civilization.
In addition to its own history, the OI provides an extensive range of on-line resources, including:
- Information about the Oriental Institute Museum, its teacher resource center and store
-
ABZU:
a guide to information related to the study and public presentation of the Ancient Near East on the web
- The on-line catalog of the OI Research Archives
- Information on OI departments, membership and volunteer opportunities
- Links to other electronic resources
- Research reports and publications (including the OI Map Series)
- Catalog of print and electronic publications
In April 2003, the OI began an important on-line project called Lost Treasures from Iraq. The project was
prompted by the OI’s concern over the looting and destruction of Iraq’s museums,
libraries and archaeological sites. The centerpiece of the project is the Iraq Museum Database, whose
primary objective ... is to help in the recovery of the missing objects, ... [and
to serve] as an educational resource for schools and the general public
. The database provides
images, descriptions and other essential information concerning hundreds of objects originally held in the
Iraq museum.
