The American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) is dedicated to promoting research and publication in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, art history, earth sciences, history, languages, religious studies, sociology, and other aspects of Near Eastern studies. Since it was founded in 1968, ACOR has served as a liaison between Jordanian institutions, both academic and governmental, and international scholars working in the Near East. ACOR provides advice, coordination, research facilities, and living and meeting space for scholars in an environment that is academically exciting and personally congenial.

An important component in all of ACOR’s programs and projects is the promotion of academic and cultural exchange between the United States and Jordan. ACOR has four main program areas, including: a competitive fellowship program that offers over twenty awards annually to undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral scholars working in a wide variety of fields; a publication series that includes important works on the archaeology and history of Jordan; assistance to archaeological and anthropological projects; and its own archaeological projects, including “the Petra Church, the Petra North Ridge projects, and the Temple of the Winged Lions in Petra as well as publication of the excavations in the “archaeological park in Madaba.

The heart of ACOR is its library, now considered to be one of the premier research libraries in the region. The collection contains over 40,000 volumes and periodicals; areas of focus include archaeology, anthropology, Arabic language and culture, art and architecture, conservation, history (Jordan and the Near East), and Near Eastern studies. In addition, ACOR has a collection of 1,500 maps on Jordan’s topography and geology, along with many excellent regional maps. The library also holds an impressive collection of over 10,000 slides on many archaeological projects and sites in Jordan.