Royal Belgian Society of Oriental Studies

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In 1921, at the initiative of the Indologist Louis DE LA VALLÉE POUSSIN (1869-1938) and with the support of Mgr. Paulin LADEUZE (1870-1940), Rector of the University of Louvain, Belgian Orientalists have created the 'Belgian Society of Oriental Studies'. The first President was Louis DE LA VALLÉE POUSSIN himself, while the former Vice President was the Egyptologist Jean CAPART (1877-1947). The aim was to offer to the Belgian Orientalists the means and the opportunity to promote their knowledge and also to meet and exchange the results of their research.

The following accomplished individuals have assumed the presidency afterwards: Bolland and the Christian East specialist Paul PEETERS, s.j. (1891-1972), Historian and Egyptologist Jacques PIRENNE (1891-1972), Islamologist Armand ABEL (1903-1973), Egyptologist Aristide THÉODORIDÈS (1911-1994), and since 1995 the Egyptologist Christian CANNUYER assisted by two Vice-Presidents: the Islamologist Daniel DE SMET and the Hittitologist René LEBRUN.

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Public Activities

In 1962, Armand Abel started to organize the 'Journées', an annual meeting that brings together members to discuss pointed themes concerning Orientalism.

The Journal Acta Orientalia Belgica publishes all the communications. The S.B.É.O. welcomes researchers specialized in various disciplines related to Orientalism: Egyptology, Assyriology, Biblical studies, Islamology, Indianology, Far-Eastern studies, Slavistic, etc.

The S.B.É.O. is also open to amateurs with deep interest and passion for the Orient, both ancient and modern. Its activities are therefore learning, multi-disciplinary and is geared toward the large cultivated public.

'Orientalists Days'

Our '2018 Orientalists Days' will take place on the Friday 16 and Saturday 17 of March 2018 in the Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS), Anvers.

Theme: La mer, les ports, les marins dans les civilisations orientales.

The complete programme of the '2018 Orientalists Days' will be communicated in February 2018.

Our '2017 Orientalists Days' took place on the Friday 24 and Saturday 25 of March 2017 in the Palais provincial, Mons.



Thème: LES COMBATS DANS LES MYTHES ET LES LITTÉRATURES DE L'ORIENT

The programme is always online.

Our '2016 Orientalists Days' took place on the Friday 20 and Saturday 21 of May 2016 in the Musée de Mariemont on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition "Gods, geniuses and devils of Egypt".

The programme is always online.

Acta Orientalia Belgica

Le volume XXX de nos ACTA ORIENTALIA BELGICA, DIEUX, GÉNIES, ANGES ET DÉMONS DANS LES CULTURES ORIENTALES & FLORILEGIUM INDIAE ORIENTALIS. Jean-Marie VERPOORTEN in honorem, est sorti de presse le 25 mars 2017 à l’occasion des 55es Journées Orientalistes. Il rassemble les communications présentées aux 54es Journées de 2016.

Le volume XXIX de nos ACTA ORIENTALIA BELGICA, Entre Orient et Occident. Circulation des hommes, porosité des héritages. Rika GYSELEN in honorem, est sorti de presse le 20 mai 2016 à l’occasion des 54es Journées Orientalistes. Il rassemble les communications présentées aux 53es Journées de 2015.

Subsidia

Le volume ACTA ORIENTALIA BELGICA - SUBSIDIA IV,

La girafe dans l'Égypte ancienne et le verbe sr. Étude de lexicographie et de symbolique animalière., C. Cannuyer

est sorti de presse (2010, 656 p.)