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= Fouad Safar =

Fouad Suleiman Al-Loos Safar (1911-1978) is an Iraqi writer, archaeologist, prospector, and researcher, born in Mosul Governorate. He completed his primary studies at Maratoma School in 1928 and graduated from high school in 1931. He obtained a bachelor's degree from Safed College in Palestine, and a master's degree from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

He returned to Iraq and worked as a lecturer of ancient history at the senior faculty in Baghdad. He had a lot of contributions in the area of antiquities and its knowledge in Iraq. As he played a part in the establishment of the Department of Archeology in the College of Arts at the University of Baghdad. He was appointed general director of antiquities and undertook the excavations of the ancient city of Hatra.

He was a member of the committees of the Antiquarian Union.

He has many Arabic books, some of which he translated from English into Arabic, as well as many articles, studies and reports. He died on January 9, 1978 in a car accident, while carrying out his scientific duties in supervising the progress of work on the Hamrin Dam Basin Antiquities Rescue Project.

A solemn funeral was held for him, in which politicians, senior organizers of the Ministry of Culture and Arts, the Ministry of Information, higher professors of the Scientific University of Baghdad and representatives of professional and popular organizations participated, as well as the General Foundation for Antiquities.

Early Life and Education
He was born in the city of Mosul in 1913, and it was said inr 1911. He completed his primary studies at Martoma School in 1928 and secondary school at Mosul High School in 1931. He obtained an English Matriculation Certificate at the Palestinian Safed College. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and returned To Iraq in 1938. He worked as a lecturer for ancient history at the senior faculty in Baghdad in 1941, and at the same time he was an employee in the General Directorate of Antiquities. He contributed with his colleagues in the establishment of the Department of Archeology at the College of Arts, University of Baghdad during the academic year 1951-1952. In 1956, the Inspectorate of Archaeological Excavations assigned him. He was appointed in the year 1958 as Director General of Antiquities, supervised university theses in the field of antiquities, and was a member of many national and international archaeological committees. He also contributed to the editing of Sumer magazine, which is concerned with antiquities.

Among the archaeological cities, which Fouad Safar contributed to revealing their distinct remains, were the city of Wasit, Hassouna, Al-Aqeer, Eridu, and Al-Hatra. Numerous studies have been developed on these excavations. He is credited with revealing some of the ancient irrigation projects in Iraq, especially the Assyrian irrigation works, including the Sennacherib irrigation system.

Biography
Fouad Suleiman Al-Loss Safar, there is no agreement on the year of his birth, except that Edmond Laso checked his birth in the church records and found that he was born in October 1911. He finished his primary studies at Maratoma School in 1928 and secondary school in 1931. At Safad College in Palestine, he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and returned to Iraq in 1938. He worked as a lecturer of ancient history at the upper house of teachers in Baghdad in 1941. At the same time he was an employee of the General Directorate of Antiquities.

Contributions
He contributed with his other colleagues in the establishment of the Department of Archeology in the College of Arts at the University of Baghdad during the academic year 1951-1952. In 1956, the Inspectorate of Archaeological Excavations assigned him. In 1958, he was appointed Director General of Antiquities. He supervised theses in the field of antiquities, and was a member of many national and international archaeological committees. He also contributed to the editing of the Sumer Archaeological Journal. He was known among his colleagues: Taha Baqir, Bashir Francis, Muhammad Ali Mustafa, and others with great knowledge. The vast culture, the keen interest in the antiquities of his country, and the great desire to discover the components of Iraq's civilization and its treasures. The reports he was preparing on the results of the excavations to which he contributed were distinguished by accuracy and objectivity. He succeeded in supervising the excavation and maintenance work carried out by the Department of Antiquities throughout the forty years of his working life, due to his knowledge of some foreign languages such as English and ancient languages such as the Akkadian language and the Aramaic language. Among his most prominent efforts is the implementation of an independent Iraqi policy in the field of excavations, which began with the emergence of the modern Iraqi state in 1921. This policy is based on a national philosophy that takes into consideration that Iraqis have priority in excavations. Among the cities that Fouad Safar contributed to revealing their distinct remains were Wasit, Hassouna, Al-Aqeer, Eridu, and Hatra. Numerous studies have been developed on these excavations. He was credited with revealing ancient irrigation projects in Iraq, especially the Assyrian irrigation works, including Sennacherib's irrigation system. He published studies on archaeological investigations in the areas of major irrigation projects in Iraq and the irrigation work carried out by Sennacherib in Nineveh and Arbil. When the Directorate of Antiquities realized the importance of the city of Hatra from the historical and archaeological point of view, it decided to carry out extensive excavations in it, without leaving room for foreign missions. Only Fouad Safar found to be the right person for this mission. He was the head of the first excavation mission that undertook excavation work since the beginning of May 1952. This mission had tremendous achievements, within its nine seasons that lasted until 1971, when Fouad Safar published his latest studies in the Summer magazine. He entitled  The Writings of Hatra, which consists of 12 new texts, including text 291, that is a supplication against anyone who steals one of the building tools used in the construction of the Great Temple.

Associations
He was a member of many national and international archaeological committees, including:


 * Member of the National Committee for International Museums.
 * National Committee for the Preservation of Historic Buildings International.
 * Member of the International Committee for the Return of Stolen Antiquities.
 * Member of the National Geological Conformity Committee
 * Member of the Management Committee of the Iraqi-Italian Archaeological Institute.
 * Member of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Committee.
 * Chairman of the Technical Committee at the General Organization for Antiquities.
 * Head of the advisory board for the Hamrin Dam Basin Rescue Project.
 * Member of the editorial board of Sumer magazine and general supervisor of scientific bodies.

Participations
He took over the excavation work in the city of Hatra, and was the head of the first excavation mission that undertook the excavation work since the beginning of May 1952. This mission had tremendous achievements, within its nine seasons that lasted until the year 1971, when Fouad Safar published his latest studies in Sumer magazine entitled (The Writings of Hatra). These writings consist of (12) new texts, including text (291), which is a supplication against anyone who steals one of the building tools used in the construction of the Great Temple.

Published Work
Fouad Safar has many books, in both Arabic and English, including:

Wasit (published in Cairo in 1952)

Assyria (printed in Baghdad in 1960)

The Guide to the Citizens of Antiquities and Civilization (with Taha Baqer in 1962)

Maintenance of Archeological Buildings (with Sadiq Al-Hasani 1965)

Nimrud Ivories

He translated many books, including:

Man at the Dawn of His Life

Furnished Homes

As well as many articles, studies and reports.

Death
Fouad Safar passed away on January 9, 1978, as a result of a car accident, between the Baquba-Muqdadiya road, while he was carrying out his scientific duties in supervising the progress of work in the project to save the antiquities of the Hamrin Dam basin.

His Funeral
A funeral was held for him, on the morning of Tuesday, January 10, 1978, in which Tariq Aziz, a member of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, a member of the Revolutionary Command Council, senior officials in the Ministry of Culture and Arts and the Ministry of Information, and a group of Baghdad University professors, academic institutions and representatives participated Professional and popular organizations, along with Fouad Safar's family, and members of the General Organization for Antiquities.

Character
He was an intellectual with wide knowledge, and his personality was characterized by calmness and sobriety. He had an emotional feelings and was balanced in his scientific discussions and deliberate in his artistic decisions.

Memorial
In July 2018, Mada House recalled Fouad Safar.

Reference
Category:People from Mosul Category:University of Chicago graduates Category:Road accident victims Category:Iraq Category:Archaeologists Category:1911 births Category:1978 deaths