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The Rencontre and Leiden - 1952-2023
The Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale and the city of Leiden share a long history: the city is looking forward to hosting the RAI for the eighth time now! The very first time was in 1952.
The Third Rencontre
After two editions in Paris, the third edition of the Rencontre was organised in Leiden, in honor of the 70th birthday of Prof.dr. F.M.Th de Liagre Böhl, the director of the NINO and professor in Assyriology.
The theme of the 3rd RAI was 'Tammouz dans les civilisations mésopotamiennes'. The conference was attended by 120 participants, compared to 60 in 1950 - reflecting the growth of the discipline at that time.
![The Rencontre Photo of 1952](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/rencontre-assyriologique-internationale/rai68_rai3.jpg/rai68_rai3.jpg/d390xvar)
Compte rendu
The proceedings of the conference were published in a NINO-publication: Compte rendu de la troisième rencontre assyriologique internationale. Organisée à Leiden du 28 juin au 4 juillet 1952 par le Nederlandsch Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten. Leiden, NINO: 1954. The volume can be downloaded from the NINO-website here.
![The front page of the proceedings of the third RAI](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/rencontre-assyriologique-internationale/rai68_rai3pub.png/rai68_rai3pub.png/d390xvar)
From RAI3 to RAI68
At the 3rd RAI, the tradition was instated to bring the Rencontre to Leiden every 10 years. And so it happened: in 1962, 1972, 1983, 1993, 2002, 2012 and now also in 2023, the RAI was hosted here.
More information:
- C. van Zoest and S. Berntsen, '75 jaar NINO: Geschiedenis van het Instituut in hoofdlijnen'. In Waar de geschiedenis begon Nederlandse onderzoekers in de ban van spijkerschrift, hiërogliefen en aardewerk. Uitgave naar aanleiding van het 75-jarig bestaan van het Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten, 1939-2014, edited by O.E. Kaper and J.G. Dercksen, 3-30. Leiden, NINO: 2014.
- Compte rendu de la troisième rencontre assyriologique internationale. Organisée à Leiden du 28 juin au 4 juillet 1952 par le Nederlandsch Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten. Leiden, NINO: 1954.