This is a comprehensive history of an organization which has established itself as an interpreter of life in the ancient Middle East. The American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) was founded in 1900. Its goals were to encourage archaeological and related research into the history, geography, languages, literatures and religions of societies of the region. In 2000 the organization celebrated 100 years of success in aiding the recovery of the history of the ancient Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean worlds, and in exposing the ancient landscapes in which some of the earliest civilizations were shaped. This volume records the story of ASOR's growth and development through the 20th century, along with histories of the three affiliated overseas research centres that it helped to create: AIAR in Israel, ACOR in Jordan and CAARI in Cyprus. The volume is thickly illustrated with photographs of the institutions, scholars and lay persons whose dedication to the organization's mission help shape its course.