First Person: Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is ASOR

ASOR, pronounced with a long A, is the acronym by which the venerable professional association of Near Eastern archaeologists is known. Its full, somewhat ponderous, name is the American Schools of Oriental Research. ASOR recently celebrated its one hundredth anniversary. It has loosely affiliated schools in Jerusalem, Amman and Cyprus, which are now almost completely independent of the mother organization. These centers account for the plural “Schools” in its name.

ASOR’s professional journal, appropriately enough, is known as BASOR—the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research.

As a member in good standing, I would like to suggest that the acronym and name of the organization be changed to HASOR—the Hypocrite American Schools of Oriental Research.