Just as many art aficionados have a list of museums that have to be visited at least once in a lifetime, collectors also have an aspirational list of museums they would like to have host an exhibition of collection objects and the Louvre is high on that list. In 2006 Treasury of the World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals, which was exhibited in the leading museums around the world, had a record-breaking summer in Paris at Louvre.

Sheikh Nasser, Sheikha Hussah and many friends of the DAI travelled to Paris to participate in the grand opening of the exhibition. “Jewelled” banners filled the streets; posters decorated the Metro and Treasury of the World was a hit with the French media, the public, and guests to the city.

2006 was also the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah’s year of archaeology. Visits to dig sites played an important part of both international cultural expeditions, as participants travelled to Oman and Iran. For the second year, the Japanese-Kuwaiti team worked on the joint excavation in the Raya/al-Tur area of Sinai Peninsula, under the leadership of Professor Kawatoko from the Centre for Middle East Studies in Tokyo, Japan. Finally, “Kuwait Excavations at Bahnasa/Oxyrhynchus”, the final report on the Bahnasa excavations was published. Professor Géza Fehérvári, leader of the site team and lead author of the report, presented the team’s finding during a special conference and book signing event.

In 2006, archaeology was also important to Sheikha Hussah’s schedule. In addition to spending time at the Raya/al-Tur dig site, she travelled to Xi’an, China for the 15th International Council on Monuments and Sites General Assembly and to Cairo to an Arab Archaeology Union meeting. At the Cairo meeting, she was honoured as a “pioneer in archaeological awareness.”

Exploration was part of the cultural seasons (the end of 11 and the beginning of 12), but there, looking forward was also part of the programme. In addition to the lectures, a new theatrical version of Kalila wa Dimna and a special workshop “From looking to seeing” had participants looking at things a whole different way.
The DAI’s participation in the Annual Kuwait Book Fair and the 3rd Conference for Higher Education and Scientific Research in Islamic Countries provided a plethora of new information and ideas – all worthy of exploring.

Bareed ad-Dar and Hadeeth ad-Dar, published several times in 2006, shared the news of the year. Treasury of the World at the Louvre, archaeological highlights and more: 2006 was a year of discovery for the DAI.