We were saddened to hear the news of the death of Andrzej Reiche, an archaeologist specializing in the Near East and curator emeritus of the collection of ancient Near Eastern art at the National Museum in Warsaw.
In over four decades of his archaeological work, he took part in excavations at most of the sites investigated by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw in the Near East. He was a passionate field archaeologist and also doubled as photographer for many expeditions. He returned from his most recent archaeological survey in Oman just a few weeks ago.
After getting his first Mediterranean archaeology experiences in Alexandria (1978/1979), he moved to excavations in Mesopotamia, in keeping with his specialty as an archaeologist and Assyriologist. At first he worked in Iraq – from the early 1980s he worked at Tell as-Saadiya, on the island of Bijan, and next at Tell Rijim, Tel Raffaan, and Nemrik. He then started work in Syria – in the late 1980s at Tell Djassa al-Gharbi and Tell Abu Hafur, and in the first half of the 1990s at Tell Rad Shaqrah. For 15 years he almost annually was part of the team of the Tell Arbid expedition, until the last excavation season in 2010; in the meanwhile he worked for one season at Tell Qaramel.
He also participated in the first Polish archaeological research on the Arabian Peninsula. He worked in Kuwait (from 2007 in the region of Al-Subiyah, then at the site of Bahra 1), in Dubai (Saruq al-Hadid), and in Oman (Qumayrah Valley).
He participated in the study and publication of the results of much of this fieldwork. He was the author of both excavation reports and studies of small finds, which he analyzed with his characteristic patience and attention to detail during many expeditions.
Although Andrzej Reiche was not a lecturer, many Polish Near Eastern archaeologists gained field experience under his wings. On ours and their behalf, we extend our condolences to his loved ones.
The funeral will be held on Friday, 20th May. The funeral Mass will begin at 12.30 pm in the church at Al. Stanów Zjednoczonych 55 (Matki Bożej Królowej Polskich Męczenników). The burial will take place at 2 pm in the cemetery in Marysin Wawerski at Korkowa st.