The London Centre for the Ancient Near East was founded in 1995 as an independent association of university and museum academics, independent scholars and others with interests in the ancient Near East. 

The London Centre organises a regular seminar series on university premises in London. These and other ancient Near Eastern events in London and surrounding areas are publicised in the London Diary for the Ancient Near East (see tab for London Diary). Events run by the London Centre are also published on the right side of this page.

The activities of the London Centre are supported by membership subscriptions. For details of membership please go to https://www.banea.org/membership. 

Statement of aims

The purpose of the London Centre for the Ancient Near East is to promote London and surrounding areas as a centre for the study of the ancient Near East: the geographical areas of Mesopotamia, the Levant, Egypt and the Sudan, the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Anatolia and the Aegean world, as well as the Indus valley and other neighbouring regions.

LCANE aims to create a centre to establish closer relations between colleagues with interests in the Ancient Near East on the staff of the various academic institutions in and around London; to act as a focus for all people with the same interests who are otherwise based in London or who are visiting; to publicise as widely as possible all activities in London relating to the Ancient Near East. In particular it seeks to produce a periodic list of public lectures, seminars and other events in London that bear on Ancient Near Eastern topics; to act as a forum in London for seminars, conferences and international meetings; to campaign to make University of London libraries more accessible for non-university scholars; and to raise generally in London public perception of the Ancient Near East.