Czech archaeologist inducted into American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Renowned Egyptologist and archaeologist Miroslav Bárta, who has dedicated 30 years to the study and comparison of ancient civilizations from their origins to their eventual declines, has been inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Only three other Czech individuals have been inducted as honorary members into the American Academy: chemists Jaroslav Heyrovský and František Šorm, and writer and former president Václav Havel. French geologist Joachim Barrande, who long worked in Prague and Bohemia, is also a member.

This honor places Bárta among an elite group of individuals recognized for their exceptional contributions to academia, art, industry, politics, research, and science. It's a testament to the importance of Bárta's work, which includes discoveries in Abusir and the Egyptian Western Desert. His theoretical research on the development and decline of civilizations has solidified his place among the world's foremost experts.

"The announcement of the award of membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences was a complete surprise to me in the spring, I had no idea that I was being nominated by a group of members," says Bárta, as reported by iDnes.cz.

"It's a great award, I think there aren't many people from the Czech Republic there. I admit that I was very much looking forward to going to Boston for the ceremonial announcement of new members."

Other new members inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences this year include Nobel Prize-winning chemist Emmanuelle Charpentier, writer Salman Rushdie, and Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.

Bárta's membership is not only a personal achievement but also a significant honor for Charles University, where he serves as a professor.

"The fact that he was included among the most important experts in the academic sphere, art, industry, politics, research and science is a huge honor for Charles University," says Charles University rector Milena Králíčková. "Czech Egyptology and its scientists have been showing the world for a long time that they belong to the top of this field."

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780, has long been a gathering place for scholars, leaders, and experts in various fields. It was created during the Revolutionary War by luminaries like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and its membership has included notable figures such as George Washington, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein.

Bárta's induction was celebrated during a two-day event in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where new members were welcomed with discussions, ceremonies, and opportunities to connect with other accomplished individuals.