The Directorate of Excavation and archaeological studies was Established at the founding of the Directorate General in 1954 as one of the main sections within the organizational structure of  the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums and it has the following tasks:

1. Prepare Excavation, investigation, and archaeological survey projects 
   conducted by the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums and overseeing its implementation.
2. Study the requests from the associations and the national and foreign scientific institutions to give permissions for excavating and   investigating   and archaeological survey in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic and in the territorial waters and supervise their work    according to regulations and licensing requirements.
3. Proposing excavation works in Arab foreign countries. 
   Reporting on the work of all national and foreign exploration and follow the completion of
   the final studies on the results in a timely manner.
4. Organizing the files for all archaeological excavations in the Syrian Arab Republic
   Territory and all scientific documents and official reports and engineering designs and graphics
   artist , topographical and geographical related.
5. Preparation of the entire archive of the archaeological Discoveries

The Directorate of Excavation and archaeological studies represented in the archaeological Council by
its Director  ,Who Consider a member of the Council.

The Directorate of Excavation and archaeological composed of :

1. The Department of the pre-historic eras.
   
2. The Department of the ancient Syrian eras. 
3. The Department of classical eras.
   
4. The Department of  the Arab-Islamic eras.

A historical overview :

The Directorate of Excavation and archaeological Studies  was Known in that name since 1969 and was known by the name of "Department of excavations and art studies"  created in 1954 under the management of "Dr. Adnan Albounni"  since that time and until 1999 With the late "Mr. Nassib Saliby" associate director for Excavation  until 1996,the two Wer the founding of the Antiquities world in Syria.
since 2000 and until now the Directorate was under the management of "Dr. Michel Al-Maqdissi" assisted by the Assistants : "Ahmed Trakji" and "Haitham Hassan".
Excavation Divisions has been established in each Province in Syria and this division Supervised Directly by The Directorate of Excavation and archaeological Studies and  carrying out excavation work partially located within its Province .