Sharing the Spoils: The Historical use of Loans and Gifts as Collecting Methodologies for Building Biblical Archaeology Teaching Collections

Julian Hirsch

doi:10.5334/bha-662

Abstract

Sharing the Spoils: The Historical use of Loans and Gifts as Collecting Methodologies for Building Biblical Archaeology Teaching Collections

Highlights

HirschBulletin of the HistoryIn the past 100 years, artifacts from the southern Levant have flowed into collections, both institutional and personal, throughout North America
Among the factors that make the history of archaeology in Palestine and Transjordan unique is the large number of excavations that have been undertaken by American seminaries leading to the formation of small Biblical Archaeology collections and museums strewn throughout the United States
The archival documentation left behind from contributions by Nelson Glueck, the Haverford College Museum of Biblical Archaeology, and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago to the Oberlin Near East Study Collection (ONESC) suggest that loans and gifts were common collection building strategies employed by American Biblical Archaeologists during the first half of the 20th century

Summary

INTRODUCTION

In the past 100 years, artifacts from the southern Levant have flowed into collections, both institutional and personal, throughout North America. The archival documentation left behind from contributions by Nelson Glueck, the Haverford College Museum of Biblical Archaeology, and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago to the ONESC suggest that loans and gifts were common collection building strategies employed by American Biblical Archaeologists during the first half of the 20th century. After May paid for shipping, artifact packing, and the three replica Casts, Flight sent 50 objects accompanied by an object inventory, and a loan contract for May to sign and return He offered Herbert May additional artifacts writing, ‘should you wish any other artifacts which may be of use to you – or fragments of various types and periods, we may be able to supply you from our quantities of materials here.’ According to the original agreement between Haverford College and the Oberlin, the objects were on loan for five years, with an option to renew the loan. Though Flight might not have known Herbert May personally, as an ASOR member, and someone with archaeological experience in Palestine, May was afforded a certain level of trust regarding his ability to properly care for and use archaeological artifacts

A CUNEIFORM TABLET FROM THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE

DISCUSSION

52 William Foxwell Albright From the Stone Age to Christianity