Roberts, Frank H. H. (Frank Harold Hanna), 1897-1966 Search this
Extent:
ca 3100 Photographs (Prints: 8 boxes;
Nitrate negatives: 15 boxes, 1 MS folder;
Acetate negatives: 8 boxes;
Glass negatives: 2 boxes plus sink-mats;
Lantern slides: 4 trays)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1921-1941
Summary:
This material forms the photographic component of MS 4851, the Frank H.H. Roberts, Jr. papers. The bulk of the photographs document Pueblo and Basketmaker period sites excavated by Roberts, particularly in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and Paleo-Indian sites including Lindenmeier in Colorado and San Jon in New Mexico. In addition there are photographs of the Shiloh Mound site in Tennessee. Other sites studied by Roberts around the United States are represented to a smaller degree. There is also a small series that relates to sites outside the United States. The collection includes images of human remains.
Scope and Contents:
The Frank H.H. Roberts, Jr. photographs document the early years (1921-1941) of Roberts' career - first as a graduate student in archaeology and then as an archaeologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology. There are over 3100 images, the bulk of which relate to Pueblo and Basketmaker period sites excavated by Roberts, particularly in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico and Paleo-Indian sites including the Lindenmeier site in Colorado and San Jon in New Mexico. In addition there are photographs of the Shiloh Mound site in Tennessee. Other sites studied by Roberts around the United States are represented to a smaller degree. There is also a small series that relates to sites outside the United States.
Site images show excavations, artifacts and human remains in situ, workers and their camps, and the general area surrounding the excavations. There is a large series showing artifacts including pottery and stone and bone tools from various sites. Many of the site and artifact photographs appear in Roberts' and others' publications. Some of the published photographs are arranged as such however most are filed in site or artifact series. Also in the collection is a small number of Roberts' personal photographs and several images of the Smithsonian Institution buildings and grounds.
The collection also contains several photographic reproductions of maps used in publication, but more cartographic material can be found in MS 4851.
The collection contains images of human remains.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into the following series:
Archaeological sites, chronological
Archaeological sites, alphabetical
Artifacts
Maps
Foreign travels and sites
Miscellaneous
Publications
Lantern slides
Each photograph has a unique identifier which is a combination of the collection number, series or subseries abbreviation, and an item number. For instance, "4851SJ34" is item 34 in the subseries San Jon; 4851AF129 is item 129 in the series Artifacts.
Biographical / Historical:
Frank H. H. (Harold Hanna) Roberts (1897-1966) was an archaeologist with the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of Ethnology from 1926 until his retirement in 1964. See Judd, Neil M. "Frank H.H. Roberts, Jr, 1879-1966," American Anthropologist 68, 1966, for a comprehensive biography and bibliography.
August 11, 1897 -- Born in Centerburg, Ohio
1919 -- BA, University of Denver
1921 -- MA, University of Denver
Summer, 1921 -- Student archaeologist on expedition to Pagosa Springs, CO sponsored by the State Historical Society of Colorado and the University of Denver
1921-1924 -- Instructor, University of Denver
Summer, 1923 -- Archaeological reconnaissance to the Piedra District in SW Colorado for the State Historical and Natural History Society of Colorado
1923-1924 -- Assistant Curator of Archaeology, Colorado State Museum, Denver
1925-1926 -- Assistant in anthropology, Harvard University
Summers, 1925-1926 -- At Chaco Canyon, NM; worked with Monroe Amsden on Pueblo pottery study for the National Geographic Society's Pueblo Bonito Expedition led by Neil M. Judd
1926 -- MA, Harvard University
Summers, 1926-1927 -- At Chaco Canyon, NM in conjunction with the National Geographic Society's Pueblo Bonito Expedition; discovered and excavated Shabik'eschchee Village
1926-1944 -- Archaeologist for the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology
1927 -- PhD, Harvard University
Summer, 1928 -- Directed expedition to early Pueblo site in Piedra District, Co
Summer, 1929 -- Directed expedition to early Pueblo site at Kiathuthlanna, AZ on the Long H Ranch between St. Johns and Houck
Summer, 1930 -- Directed expedition to Village of the Great Kivas, NM
Summers, 1931-1933 -- Directed expedition to Whitewater District, AZ
Winter, 1933-1934 -- Expedition to Shiloh National Military Park at Pittsburgh Landing, TN
Summers 1934-1940 -- Directed expeditions to Lindenmeier site, CO
1937 -- US representative to the International Congress of Archaeologists in Cairo, Egypt
August 1940 and 1941 -- Directed expeditions to Bc-53 site in Chaco Canyon, NM for the University of New Mexico Field School
May, 1941 -- Reconnaissance expedition to Mons site near Peaks of Otter, VA
Summer, 1941 -- Directed expedition to San Jon site, NM
1943 -- Reconnaissance expedition to Clear Fork site near Abilene, TX
1944-1946 -- Assistant Chief, Bureau of American Ethnology
1946-1964 -- Director, Smithsonian Institution River Basin Surveys
1947-1958 -- Associate Director, Bureau of American Ethnology
1958-1964 -- Director, Bureau of American Ethnology
1964 -- Retired
February 23, 1966 -- Died
Related Materials:
Other collections and manuscripts in the NAA that include material by Roberts, document Robert's work, or pertain to subjects in this collection can be found in the Records of the Bureau of Ethnology, the BAE Numbered Manuscripts, the Records of the Department of Anthropology, and the papers of John P. Harrington, Esther S. Goldfrank, Neil M. Judd, Herbert W. Krieger, Donald J. Lehmer, Frank M. Setzler, and William Duncan Strong. The Human Studies Film Archives (HSFA) holds a number of Roberts' films.
The anthropology collections of the National Museum of Natural History hold artifacts collected by Roberts.
Provenance:
Roberts deposited his papers and photographs with the Bureau of American Ethnology archives in 1964, prior to his retirement from the BAE.
Restrictions:
Access to the Frank H. H. Roberts Jr. photographs requires an appointment.
Original negatives are in special storage and require advance notice for viewing.
Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Citation:
Photo Lot 4851, Frank H. H. Roberts Jr. photographs in MS 4851, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
