The abbreviations used in captions of published drawings are:
IAE -- Iran in the Ancient East, Herzfeld
AMI -- Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran, Herzfeld
Corpus -- Materiaux pour un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum. Part II, Tome II (Aleppo), Herzfeld
ID -- Iranische Denkmä, Lieferung 3/4 Niphauanda, Herzfeld
SA-I -- Ars Islamica, IX, "Damascus:Studies in Architecture, I. The Mukarnas Dome. The Madrasa," Herzfeld
SA-II -- Ars Islamica, X. Same study, II."The Cruciform Plan. Syrian Architecture, Period of Nur al-din," Herzfeld
SA-III -- Ars Islamica, XI--II. Same study, III. "The Ayyubid Madrasa. The Turba," Herzfeld
SA-IV -- Ars Islamica, XIII--IV. Same study, IV. "The Mosque," Herzfeld
TA -- Am Tor von Asien, Herzfeld
Drawings D-405 through D-485 (water-colors) are mounted on mats numbered PI.XXXIII through PI.LXI. They were apparently prepared for some publication not yet located. Other water-colors have similar notations. The large numbers, such as No.3445, apparently refer to a catalogue or inventory, not located.
- Approximately 1,562 drawings and plans that reflect Herzfeld's fine draftmanship and architectural training , with observations on topography, landscape, archaeological remains, architecture, and artifacts. Renderings are in pencil, ink, and watercolor. The published and unpublished drawings reveal Herzfeld's working methodology, in which he often employed tracings to rework his original field sketches. In addition, there are drawings by Friedrich Krefter, the architect who worked in association with Herzfeld for many years, and by drafting assistant Karl Bergner and Donald E. McCown.
- Approximately 70 maps dating from 1899 to the 1930s, including original maps prepared by Herzfeld, Karl Bergner or Friedrich Krefter, as well as various maps from German archaeologists such as Moritz Sobernheim and Max Freiherr von Oppenheim.
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly by size and then in number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders and stored in map case drawers.
Biographical / Historical:
"Ernst Emil Herzfeld (1879-1948) was an orientalist whose many talents led him to explore all phases of Near Eastern culture, from the prehistoric period to Islamic times and from linguistics and religion to art and architecture." [Margaret Cool Root, 1976: "The Herzfeld Archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 11, pp. 119-124."]
Local Numbers:
FSA A.06 05
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive."
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
The Papers primarly relate to Herzfeld's survey of the monuments, artifacts, and inscriptions of Western Asia between 1903 and 1947 and particularly to his excavations at Istakhr (Iran), Paikuli (Iraq), Pasargadae (Iran), Persepolis (Iran), Samarra (Iraq) and Kuh-e Khwaja (Iran), as well as various archaeological expeditions throughout Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Northern Syria, and Persia. Additional research material, probably collected by Moritz Sobernheim and Max Freiherr von Oppenheim but preserved by Ernst Herzfeld, was part of a broader project, that of Max van Berchem's "Matériaux pour un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum."
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Ernst Herzfeld Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Gift of Ernst Herzfeld, 1946
3609 Cyanotypes (photographic prints) (b&w, 16 cm. x 21.7 cm)
343 Copy prints (b&w)
3,890 Glass plate negatives (b&w, 13 cm. x 18 cm)
42 Lantern slides (color, 10 cm. x 15 cm)
8,541 Photographic prints (b&w, various dimensions)
Type:
Archival materials
Cyanotypes (photographic prints)
Copy prints
Glass plate negatives
Lantern slides
Photographic prints
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Turkey
Mesopotamia
Aleppo (Syria)
Bakun, Tall-e (Iran)
Baʻlabakk (Lebanon)
Bīshāpūr (Extinct city)
Bisutun Site (Iran)
Damascus (Syria)
Fīrūzābād (Iran)
Ḥimṣ (Syria)
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Luristān (Iran)
Nahāvand (Iran)
Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran)
Paikuli (Iraq)
Palmyra (Syria)
Pasargadae (Extinct city)
Persepolis (Iran)
Petra (Extinct city)
Sāmarrāʼ (Iraq)
Sīstān va Balūchistān (Iran)
Taq-e Bostan Site (Iran)
Tripoli (Lebanon)
Date:
1903-1947
1899-1947
Scope and Contents:
The prints are from three sources: (1) those from glass negatives; (2) those from cut film; and (3) those for which there are no negatives.
The Archive contains Herzfeld's glass negatives, numbered from 1 to 3850. Of most of these he had blueprints made which he had arranged in 16 binders by general categories--i.e. Prehistoric pottery, bronzes, stone; Persepolis; Sasanian monuments; Syrian monuments, Persian architecture and landscapes, etc.--irrespective of the number on the negative. These formed the nucleus for the preparation of the Photo Files. The 16 binders of blueprints have been replaced by Photo Files, Nos. 1--6. The prints in each File are arranged in the same order as the blueprints; and the number of the negative is enclosed in parentheses. Following a brief identification, is a reference to the place where the print has been published, if that is the case and such publication has been located.
In addition to the blueprint binders there were three Albums - Photo Files 25 (Sasanian buildings), 27 (Parthian and Sasanian sculptures) and 28 (Pre-Achaemenian monuments and Pasargadae)--in which Herzfeld had arranged prints in a sequence for study or publication purposes. The order in those Photo Files retains that in the Albums.
In addition to the glass negatives, there is an even larger number of cut films. On his archaeological study trips, Herzfeld was accustomed to supplement his photographs on glass plates with photographs on cut film--sometimes of the same subjects, often of other subjects. Some prints to these negative were identified on the back or could be identified from other prints; but in many instances, especially of landscapes, it has not been possible to place them, except in general categories.
Prints from the cut films have been organized, so far as feasible, in groups of related material and placed in the Photo Files of similar subject matter. The negative number appears in the Photo File. Herzfeld also collected prints from many sources for study purposes. Of those there are no negatives, So far as possible, the prints have been identified and placed in the appropriate Photo File.
The Samarra material, Photo Files 19--23, is in a special category. Files 22 and 23 were arranged in Albums labeled "Paläste und Moscheen-I and -II", respectively. The only identification was written on the backs of the prints, glued to the pages of the Albums. These notations have been transferred to the captions in the Photo Files. These two Albums apparently were arranged by Herzfeld with a view to a publication of the architecture of Samarra which was never prepared. The drawings for such a publication are in this collection.
With such a large number of prints, especially in view of the fact that some were arranged in different fashions for different purposes, it is inevitable that there should be some duplication and that related material may be found in several Photo Files. The only way a user can be sure he has not missed material concerning his particular interest is to examine the Photo File Lists where every print is recorded. Inasmuch as scholars study the same monument from different points of view, the fact that a photograph has been published in one context does not diminish its value in another context.
Note: Photo Files 35--42 consist of Oriental Institute prints of which the negatives are in Chicago. The prints may be published only with the written permission of the Oriental Institute.
- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 4: Photographic Files," which is composed of b&w glass negatives, color lantern slides, b&w photographic prints (both modern and original), b&w cyanotypes, large format b&w films, and b&w duplicate prints (both modern and original), iwas originally organized into three subseries, the glass n and covers Herzfeld's travels and surveys of the most major archaeological sites in Persia, Mesopotamia and Northern Syria, from 1923 to 1931. It also covers the field activities at Pasargadae (Spring 1928) and of the Persepolis Expedition (1931).
- The Herzfeld Papers in the Archives contains 3,890 glass negatives (FSA A.6 04.GN.0001- to FSA A.6 04.GN.5075), which includes eight sketchbooks (Skizzenbücher I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII), covers Herzfeld's travels and surveys of the most major archaeological sites in Persia from 1923 to 1924.
The Herzfeld Papers in the Archives contains 3,890 glass negatives, numbered from 1 to 5,066, without any apparent organization. Of most of these, Herzfeld had blueprints made which he had arranged in 16 binders by general categories—i.e. Prehistoric pottery, bronzes, stone; Persepolis; Sasanian monuments; Syrian monuments, Persian architecture and landscapes, etc.—irrespective of the number on the negative.
In addition to the glass negatives and blueprints, there are a series of 16 binders made of photographic prints (Photo Files, Nos. 1-16) and three albums (Photo Files, Nos. 25, 27, and 28). As well, approximately 1,069 photographic prints, which have no negatives, arranged in Photo Files 19-23, are in a special category. In File 19, prints of illustrations in Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra, vol. 1: Der Wandschmuck der Bauten von Samarra und seine Ornamentik. In File 20, prints of illustrations in Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra, vol.2: Die Keramik von Samarra von F. Sarre, supplemented by unpublished photos of ceramics. In the same file, prints of illustrations in Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra, vol.6: Die Geschichte der Stadt Samarra. In File 21, prints of illustrations in Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra, vol.3: Die Malereien von Samarra. At the end of the file, there are unpublished photographs. Files 22 and 23 were arranged in Albums labeled "Paläste und Moscheen-I and -II", respectively. These two Albums apparently were arranged by Herzfeld with a view to a publication of the architecture of the palaces, mosques and private houses of Samarra which was never prepared. The only identification, written on the backs of the prints which were glued to the Album page, had a first number in red crayon used in the captions as the negative number. In some cases, an additional number is given in blue crayon, possibly indicating a revision of the list or an alternative negative. The encircled number on the margin gives the position in the Album.
In addition to the glass negatives and the Photo Files, there is an even larger number of cut films and a package of duplicate prints which are, for the most part, unpublished. On his archaeological study trips, Herzfeld was accustomed to supplement his photographs on glass plates with photographs on cut film—sometimes of the same subjects, often of other subjects.
Arrangement:
- Glass Negatives, numbered from 1 to 5,075, originally stored in 80 wooden boxes of approximately 50 photographs each, are housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
- Prints are organized in sequential number following publication series, "Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra." They are arranged in photo file folders which are housed in document boxes, and stored on shelves.
Biographical / Historical:
"Ernst Emil Herzfeld (1879-1948) was an orientalist whose many talents led him to explore all phases of Near Eastern culture, from the prehistoric period to Islamic times and from linguistics and religion to art and architecture." [Margaret Cool Root, 1976: "The Herzfeld Archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 11, pp. 119-124."]
Local Numbers:
FSA A.06 4
General:
Titles are provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld's publications and on Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
The Papers primarly relate to Herzfeld's survey of the monuments, artifacts, and inscriptions of Western Asia between 1903 and 1947 and particularly to his excavations at Istakhr (Iran), Paikuli (Iraq), Pasargadae (Iran), Persepolis (Iran), Samarra (Iraq) and Kuh-e Khwaja (Iran), as well as various archaeological expeditions throughout Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Northern Syria, and Persia. Additional research material, probably collected by Moritz Sobernheim and Max Freiherr von Oppenheim but preserved by Ernst Herzfeld, was part of a broader project, that of Max van Berchem's "Matériaux pour un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum."
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Ernst Herzfeld Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Gift of Ernst Herzfeld, 1946
