GUIDE TO THE PAPERS OF JAMES HENRY BREASTED 1865-1935
I. DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title: Breasted, James Henry. Papers.
Dates: 1865-1935
Size: 54.99 linear feet
Extent: 9 boxes for 5" x 8" catalog cards, 4 large flat boxes, 3 boxes for 5" x 7" negatives, 13 open photo boxes, 41-1/2 hollinger boxes, 31 banker's boxes
Repository: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago 1155 East 58th Street Chicago, IL 60637
Abstract:
II. INFORMATION ON USE
Access: No restrictions.
Use: No restrictions.
Citation: When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Breasted, James Henry. Papers. [Box #, Folder #], Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
III. HISTORY
IV. BIOGRAPHY DR. JAMES H. BREASTED (27 Aug 1865 - 02 Dec 1935) James Henry Breasted (1865-1935), founder of the Oriental Institute, is a foundational figure in Oriental studies whose work as a scholar, educator, and administrator helped to establish Egyptology and related fields as recognized disciplines. Breasted hailed from a small Midwestern community and began his studies in pharmacology. However, his interest in ancient religion and Semitic languages brought him to Yale in 1890, where he studied under William Rainey Harper, future first president of the University of Chicago. Harper, hoping to establish a formidable Near Eastern studies department, promised Breasted a teaching position in Egyptology if he would study it in Germany, as no such
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 1 of 10 program yet existed in the United States. In Berlin, Breasted studied under Egyptologist Adolph Erman, who instilled a meticulously scientific approach towards ancient languages; Breasted came to view ancient texts and philology as the key to understanding Egyptian civilization, and his future research methods would emphasize precision in copying source texts. Shortly after completing his thesis on the hymn of Akhenaten to the sun, Breasted married and spent his honeymoon in the Upper Nile. It was here that his dedication to epigraphy was born, observing decaying monuments exposed through excavation before having been sufficiently documented . Breasted even turned down an excavation opportunity with archaeologist Flinders Petrie, instead devoting his efforts over the next several decades to copying and studying such artifacts. After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Berlin in 1894, Breasted returned to Chicago and soon became the first ever chair of Egyptology in the country. He structured his department so as to steer the University’s Semitic languages and philology scholarship towards ancient history. This era is considered his “research period,” during which he published considerably more than he would be able to while establishing the Oriental Institute. At this time, he collated many Egyptian texts for the Prussian Academy of Science and worked on its Egyptian Dictionary Project. He also copied and arranged hieroglyphic inscriptions for the Academies of Berlin, Leipzig, Munich, and Gottingen, a task for which he accumulated nearly 10,000 manuscript pages. Invited to gives a lecture series at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Breasted began his lifelong inquiry into the role of Egypt in the evolution of Western moral traditions. His 1933 The Dawn of Conscience would be the first written account of the development of religion and thought in ancient Egypt. From 1905-1907, Breasted received a grant from John D. Rockefeller to survey inscribed monuments, leading a small expedition through Lower Nubia and the Sudan. Here he devised the “Chicago Method,” a rapid collation system in which observations are set in ink directly upon photographs in order to create a more accurate epigraphic image. His field work was terminated when the University’s endowment for the project was cut in 1907. Throughout the 1910s, Breasted funded his studies and popularized his name authoring textbooks on ancient civilization (notably coining the term “Fertile Crescent”). His 1916 high-school textbook Ancient Times presented a new type of historical writing, making the arc of human cultural evolution accessible to non -experts. He also continued to serve as Director of the Haskell Oriental Museum, a post he held until his death at the age of 70. From 1919-1924, Breasted received a modest annual grant from Rockefeller, with which he founded the Oriental Institute. Breasted described the objective behind the project: “The Institute is essentially an organized endeavor to recover the lost story of the rise of man.” He exhausted much effort garnering funding; upon being persuaded to provide Breasted with more generous support over the following years, Rockefeller famously stated that he was “supporting a man, not a recognized branch of science.” However, with extensive field work and a full-time staff now possible, the Institute soon became the nation’s leading center for Egyptology. By 1930, Breasted had initiated ten excavation projects in the Middle East. He believed in implementing thorough, long-term study of archaeological sites, revisiting specific locations over the years; this necessitated a staff of trained professionals and comfortable accommodations at foreign sites, contributing to the establishment of the Chicago House in Luxor as part of the longitudinal Epigraphic Survey. Breasted died of infection in 1935 following an extended stay abroad, having implemented much Institute programming and published more work on ancient texts. According to John A. Wilson, Breasted was a “perennial optimist,” who traced a line of cultural inheritance from ancient Egypt through modern times and fundamentally viewed history as the story of the betterment of man.
V. SCOPE AND CONTENT Papers of James Henry Breasted (1865-1935), Professor of Egyptology in the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and founding director of the Oriemntal Institute.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 2 of 10 IV. BOX INVENTORY Box 001: Miscellaneous Manuscripts about Papyrii: This box contains 7 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: manuscripts related to the papyrii of Abbott-Thutmose III, Ebers I, Ebers II, Amenemopet, Anastasi II - Harmhab Coronation Inscription, Anastasi IV and V, Mariette Mastabas.
Box 002: Breasted's Dictionary and Miscellaneous Manuscripts about Papyrii: This box contains 8 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: manuscripts and publications related to Ptahhotep [Papyrus Prisse], Papyrus of Orbiney, Papyrus Rhino - Hymn to Amon, Piankhi - Papyrus Sallier I, Sinuhe - Papyrus Harris [no. 500 Ver50], Siut - Tautmose III Annals, and multiple copies of Breasted's Dictionary.
Box 003: Manuscripts of Pyramid Texts: This box contains 7 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted manuscripts of pyramid texts.
Box 004: Edwin Smith's Papyrus Manuscripts: This box contains 5 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Manuscripts related to Edwin Smith's papyrus work.
Box 005: Documentation related to Edwin Smith's Papyrus Work: This box contains 5 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted. Contents include: Papyrus Ebers Notebook: Hieratic with hieroglyphic transcription and notes Papyrus Prisse Notebook: Hieroglyphic transcription (no hieratic), compares the Instructions of Ptahotep with the Ptahhotep Fragments BM 10371 + 10435 Photographs of British Museum Harris Papyrus No. 1 (Great Papyrus Harris) Papyrus Edwin Smith Notebook: Negative Photostats of Breasted’s Dictionary cards and notes Papyrus Edwin Smith Notebook: General notes on transliteration Proofs of Edwin Smith Plates (Volume II)
Box 006: Documentation related to Edwin Smith's Papyrus Work: This box contains 8 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Notes and photostats related to Edwin Smith's papyrus work.
Box 007: Breasted Offprints: This box contains 27 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted offprints.
Box 008: Breasted Offprints: This box contains 11 folders with documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted offprints.
Box 009: Notes related to J.H. Breasted's Writings and Speeches: This box contains index cards from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to his writings and speeches.
Box 010: George Ellery Hale's Egypt Stereographs: This box contains 31 negatives from the Papers of James Henry Breasted: George Ellery Hale's stereographs of Egypt.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 3 of 10 Box 011: Breasted Correspondence and Records: This box contains 46 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including personal correspondence, official records, and financial records.
Box 012: Breasted Correspondence: Appleget - Laing: This box contains 41 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including personal correspondence Appleget - Laing.
Box 013: Breasted Correspondence: Lewis - Woods, and Miscellaneous Documents: This box contains 39 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including personal correspondence Lewis - Woods and miscellaneous documents .
Box 014: Breasted Correspondence with His Parents: This box contains 18 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including Breasted's correspondence with his parents.
Box 015: Correspondence between James and Harriet Breasted: This box contains 14 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including Breasted's correspondence with Harriet Breasted.
Box 016: Correspondence between James Henry and Frances Hart Breasted: This box contains 21 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including the correspondence of Mrs. Frances Hart Breasted.
Box 017: Mrs. Frances Hart Breasted Correspondence, Estate Records, and Diaries: This box contains 21 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including papers related to the correspondence of Mrs. Frances Hart Breasted, her estate records, and her diaries.
Box 018: Correspondence between James Henry and Charles Breasted: This box contains 14 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including Breasted's correspondence with his son Charles Breasted.
Box 019: Correspondence between James Henry and Charles Breasted: This box contains 8 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including Breasted's correspondence with his son Charles Breasted.
Box 020: Correspondence between James Henry and Jimmie and Astrid Breasted, and Miscellaneous Documents: This box contains 13 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including Breasted's correspondence with his children Jimmie and Astrid.
Box 021: Near East Reconnaissance Trip: This box contains 14 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to the Near East Reconnaissance Trip.
Box 022: Near East Reconnaissance Trip: This box contains 2 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to the Near East Reconnaissance Trip, including a 2005 research guide to the Breasted letters by Peter Piccione.
Box 023: Documents Related to the Tomb of Tutenkhamen: This box contains 30 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to the Tomb of Tu-ankh-Amun: Photos, notes, correspondence, and versions of "Some Experiences in the Tomb of Tutenkhamen".
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 4 of 10 Box 024: Documents Regarding Charles Breasted's Study of the Tomb of Tutenkhamen: This box contains 13 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to Charles Breasted's study of the Tomb of Tut-ankh-Amun: photos, newspaper releases, newspaper clippings, cables, correspondence, manuscripts, and magazines ("Ranch and Coast" and "Asia").
Box 025: Cairo Museum Project Correspondence: A - M: This box contains 17 folders of documents from the Papers of James Henry Breasted related to the Cairo Museum Project Correspondence, A - M.
Box 026: Cairo Museum Project Correspondence: N - Z, and Miscellaneous Documents: This box contains 25 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted, including the Cairo Museum Project Correspondence, N-Z, Gift Agreement, Newspaper Clippings, etc.
Box 027: Miscellaneous Documents Related to the Cairo Museum Project: This box contains 9 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: the Cairo Museum Project.
Box 028: Miscellaneous Correspondence and Source Material: This box contains 21 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: correspondence and source material.
Box 029: Source Material: This box contains 15 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: source material.
Box 030: Breasted Correspondence: This box contains 58 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted correspondence.
Box 031: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and George Ellery Hale: This box contains 29 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and George Ellery Hale.
Box 032: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and John D. Rockefeller, Junior: This box holds 17 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and John D. Rockefeller, Junior.
Box 033: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and John D. Rockefeller, Junior: This box holds 36 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: correspondence between James Henry Breasted, Adolf Erman, and their families.
Box 034: Correspondence between James Henry Breasted and Kurt Sethe: This box holds 24 folders containing documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: James Henry Breasted correspondence with Kurt Sethe, with biographical info on Kurt Sethe.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 5 of 10 Box 035: Miscellaneous Documents, Especially Photos and Articles about Breasted: This box contains 4 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: miscellaneous documents including a drawing of Breasted in Ancient Times, articles from various newspapers, Breasted family photographs and negatives, burial records, and an article by Peggy Grant about Breasted's research on the tomb of Tutenkhamen.
Box 036: Letters of Condolence: This box contains 9 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: letters of condolence to Breasted's family after his death.
Box 037: Miscellaneous Documents Related to the Memory of Breasted: This box contains 8 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: excerpts of lists of condolence letters to Breasted's family after his death, photos of the Breasted family cemetery plot from 1988, and a 1936 issue of the Journal of American Oriental Society dedicated to James Henry Breasted.
Box 038: Miscellaneous Documents, Including Director's Files: This box contains 13 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: miscellaneous documents including agreements between Breasted and the University of Chicago, lists of publications, correspondence, confidential director's files, Breasted Library records, etc.
Box 039: Copies of a Short Biography of James Henry Breasted: This box contains loose sheets of paper related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: copies of a short bio of James Henry Breasted.
Box 040: Expedition Records and Financial Records: This box contains 7 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted. Contents include: Egyptian Expedition Financial Records 1905-1906 Egyptian Expedition Financial Records 1907-1908 Notebook: Akhshe, Bêt el-Wali, Semneh Notebook No. 9 (crumbling leather binding): 1906-1907, Gebel Dosheh to Kummeh and Semneh Breasted notebooks, Eg. 1906-7 ca. Breated notebooks, Eg. Ca. 1905-1907
Box 041: Miscellaneous Documents, Especially Related to an Expedition to Soleb.: This box contains 8 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: miscellaneous documents, including notes, drawings, and correspondence related to an expedition to Soleb, publication notes for a Nubian expedition, and a notebook on the pyramids of Meroe.
Box 042: : This box contains 43 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: pasted-up printed pages, with notes, of "Development of Religion and Thought in Ancient Egypt" (1912) and "The Conquest of Civilization" (1926, 1937) by James Henry Breasted.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 6 of 10 Box 043: Miscellaneous Documents: This box contains 78 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: miscellaneous documents included pasted-up printed pages and page proofs of "Conquest of Civilization" and "Survey of the Ancient World", reports on the Haskell Oriental Museum, an Egyptian expedition, Cairo Museum Project, various lectures, records of and correspondence with various museums and libraries, notebooks, and manuscripts.
Box 044: Miscellaneous Documents, Especially Related to Breasted's Writings: This box contains 46 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: James Henry Breasted expedition notebooks, speech notes, articles, and Encyclopedia Brittanica article, galley proofs, manuscript for a National Geographic article, manuscript of "The Epic of Persepolis", epigraphical source notes, and notes for a revision of "The History of Egypt".
Box 045: Documents Related to Dawn of Conscience: This box contains 51 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted manuscripts and page proofs for "Dawn of Conscience".
Box 046: Miscellaneous Documents: This box contains 3 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Old Kingdom Annals Collation notes on Cairo fragments, Breasted Pianchi notes, and miscellaneous magazines, articles, and photographs.
Box 047: Source Material on Breasted's Life and Notes from His Expeditions: This box contains 6 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: James Henry Breasted notes from University of Chicago expeditions and source material on the life of James Henry Breasted.
Box 048: Breasted Manuscripts of Pyramid Texts and Worterbuch Zettel: This box contains 7 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Breasted manuscripts of Pyramid Texts (1262-2217) and Worterbuch Zettel in 4 Volumes.
Box 049: Miscellaneous Documents, Especially Lecture Notes: This box contains 37 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: Notebooks, course notes, lecture notes, and photographs of fragments at the Metropolitan Museum.
Box 050: Miscellaneous Documents Related to Publications: This box contains 23 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: proofs for "A History of Egypt", publicity material for Breasted textbooks, and miscellaneous documents related to other publications.
Box 051: Miscellaneous Documents and Items: This box contains 4 framed photographs, 1 poster, 1 copy board, and 3 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: photos and negatives of James Henry Breasted's trip to Sicily, Italy, and Egypt, family photos, a poster of a Chicago Tribune cartoon, and a board Breasted used for rubbings on expeditions.
Box 052: Miscellaneous Documents and Items: This box contains 1 drawstring bag, stacks of periodicals, and 20 folders with documents related to the Papers of James Henry Breasted: publications, diaries, and correspondence.
Box 053: Personal Papers: This box contains JHB early compositions, biographical and financial documents.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 7 of 10 Box 054: Miscellaneous: This box contains lectures, journals, museum reports and notes mostly pertaining to Egypt.
Box 055: Correspondence: This box conatins excerpts and original texts from letters.
Box 056: Correspondence: This box contains letters and miscellaneous telegrams.
Box 057: Notes: This box contains notebooks pertaining to The Sun Hymns, Tracings and Geographical Names dealing mainly withe Egypt.
Box 058: : This box contains photo negatives and National Geographic magazines.
Box 059: Photography Equipment: This box contains photography equipement
Box 060: Leica: This box contains a camera from the 1920s.
Box 061: Awards and Memberships: This box contains an index of Awards and Memberships.
Box 062: Miscellaneous: This box contains miscellaneous items.
Box 063: Egypt in Stereoscope: This box contains the Egypt in Stereoscope book and slides.
Box 064: Photographs: This box contains photographs from unspecified expeditions.
Box 065: Photographs: This box contains photographs from unspecified expeditions.
Box 066: Photographs: This box contains photographs from unspecified expeditions.
Box 067: Photographs: This box contains photographs from unspecified expeditions.
Box 068: Family Negatives: This box contains glass plate negative of James Henry Breasted's family.
Box 069: Photographs: This box contains photographs from expeditions to Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Box 070: Photographs: This box contains miscellaneous photographs.
Box 071: Photographs: This box contans miscellaneous photographs.
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 8 of 10 Box 072: Miscellaneous Material: This box contains miscellaneous material including notebooks, photographs, maps and museum documents.Notebook: Catalog of Photographs from season 1905-06 to season 1906-07 JHB notebook: British Museum (hieroglyphic transcriptions of objects) JHB notebook: Gizeh Museum and Louvre (hieroglyphic transcriptions of objects) Book that lists Photograph numbers of Egyptian objects, title, what they were made from, size, and notes Breasted inked photographs of Abu Simbel texts Map of Northern Sudan, 1905-1907 Budget of Annual expenses for the maintenance of the floating archaeological institute on the Nile (about 1907) Egyptian expedition files: letters to and from President William Rainey Harper Expedition bills: 1906-1907
Box 073: Journals: This box contans handwritten journals from expeditions and personal diaries. Contents include: Journal, Book I (1905-1906) Journal of U. of C. Egyptian Expedition 1905-1906, Books I and II Transcription of the Journals of the Egyptian Expedition, 1905-1906 and 1906 -1907 in four bound folders: Journal Book I (Oct.25-Nov. 8? 06 Meroe) Journal, Book II (1905-1906) Journal, Book II (Nov, 6-12?06 Meroe, Naga, Musawwanat Fourth Cataract Journal Book III (Nov. 24-December 24 ’06 Fourth Cataract, Napata-Debba Journal Book IV (Dec. 25 06-Jan 17? 07, Debba-Kagbar (Arga-Tambos) Journal Book V (Jan 17-Feb. 21 07, Kagbar-Kummeh Journal Book VI (Feb 21-) Kummeh, Semneh to Aswan) JHB’s personal Diary (binding is in poor condition), Oct. 12, 1908 to May 18, 1933 in folder with a postcard, telegram of 1925, typewritten list of “Pyramids to be done on return trip” Fragile cardboard box containing manuscript: Sesebi, Tangur, Abu Simbel, Akhsha, Amada, Buhen, Derr, Gebel Adda…Semna…
Box 074: Miscellaneous Material: This box contains miscellaneous material including books, a CD, meeting transcripts and Fortune magazines.
Box 075: Breasted Books: This box contains books written by James Henry Breasted.
Box 076: Breasted Books: This box contains books written by James Henry Breasted.
Box 077: Breasted Books: This box contains books written by James Henry Breasted.
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VII. Bibliography
Guide to the Papers of James Henry Breasted ©16-Aug-2018 Oriental Institute Page 10 of 10