Address:
Institute of Archaeology, University of Göttingen
Nikolausberger Weg 15
37073 Göttingen
Opening hours/access:
Please see dates on the page of the Institute of Archaeology:
Cast Collection of Antique Sculptures
Contact:
Dr. Daniel Graepler
Tel.: +49 (0551) 39-7497
E-Mail: Dr. Daniel Graepler
Tel.: +49 (0551) 39-7502
E-Mail: Secretary's office
The Antiquities Collection in Göttingen University’s Institute of Archaeology first came into being in 1839, when the famous Göttingen classical scholar Karl Otfried Müller (1797 – 1840) acquired the first vases, clay figures and marble sculptures for Göttingen University during the course of a research visit to Italy and Greece. Under the direction of the first holder of the Chair for Archaeology, Friedrich Wieseler (1811 – 1892) and his successor Karl Dilthey (1839 – 1907), the collection of ancient vases, in particular, grew considerably through regular purchases and thanks to permanent loans from the Berlin Royal Museums. In addition to complete vessels, extensive holdings of ceramic fragments were acquired for the collection, these being particularly instructive for purposes of archaeological education. The collection’s Etruscan section was enhanced in particular by Gustav Körte (1852 – 1917), Director of the Institute of Archaeology from 1907, who acquired significant additions especially in the area of small bronzes.
Since archaeological objects offered for sale on the art market frequently originate from illicit excavations, no further purchases of objects have been made for the Göttingen Antiquities Collection over recent decades. But the collection has for many years contained extensive assemblages of items found in official excavations. In 1902, for example, the Institute received from Berlin some of the material discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in Troy. Equally significant are the findings from excavations carried out by the archaeologist Johannes Boehlau (1861 – 1941). Items he discovered at Larisa on the Hermos (western Turkey) and at Pyrrha on the Greek island of Lesbos, together with the accompanying documentation, are held at the Archaeological Institute in Göttingen and are frequently consulted by international researchers.
The diversity of the materials, genres and cultures represented – in addition to Greek, Etruscan and Roman artefacts the holdings include items from Egypt and the Middle East – not only grants the Göttingen Antiquities Collection special significance in the research context but also renders it a particularly valuable resource for archaeological training.
Daniel Graepler
