The Old World Paleolithic and the Development of a National Collection

Abstract

Beginning with the first accession of Paleolithic collections in 1869, the Smithsonian Institution and its scientific staff have shown great interest in pursuing research, education, and exhibition of early human lifeways. During the more than 130-year history of acquiring objects from the Old World, a total of 22,000 objects has been amassed from some 332 Lower to Upper Paleolithic localities. Certain objects are rare pieces from clas- sic Paleolithic localities, although many others were obtained as representative pieces for com- parative purposes and exhibition. Documents and letters of correspondence between Old and New World investigators provide the historical context of collection acquisition and the moti- vations of those involved in the international transfer and exchange of artifacts. Synthesis of the documentation shows variability in the tempo of collection acquisition and biases in geo- graphic interests that are tied to patterns of scientific inquiry, world wars, and later, adherence to antiquity laws and reorientation of modern paleoanthropological methods and approaches. Because we refer extensively to archived letters and memoranda in the text, Appendix 1 pro- vides a chronological list of these materials and the specific Smithsonian Institution archive where they are located.