Griffith Institute Archive

Description of material

This description is based on the General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G)

1. Identity statement

Reference code n/a

Title Brunton MSS.

Dates of creation of the material 1937-1948, card index 1958.

Extent 2 card index boxes, 1 portfolio of drawings , 1 file of correspondence, and 1 box of negatives.

2. Context

Name of creator Brunton, Guy (1878-1948)

Administrative and biographical history
British Egyptologist. Studied Egyptology under Petrie and Margaret Murray. Between 1912-14 he excavated with Petrie at Lahun, and after war service again in 1919-21. He then excavated at Qau, Badari and Deir Tasa before taking up a post in the Cairo Museum in 1931. He was assisted in his work by his wife, Winifred, an artist. After his retirement he returned to South Africa, where he died without having completed his work on button seals.
See Who Was Who in Egyptology (3rd ed. 1995), 68-9.

Custodial history
In possession of his widow Winifred Brunton (1880-1959). She deposited the Matmar negatives in 1949. After unsuccessful attempts to find a candidate to complete the catalogue of button seals the material was deposited in the Griffith Institute in 1956, where further work was done on it by J. J. Orchard who produced the index.

Immediate source of acquisition
Negatives, Mrs. Winifred Brunton. Preliminary work on button seals deposited at Mrs. Brunton's request.

3. Content and structure

Scope and content Drawings, letters and working notes for a publication on button seals. Negatives taken during the Matmar excavations in 1928-30.

System of arrangement Kept as received.

4. Access and use

Legal status Property of the Griffith Institute.

Access conditions The Matmar negatives are not available at present.

Copyright conditions Copyright Griffith Institute, Oxford.

Language of material English.

Physical characteristics Negatives presumed to be nitrate and therefore unstable.

Finding aids None.

5. Allied materials area

Location of originals These are originals.

Existence of copies None.

Related units of description Brunton W. MSS.

Associated material Not known.

Publications The drawings, card indexes and correspondence form the basis of Wiese, A. B. Die Anfänge der ägyptischen Stempelsiegel-Amulette. Eine typologische und religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung zu der 'Knopfsiegeln' und verwandten Objekten der 6. bis frühen 12. Dynastie (1996).

(October 17, 2003)