Egyptian Section

Sara Yorke Stevenson, the first curator of the Egyptian section of the Free Museum of Science and Art, was a vital force in the creation and success of the museum. Along with William Pepper, Stevenson worked tirelessly through the Department of Archaeology and Paleontology and the American Exploration Society to gain subscriptions, build the Museum and acquire a collection of antiquities.

William Pepper did not live to see the the completion of the Free Museum of Science and Art. It opened in 1899 under the Board of Managers whose President was Daniel Baugh. Three curators handled the administrative details within their respective departments: Herman Hilprecht was in charge of the Babylonian Section, Sara Yorke Stevenson ran the Egyptian and Mediterranean Sections, and Stewart Culin was director for the American and other (African, Pacific, Far East)Sections. Sara Yorke Stevenson became Secretary of the Museum in 1901. She became President of the Board in 1904, however, during the controversy over Hermann Hilprecht's scholarship that followed shortly after, both Stevenson and Board Secretary Furness resigned.

While Stevenson was performing the dual role of Secretary and Curator, the museum contributed to the London-based Egypt Exploration Fund that provided a share of the findings of W.M. Flinders Petrie to the museum. Stevenson cultivated a relationship with Flinders Petrie along with well connected Egytians such as Yacoub Artin Pasha. This served the American Exploration Society and the museum well. Mrs. Stevenson traveled to Egypt in 1898 cementing connections and investigating other possible sites for exploration.

Because the Museum has worked at a wide range of sites in Egypt(provincial and royal cemeteries, palaces, temples, towns, sanctuaries and settlements), the collection spans ancient Egypt's entire history, from the Predynastic Period (circa 4000 BCE) through the Greco-Roman Period and into the Coptic Period (ending in the 7th century CE), it also includes a large number of material categories, such as architecture, statuary, minor arts, domestic artifacts, textiles, papyri, pottery, tools, jewelry, weapons, funerary objects and human and animal remains.

The collection was enhanced by the participation of scholars Max Muller who aided Sara Yorke Stevenson in the acquisition and early organization of the papyri and Giorgio Della Vida who worked on numerous translations of the papyri during his time as a researcher at the Museum.

Max Muller was born in Germany in 1862, the son of Friedrich Max Muller, a famous Orientalist and grandson of poet Wilhelm Max Muller. Muller emigrated to the United States in 1888, serving as Professor at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary. Muller also performed archaeological work in Egypt sponsored by the Carnegie Institute and lectured on Egyptology at the University of Pennsylvania in addition to his work obtaining much of the papyri collection.

Giorgio Della Vida, born in Venice in 1886, was an Italian Jewish linguist with expertise in Hebrew, Arabic and the history and culture of the Near East. Della Vida attended the University of Genoa and participated in a research expedition to Cairo, Athens and Crete for the Italian School of Archaeology.

From 1914 to 1916, Della Vida headed the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the Eastern University of Naples. During World War I, he was involved in anti-Fascist activities. Following the war Della Vida was appointed Professor of Semitic Languages at the Royal University of Rome. Della Vida refused to sign the oath of loyalty to the Fascist regime which resulted in his expulsion from his post at the University in 1932. While working independently, Della Vida embarked on a lecture tour of Spain and worked part-time at the Vatican library. His lecture tour continued in 1937 when he visited Yale, Harvard, Columbia and the University of Chicago. In 1939, Della Vida fled Italy to the United States where he was offered positions at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of San Diego. Ultimately, he chose San Diego but spent a year (1944-45) as Research Fellow in the Egyptian Section of the Penn Museum to continue his earlier study of the papyri.

Della Vida returned to Italy in 1946. He was reinstated to his University post at the University of Rome where he taught Muslim History and Culture until his retirement.

Giorgio Della Vida died in Rome in 1967.

The records of the Egyptian Section fill two archival boxes. The material was already divided into folders which attributed the information to either a donor, a transfer or an offer of objects from a dealer. Processing then involved determining if the records were collection-oriented or belonged in other series. Four additional series were determined, curatorial, exhibits and scholars Max Muller and Giorgio Della Vida. The collections series includes correspondence, lists and sometimes the circumstances of the gifts and/or purchases from donors and dealers by the Museum.

The curatorial series is a mixed bag of information each unique to the folder. Some include descriptions and reports by the curators as well as correspondence while others have lists and conservation reports. Interesting among the correspondence is that from physicians concerning a deformed skeleton in the collection.

Two folders in the Max Muller series contain translations on fragile paper and tiny cards. The latter are held in the original envelope which is also in very fragile condition. His correspondence with Dr. George Byron Gordon, Museum Director describes collections and texts that the museum might buy and provide connections with dealers such as Gaston Maspero and Ralph Blanchard.

All of the Della Vida materials are hand-written translations and notes on the papyri, much of it in fragile condition. One folder has information about his biography and letters from George Vaillant regarding publication of Della Vida's articles.

The exhibits series represents information on five showings with roots in the Egyptian section. The most information relates to the Tutankhamun exhibit (1961-1962) with three folders of correspondence. The correspondence centers on funding, selection of objects, insurance problems and shipping. Correspondees include the United Arab Republic, Ford Foundation, UNESCO, the American Embassy in Cairo, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the U.S. Department of State, Smithsonian Institution and others.

Other records from the Egyptian Section are filed by Curator, including Sara Yorke Stevenson, Clarence S. Fisher, Battiscombe Gunn, Hermann Ranke, and Rudolf Anthes.

Publication Information: University of Pennsylvania: Penn Museum Archives,

Finding Aid Author:

Use Restrictions:

Geographic Name(s)

• Egypt

Personal Name(s)

• Muller, W. Max
• Vaillant, George C.
• Maspero, Gaston
• Loo, C.T.
• Jayne, Horace H.F.
• Fisher, Clarence Stanley, 1876-1941
• Gunn, Battiscombe G.
• Houston, Samuel F.
• Gordon, G. B. (George Byron)
• Levi Della Vida, Giorgio

Subject(s)

• Museum exhibits