Cornell University Library Digital Collections

Selections from the Cornell Anthropology Collections

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About this collection

This collection includes digital surrogates of nearly one thousand objects in the Cornell Anthropology Collections, which includes approximately twenty thousand items representing human activity around the world from the Lower Paleolithic to the present, including archaeological and ethnographic materials. Items in the digital collection were selected for their significance and anticipated utility for a range of users.

Historical context

As early as 1867, A.D. White and Ezra Cornell planned a University Museum, which was an integral part of the university’s mission. McGraw Hall was constructed to house the museum, starting in 1869 and completing in 1872. The original University Museum included wings for the Departments of Zoology, Geology, and Geography. White and Cornell developed much of the early collection. In the early 1900s, the collection was distributed throughout campus, to associated departments and research laboratories. Over the years faculty, alumni, and others have occasionally donated single items or collections to the Anthropology Collections, adding to the range of cultures and times represented. The space occupied by the Collections is also significant, being the only part of McGraw Hall that still retains something of the feel of the original University Museum. The Anthropology Department website has more information on the history of the collection.

Using the collection

Users can browse the collection from multiple dimensions, including date, materials/techniques, and location. For questions about the physical collection, contact Alison Rittershaus at akr73@cornell.edu.

More information

Collection steward
(Vacant)
Metadata creation
Cornell University Library, Prof. Fred Gleach
Funding
Grants Program for Digital Collections in Arts and Sciences; awarded in 2012 to Fred Gleach, Anthropology and Eilis Monahan, Graduate Student, Near Eastern Studies.
Credits
This collection overview was last reviewed in 2025.
Collection sources