Catherine Ansorge – Page 2 – Cambridge University Library Special Collections

Giovanni Belzoni and his ‘Book of breathings’

Posted on 6 September 2019 by Catherine Ansorge

In Ancient Egyptian culture, matters relating to death and the afterlife were of great significance, as both the body and the soul were believed to […]

Collectors and collecting, Library history, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Papyrus, Special Collections, Travel

Manuscripts from the Gayer-Anderson brothers

Posted on 21 May 2019 by Catherine Ansorge

One of the most iconic items in the British Museum’s Egyptology collection is the bronze cat figurine commonly known as the ‘Gayer-Anderson cat’. It is […]

Collectors and collecting, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

“I have just set a Hungarian rabbi at work…

Posted on 8 December 2018 by Catherine Ansorge

…upon our Hebrew manuscripts” said Henry Bradshaw in June 1865. Bradshaw was Head of the manuscript collections in the University Library and was keen to […]

Collectors and collecting, Hebrew, Library history, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

Silks, pearls and manuscripts

Posted on 19 February 2018 by Catherine Ansorge

On the wall of the Library’s fourth floor of landing hangs a portrait of a man dressed in a very fine silk or satin doublet […]

Cambridge University history, Collectors and collecting, librarians, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

Burckhardt in Basel

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Catherine Ansorge

On the 19th and 20th of October a conference was held in Basel to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of the explorer John […]

Archives, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

The Third Papyrus Curatorial and Conservation Meeting

Posted on 7 July 2017 by Catherine Ansorge

On the 29-30th June, Cambridge University Library hosted a very successful meeting to discuss holdings of papyrus texts and issues surrounding their curation, conservation and […]

Conservation, Events, Near and Middle Eastern, Papyrus, Special Collections

Solomon Negri and the ‘Marvels of Creation’

Posted on 20 February 2017 by Catherine Ansorge

Displayed in the ‘Curious objects’ exhibition is one of the finest illuminated manuscripts in the Library’s Islamic collection. It is a copy of the Persian […]

Exhibitions, Library history, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

From Andalusia to Cambridge

Posted on 19 October 2015 by Catherine Ansorge

This year the University Library celebrates the three hundredth anniversary of the acquisition of the Royal Library; this gift from King George I brought to […]

Cambridge Digital Library, Collectors and collecting, Exhibitions, Hispanic, Library history, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Special Collections

Early Egyptian texts revealed; the papers of Sir Herbert Thompson

Posted on 29 August 2014 by Catherine Ansorge

The University Library has recently acquired from the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, an archive of the personal papers of Sir Herbert Thompson, […]

Archives, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Recent acquisitions, Special Collections

Thomas Erpenius: an Arabist of many talents

Posted on 18 March 2014 by Catherine Ansorge

Thomas van Erpe, or Erpenius, as he is usually known, is best remembered for his collection of Arabic manuscripts which came to the University Library […]

Collectors and collecting, Historical Printing, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Rare Books