Near and Middle Eastern – 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

Bookbinding Structures of the Eastern Mediterranean

Posted on 6 December 2018 by CUL Conservation

by Shaun Thompson (click on images to enlarge them) I have recently returned from a fantastic professional development opportunity which was made possible by […]

Cambridge Digital Library, Collection Care, Conservation, Digitisation, Friends of Cambridge University Library, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Polonsky Greek, 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

Islamic Codicology at Cambridge University Library

Posted on 3 October 2017 by Yasmin

Every autumn – since 2006 – Cambridge University Library is hosting an Introduction to Islamic Codicology, a one week course and workshop on the material and artistic […]

Conservation, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern

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

Bringing a hidden collection to light

Posted on 7 April 2017 by CUL Conservation

By Anna Johnson Cambridge University Library may not often be thought of as a significant repository for papyri, but we do have a moderately […]

Conservation, Digital Resources, Digitisation, Manuscripts, Near and Middle Eastern, Papyrus, Special Collections

Salomon Negri and the ‘Marvels of Creation’

Posted on 20 February 2017 by Catherine Ansorge

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

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

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