Royal Anthropological Institute Photographic Collection

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s): RAI

Title: Royal Anthropological Institute Photographic Collection

Date(s): 1860 - 1930

Level of description: Fond

Extent and medium of the unit of description: 75,000 photographic prints

CONTEXT AREA

Name of creator(s):

Administrative/Biographical history: The Royal Anthropological Institute's members are lineal successors to the founding members of the Ethnological Society of London who, in February 1843, formed a breakaway group of the Aborigines' Protection Society, which had been founded in 1837 in the aftermath of the early 19th century Quaker campaign against the African slave trade.

The new society was to be 'a centre and depository for the collection and systematization of all observations made on human races'.

Almost from the start, the membership found itself divided over racialist issues, and between 1863 and 1870 there were two organizations, the Ethnological Society and the Anthropological Society.

The Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1871) was the result of a merger between these two rival bodies. Permission to add the word 'Royal' was granted in 1907.

The component elements in the Institute's field of interests have established their own professional organization, but the Institute provides a forum for 'anthropology as a whole', embracing social anthropology, biological anthropology and the study of material culture.

Archival history:

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CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

Scope and content: The Royal Anthropological Institute's Photographic Collection is an important and unique resource of over 75,000 photographic prints, negatives, lantern-slides, drawings, paintings and other illustrations. The collection demonstrates the great diversity and vitality of the world's cultures and reveals the attitudes of late 19th and early 20th century anthropology. The photographs cover most geographical areas and, with several important more recent additions, were mainly taken between 1860 and 1930. The history of the collection is described by Roslyn Poignant in Surveying the Field of View: in Anthropology and Photography 1860-1920, edited by Elizabeth Edwards; Yale University Press/RAI 1992; ISBN 0-300-05944-2.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

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CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

Conditions governing access: The collection is open to all researchers with a serious interest and, within its ethical and conservation guidelines, the RAI maintains a policy of broad access. Due to constraints of time and space the collection is available for viewing by prior appointment only. Requests for appointments, and for further information, should be directed to the Photographic Librarian (c/o Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 5BT).

Conditions governing reproduction: The Photographic Collection is primarily a resource for academic and other research, but commercial requests are also dealt with within the Royal Anthropological Institute's guidelines. Given the historical nature of the collection, all requests and sales are subject to the collection's conservation policy and, due to the sensitive nature of some of the material, permission to reproduce photographs is subject to the collection's ethical policy. Decisions about sensitive material are made in line with these guidelines and are at the discretion of the Photographic Librarian in consultation, where necessary, with the RAI's Photographic Committee.

Language/scripts of material: English

Physical characteristics: Photographic prints, negatives, lantern slides, drawings, paintings and other illustrations.

Finding aids: Printed subject lists

ALLIED MATERIALS AREA

Existence and location of originals:

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Publication note: Further information is available in Edwards, Elizabeth (1992) Anthropology and photography, 1860-1920, New Haven: Yale University Press in association with the Royal Anthropological Institute, London.

DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

Recorder's note:

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: February 2002

Interest: Asian, Black, Caribbean

Specific group:

Subjects

Social anthropology

Slavery

Photography

Ethnology

Ethnic groups

Cultural anthropology

Anti-slavery movements

Anthropology

Personal/Corporate names

Anthropology Society

Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland

Ethnological Society of London

Royal Anthropological Institute

Places

London, United Kingdom