The Museum Bulletin
Originally published from 1930–1958, the Museum Bulletin includes articles which may not reflect the current views and values of the Penn Museum.
The editor has now determined ... to issue The University Museum Bulletin, published monthly from November to May, which will include short accounts of the current excavations, descriptions of recent acquisitions to the collections, and the activities of the Museum that are of general interest.
Alaskan Expedition
From 1930 to 1937, Frederica de Laguna conducted pioneering archaeological and ethnographic work in Alaska. She studied Tlingit and Athapaskan peoples, particularly the Eyak, bringing their languages to the attention of the scientific community. Additionally, she was one of the first female archaeologists in the United States, and lead digs in the Prince William Sound.
View Articles
Piedras Negras Expedition
The ancient city of Piedras Negras, deep in the jungle of the Petén district of Guatemala, was the Museum’s first large-scale excavation of a Maya ruin. It is known for its elaborately carved and well-preserved monuments, many of which were on display in the Penn Museum for years. The work, directed by J. Alden Mason and Linton Satterthwaite, lasted from 1931 to 1939.
View Articles
Mask Parade
Mask Parade was a special Halloween exhibit in 1947. The practice of mask-making is nearly universal. Is there a basic motive underlying man’s almost universal preoccupation with false laces? Surely part of the appeal to the observer of a mask collection is conjecture as to this motive.
View Catalogue
The Chinese Collections
The Chinese Collections owe their growth to gifts and purchases rather than to excavations or expeditions. In 1915-16, however, a reconnaissance expedition undertaken by Carl W. Bishop discovered several important early Buddhist sites and thoroughly explored others previously reported. Thus a collection of outstanding quality that has grown to have an international reputation was brought together.
View Catalogue
The American Collections
The American Halls contain one of the world’s best collections of objects produced by the ancient Maya civilization in Guatemala and adjacent regions, and by some of the other advanced cultures of Middle America. Especially noteworthy are the collection of Maya ceramics, the great Maya stone sculptures from Piedras Negras in Guatemala, the gold and pottery collections from Coclé and Chiriquí in Panama.
View Catalogue