Archivmaterialien der Abteilung Rom (Zeichnungen aus Bestand A-VII „Historische Handzeichnungen“)
Archive
Profile
The archives of the Rome Department have grown over time and comprise the following collections:
- The so-called 'old archive' ('Altes Archiv') contains documents from the time of the international Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (1829-1871) and the ensuing Deutsches Archäologische Institut, Abteilung Rom until its provisional closure in 1944. Particularly important here are the rich collection of letters from the correspondents ('Korrespondenten'), some estates and the Archäologischer Apparat, a collection of sketches, plans, drawings, and watercolours of ancient monuments and objects, predominantly from the 19th century. The latter have been digitised with support from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) and are now available online (see below).
- The so-called 'architects' or 'science archive' ('Architektenarchiv' , 'Wissenschaftsarchiv') which has evolved since the department's reopening in 1953, contains architectural photographs taken during numerous of its fieldwork projects. A selection has been digitised with the support of the DFG and made available online.
- The so-called 'authority archive' ('Behörden Archiv', or 'Alt-Registratur') holds the Rome Department's administrative files that entered the archive after the end of the retention period in 1953, unless the latter was transferred to the central offices in Germany. Its access is partly restricted through legally enforced retention periods.
The Rome Department of the DAI is currently working with support from the German Research Foundation (DFG) on a gradual digitisation programme concerning further archival holdings destined for consultation via Arachne.
Rom Archive
Via Sardegna, 79-81
00187 Rom
Italy
Tel. +39 06 4888141
E-mail: archiv.rom@dainst.de
Opening Hours
Research in the archive is only possible by prior appointment by e-mail to archiv.rom@dainst.de.
(The archive is closed in August and from 24 December to 6 January).
News
The relocation from the department's temporary address in via Sicilia 136 to the newly refurbished premises in via Sardegna 79 is planned to for the beginning of 2023. Until its reopening, the archive is expected to remain closed for about 4 to 6 months.
Holdings and finding aids
The archive keeps an extensive collection of letters, files, legacies, drawings, and individual documents dating from the institute's beginnings to the present day. For this purpose various finding aids and indices have been made available.
- The subject category 'Generalia' lists materials on the history of the institute (bills, statutes, annual reports, general correspondence, reopening 1924 and 1953, institute buildings). The documents are classified partly in an arranged order. Users have access to one inventory register and various indexes.
- The subject category 'Gelehrtenbriefe' (scholarly letters) covers the letter collection of the 'Korrespondenten' from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The letters are ordered alphabetically by sender and comprise about 26,000 letters. A register of these letters has been compiled by A. Rieche (1976) and E. Schliese (1983-85). Some digital copies the Gelehrtenbriefe dating to the 19th century can be accessed via the iDAI.bibliography/Zenon catalogue. About half of the original letters have been digitised in the meantime with support from the DFG. Information about the project can be found via Arachne: "Gelehrte, Ausgräber und Kunsthändler: Die Korrespondenz des Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica als Wissensquelle und Netzwerkindikator".
- The subject category 'Nachlässe' (legacies) contains about 40 estates (partial and fractional estates) of German-speaking archaeologists (classical archaeologist, epigraphy, classical historian, secretaries of the institute). The estates go beyond 1944. Overview of the legacies and letter directories in legacies
- The subject category VII 'Handzeichnungen' (hand drawings) refers to engravings, drawings, plans, and sketches dating to the period between 1829 and about 1915. The architects' archive contains drawings and plans from archaeological fieldwork and excavation projects after 1953. Detailed lists are available for both the Handzeichnungen des 19. Jhs. (hand drawings from the 19th century) and the Architektenarchiv 1953ff. (architects' archive since 1953). Both collections have been digitised with support from the DFG and are now available online. They can be consulted via the image and object database iDAI.objects/Arachne.
- The subject category 'Altregistratur' (the so-called authority archive) contains the administrative records and general correspondence (e.g. the correspondence of former directors) since 1953.
Lists
Icon iDAI.objects © DAI // Tanja Lemke-Mahdavi
Hand Drawings And Architects Archive
The Archive of the Department of Rome contains two collections: the 'Historische Handzeichnungen' (historical hand drawings), with about 6,000 sheets, mainly from the period 1829 to 1915, and the 'Planzeichnungen des Architekturreferats' (plan drawings of the Architecture Department), from the years 1953 to 2000, with 3,500 sheets. In iDAI.objects/Arachne they are contextualised and made permanently and freely accessible.
Icon iDAI.objects © DAI // Tanja Lemke-Mahdavi
Scholarly Letters
As part of a DFG (German Research Foundation) project, the DAI's collection of scholarly letters (Gelehrtenbriefe) is being indexed and made available via iDAI.objects/Arachne.