The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the Robert L. Scranton Papers 1961-1977
© 2014 University of Chicago Library
| Title: | Scranton, Robert L. Papers |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1961-1977 |
| Size: | 3 linear feet (6 boxes) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | Robert L. Scranton (1912-1993) was a University of Chicago professor of Fine Arts and Classics and Chair of the Art Department from 1969 to 1973. He was the director of excavations at Kenchreai, the port of Corinth from 1963 to 1968. Scranton published widely on the topics of Classical and Medieval Greek art, archaeology and architecture. He was also involved with construction and early operations of the Isthmia Museum, where some of the finds from the Kenchreai excavations are now displayed. The collection contains mostly financial material connected to the excavations at Kenchreai and the construction of the Isthmia Museum. It also contains correspondence relating to Scranton’s professional activities, field reports from the Kenchreai excavation, donor information, and publications. Materials date between 1961 and 1977. |
The collection is open for research, with the exception of material in Series VI. This series contains restricted financial reports and correspondence with donors. Materials are restricted for 50 years from date of record creation.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Scranton, Robert L. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
Robert L. Scranton was born on June 13 1912, in Alliance, Ohio, to Homer Scranton, a physician, and his wife Mary. He remained in Alliance for his elementary and high school education and graduated from Mt. Union College in 1932.
Scranton received his M.A and Ph.D. degrees, in 1934 and 1939 respectively, from the University of Chicago, having studied Greek Architecture. He secured a position as professor of Classical Art and Archaeology at Emory University in 1940 and remained there until 1961, when he was offered a position in the Art department at the University of Chicago. He served as Chair of the Art Department from 1969 to 1973 and retired in 1977.
He was a long term associate of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. He was a fellow there from 1934 to 1938 while completing his dissertation on the chronology of Ancient Greek walls. After the Second World War he returned to the American School from 1946 to 1947 in order to conduct investigations at Corinth. In 1999 the annual Robert L. Scranton Lectureship at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens was established in his memory. Scranton was a member of both the Archaeological Institute of America and the American Philological Association.
He was a dedicated field archaeologist alongside his teaching career. During his graduate studies he had assisted in the American School of Classical Studies at Athens excavations in the Athenian Pnyx. He was also involved with excavations in Greece, Cyprus, and Georgia. An active advocate of University of Chicago involvement in field projects, in the early 1960s Scranton pushed for university funding of a Greek excavation, to replace the recently completed excavations at Isthmia. He was successful in instigating and directing five seasons of excavations at the port of ancient Corinth, Kenchreai, from 1963 to 1968. In Kenchreai, he discovered fine glass mosaics that were part of the decoration of a 3rd or 4th-century church. The artifacts are now on display in the Isthmia Museum, Greece.
Scranton published widely on the topics of archaeology and Greek history. He authored several books, including Monuments in the Lower Agora and North of the Archaic Temple (1951), Mediaeval architecture in the central area of Corinth (1957), and Aesthetic Aspects of Art (1964).
After retiring from the University of Chicago, he moved to Decatur, Georgia, teaching courses at Emory and Agnes Scott College. He died on January 31 1993.
The Robert Scranton Papers are organized into six series: Series I: Personal; Series II: Correspondence; Series III: Publications; Series IV: Kenchreai and Isthmia Administration; Series V: Kenchreai and Isthmia Finances; and Series VI: Restricted.
Series I, Personal, contains Scranton’s passport and bank book covers.
Series 2, Correspondence, contains outgoing and incoming mail filed chronologically from 1963 to 1967. This correspondence relates primarily to the excavations at Kenchreai and the Isthmia Museum, with some material relating to Scranton’s travel, published works, and other academic activities.
Series 3, Publications, contains materials relating to the published excavation finds from Kenchreai. This series includes correspondence with publishers, publication plans, and drafts, and is organized by publication volume.
Series, 4, Kenchreai and Isthmia Administration, contains administrative materials concerning the organization and management of the Kenchreai excavations and the early operations of the Isthmia Museum. It includes excavation and site operation reports, correspondence with Oscar Broneer regarding the construction of the Isthmia Museum, the initial exhibit installation, and materials relating to the erection of a commemorative plaque for Broneer in 1971.
Series 5, Kenchreai and Isthmia Finances, contains materials documenting the financing of the excavations at Kenchreai and the construction and opening of the Isthmia Museum. This includes donor correspondence, materials relating to fundraising, grant applications, University of Chicago Transactions, raw financial data, accounting materials, and receipts from the Kenchreai excavations. It also includes limited accounting materials from the Isthmia Museum.
Series 6, Restricted, contains restricted financial materials. Materials are restricted for 50 years from date of record creation.
The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:
Adkins, Arthur. Papers. 1948-1996.
Series I: Personal |
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Passport and Bank Book Cover |
Series II: Correspondence |
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1964 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1964 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1965 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1965 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1966 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1966 [2/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1967 [1/2] |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Correspondence - Kenchreai, 1967 [1/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1967 [2/2] |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1968 |
| Box 2 Folder 3 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1969 |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1970 |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1971 |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Correspondence – Kenchreai, 1973-1975 |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Correspondence – General, 1968-1972 |
Series III: Publications |
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Publications – Vol I. Topography and Architecture, 1975-1976 |
| Box 2 Folder 10 | Publications – Vol II. Opus Sectile 1975-1976 |
| Box 2 Folder 11 | Publications – Vol III. Pottery, Ivory, Veneers 1975-1976 |
| Box 3 Folder 1 | Publications – Vol IV. Coins 1975-1976 |
| Box 3 Folder 2 | Publications – General 1975-1976 |
Series IV: Kenchreai and Isthmia Administration |
| Box 3 Folder 4 | Kenchreai Field Operations and Excavation Reports, 1961-1962 |
| Box 3 Folder 5 | Kenchreai Field Operations and Excavation Reports, 1962-1963 |
| Box 3 Folder 6 | Kenchreai Field Operations and Excavation Reports, 1966-1967 |
| Box 3 Folder 7 | Isthmia Field Operations and Excavation Reports, 1960-1962 |
| Box 3 Folder 8 | Isthmia Museum – Broneer Correspondence, 1966-1972 |
| Box 3 Folder 9 | Isthmia Museum – Construction, 1970-1971 |
| Box 3 Folder 10 | Isthmia Museum – Plaque, 1971 |
| Box 3 Folder 11 | Isthmia Museum – Installation 1973-1975 |
Series V: Kenchreai and Isthmia Finances |
| Box 3 Folder 12 | Kenchreai Insurance, 1962-1964 |
| Box 3 Folder 13 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1963-1964 [1/2] |
| Box 3 Folder 14 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1963-1964 [2/2] |
| Box 4 Folder 1 | Kenchreai Fundraising, 1963-1964 |
| Box 4 Folder 2 | Kenchreai University Transactions, 1963-1964 |
| Box 4 Folder 3 | Kenchreai Accounts Ledger, 1963-1964 |
| Box 4 Folder 4 | Kenchreai Raw Data, 1964 |
Series VI: Restricted |
| Box 4 Folder 5 | Kenchreai Raw Financial Data, 1965 |
| Box 4 Folder 6 | Kenchreai Accounts Ledger, 1965-1970 |
| Box 4 Folder 7 | Kenchreai Accounting 1965-70 |
| Box 4 Folder 8 | Isthmia Donor Correspondence, 1965-1977 |
| Box 4 Folder 9 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1966 |
| Box 4 Folder 10 | Kenchreai Raw Financial Data, 1967 |
| Box 4 Folder 11 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1966-1967 |
| Box 4 Folder 12 | Grant Applications, 1966-1972 |
| Box 5 Folder 1 | Ibrahim Accounts, 1966-1967 |
| Box 5 Folder 2 | NEH Funding, 1966-1970 |
| Box 5 Folder 3 | Kenchreai University Transactions, 1966-1976 |
| Box 5 Folder 4 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1967 |
| Box 5 Folder 5 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1967-1969 |
| Box 5 Folder 6 | Ford Foundation Transactions, 1967-1974 |
| Box 5 Folder 7 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1968 |
| Box 5 Folder 8 | Kenchreai University Transactions, 1968 |
| Box 5 Folder 9 | Kenchreai Donor Correspondence, 1968-1970 [1/2] |
| Box 5 Folder 10 | Kenchreai Donor Correspondence, 1968-1972 [2/2] |
| Box 5 Folder 11 | Kenchreai Accounts Ledger, 1968-1977 |
| Box 5 Folder 12 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1969-1970 |
| Box 5 Folder 13 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1969-1973 |
| Box 5 Folder 14 | Kenchreai ASSA Transactions, 1970 |
| Box 6 Folder 1 | Isthmia Museum Construction, 1970-1971 |
| Box 6 Folder 2 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1970-1971 |
| Box 6 Folder 3 | Isthmia Museum Accounting, 1970-1973 |
| Box 6 Folder 4 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1972-1973 |
| Box 6 Folder 5 | Isthmia Museum Accounting, 1972-1975 |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Kenchreai Accounting, 1972-1975 |
| Box 6 Folder 7 | Kenchreai Receipts, 1973 |
| Box 6 Folder 8 | Kenchreai Accounts Summaries, 1974-1977 |