Research and writings, 1929-2000

The Research and writings series contains professional records, research, and publications of the department staff, including articles, lectures, research notes, drafts, bibliographies, correspondence regarding scholarship and publications, invitations, and appointments. The bulk of this series consists of the work of Herbert J. Spinden. Texts of Spinden's articles are supplemented by correspondence. Some of the articles include "Survey of the Mask Panel in Maya Architecture," "Indian Manuscripts of Southern Mexico," "Understanding Our Latin Neighbors," and "The American Indians: A National Obligation."

There are three sets of Spinden's lecture files. The first contains correspondence regarding lecture invitations from the U.S. and abroad. The second consists of lecture texts from the years 1929 to 1949, including "The Royal Tombs of Southern Mexico," "The Final Word On the Maya Correlation," and "Indian Artists of the Southwest." In addition, these files contain lecture notes for radio broadcasts and public events, and course materials for the Brooklyn Museum and New York University. A third set of lecture files includes lists of lantern slides that accompany lectures, and correspondence regarding the slides.

Spinden's drafts and notes files contain working drafts of publications from 1929 to 1950, including "The Secret of the Supplementary Series," "The Bat Motif," "Tobacco is American," and the "Westward Ho!" handbook.

In addition to lectures and articles files, this series includes Spinden's correspondence with Alfonso Caso, Thor Heyerdahl, Juana Vogt and the Peabody Museum, as well as correspondence with Alfred Tozzer regarding models of Mayan temples made by the Works Progress Administration. Spinden's Research and Writings files also include appointments, bibliographies, income tax returns, Woodstock property documents, and a field report from Campeche. (See also Extra–museum activities series for additional articles and papers by Spinden).

Research and writings of other department members are represented in this series as well: assistant curator Nathalie Zimmern's research on colonial tapestries, Frederick R. Pleasant's articles and lectures, and assistant Marian Estabrook's research on Goanese textiles, and correspondence regarding the publications of Jane P. Rosenthal and Diana Fane.