Rhein-Main Universitäten (RMU)

The Department of Near Eastern Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeological Sciences holds a collection of over 3,000 predominantly original objects from ancient Oriental cultures, mainly ceramics, bronzes, glass objects, and a large number of archaeological finds from northern Syria, due to its own excavations in the Near East, donations, and several extensive permanent loans from third parties. These finds, most of which have not yet been processed, offer a wide range of material for dissertations and research projects. They are also used in teaching, as they allow for direct observation, which is essential for archaeological training. A small part of the collection is on display in the institute's exhibition room in the IG Farben Building and can be viewed by appointment with the collection manager. 

As part of a digitization project funded by the BMBF, parts of the collection have been prepared for digital publication, including on the Goethe University collection website, and thus also serve to promote the subject to the outside world. As the department does not have the financial resources to expand the collection, it cannot systematically enhance it, even though this would be desirable, but continues to rely on private loans or donations from third parties. In addition to the objects, the department's holdings include several sets of documentation on various archaeological field projects, most of which have yet to be digitized and processed. These include the Moortgat Archive, with diaries, field notes, drawings, photos, and slides relating to the excavations at the Syrian site of Tell Chuera in the 1950s and 1960s.