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Material concerned with the British Institute (of Archaeology) at Ankara and its interaction with the Royal Asiatic Society. These are:

• Note from the December Council Meeting 1986 concerning representatives from the Royal Asiatic Society on the Board of the British School of Archaeology at Ankara. The first representative was Sir Gerard Clauson, followed by Susan Skilliter. On her death Godfrey Goodwin has offered to serve in that capacity. Handwritten, undated. With the note is a copy of a letter from Godfrey Goodwin to inform that he is willing to serve. Handwritten, dated 19 July 1986.
• Letter from Dr Stephen Hill, Honorary Secretary, British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, to Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform her that at the meeting of the Institute's Council of Management, proposals for management restructuring were provisionally agreed. He informs that this change will be brought before members at the next Annual General meeting. Typed, undated. On this letter is a handwritten note concerning the change in Charity legislation and how this may affect the Society's representation on the Governing Body of SOAS. Dated 9 May 1994. With the letter are 4 pages on the restructuring of the Council of Management.
• Note from Dennis Duncanson to Dr MacDowall that he disagrees that the legislative change will affect the Society's involvement with SOAS. Handwritten, dated 10 May 1994.
• Letter from Peter Lawrence, British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, to Mr MacDowall to thank for his letter explaining how the Society is restructuring its Council and how members may be able to receive Society funds. He writes concerning discussions between the Institute and the Charity Commission. Handwritten with printed letterhead, dated 30 November 1994.

These Papers are mainly concerned with excavations undertaken by David Stronach and John Hansman at Šahr-e Qumis in 1971 and 1976, and by David Stronach at Pasargadae in 1963. There is also the manuscript for Hansman's book, "Julfār, an Arabian Port", and more recent correspondence between Hansman and RAS Archivist, Nancy Charley.

Correspondence and Papers written by Captain Thomas John Newbold between 1842 and 1849. The majority of the correspondence is from Newbold to Richard Clarke, the Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society. The Papers were mainly sent by Newbold to be read at the Society or published in its Journal.

Hodgson used much of his time in both Nepal and Darjeeling in research, wanting to discover and understand about the architecture, languages, ethnography, religion, zoology and botany. He collected specimens and manuscripts, and had many drawings made, which he donated to many collections throughout Europe. He was also politically involved during his Residency in Nepal, and also later in England, when he continued to show an active interest in the Indian subcontinent, particularly regarding trade and vernacular education. These Personal Papers reflect these interests and are a record of much of his activity - Hodgson and his wives seemed to have a need to record all his successes. He was also a keen annotator of material, so that most of the printed material also bears his handwritten comments.

The Papers of Alexander Johnston consists of manuscripts written by Johnston, commissioned by him, or simply presented by him to the Society. These are:

• Portfolio of material donated by Sir Alexander Johnston to the Royal Asiatic Society
• 'A Summary of the Principle Evidence for the Truth, Divine Origin of the Christian Revelation' by Beilby, Lord Bishop of London, translated J.G. Philips & C. de Saram into Sinhalese.
• "Moses in the Bulrushes - A Sacred Drama" and "Joseph" by Hannah More, translations in Sinhalese.
• Report on tumuli or barrows in the Sardis region (Turkey) by George Hale.

In 1934, a vase was unearthed in excavations at Tell ed-Duweir (Tell Lachish) in an expedition led by James Leslie Starkey. Theodor Gaster undertook to decipher the inscription on the vase, but before his decipherment was announced in The Times Newspaper the decipherment had been attributed to another. The items that comprise this collection are:

• Letter from Theodor Gaster to Colonel Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to lodge with him a 'lettre cachée' with his decipherment of the new script found on the vase. He claimed that he had originally communicated the decipherment to James Starkey but had suppressed its publication until the discovery of the ewer had been announced in The Times. However, in that time, another had been attributed with the decipherment. He was therefore sending a copy of his letter to Starkey, as proof of his claim, to both the Royal Asiatic Society and the Palestine Exploration Fund. With the letter is his copy of the decipherment and an envelope labelled 'Lettre cachée deposited with the R.A.S. by Theodor Gaster on 12.6.34'.
• "Discovery at Tell Duweir: Identification of the Characters" - letter to the Editor printed in The Times, 12 June 1934, written by Theodor Gaster.
• "Discovery at Tell Duweir: Early Alphabets" - letter to the Editor printed in The Times, 13 June 1934, written by Alan H. Gardiner disputing the decipherment.
• "Discovery at Tell Duweir: A Translation of the Inscription" - letter to the Editor printed in The Times, dated 20 June 1934, written by F. Melian Stawell to add her contribution to the decipherment.

Correspondence connected with the Archaeological Joint Committee and its interactions with the Royal Asiatic Society. These are:

Letter from C.J. Gadd, Honorary Secretary, Archaeological Joint Committee, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to send a copy of a letter which has been sent to the Colonial Office, and to ask for its consideration at the next meeting of the Society's Council. Typed, dated 8 April 1832. With this letter is a copy of the letter sent by the Archaeological Joint Committee to the Colonial Office to ask for formal recognition of the Committee. Typed, dated April 1932.

Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to the Honorary Secretary, Archaeological Joint Committee, to state that the letter received would be brought before the Council at its next meeting. Typed, dated 13 April 1932.

Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to the Honorary Secretary, Archaeological Joint Committee, to state that the Council approve of all the suggestions made in the letter of the Archaeological Joint Committee to the Colonial Office. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 20 April 1932.

Letter from C.J. Gadd, Honorary Secretary, Archaeological Joint Committee, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to ask the Society to inform the Committee of the name of the Society's representative on the Committee. Typed with handwritten list of names of previous representatives, dated April 1943.

Agenda for the Royal Asiatic Society Council Meeting for 13 May 1943. Point 6 is for discussion of representatives for the Archaeological Joint Committee and delegates to attend the Conference on the Future of Archaeology. Typed.

Letter from Leonard Woolley to Richard Winstedt to express his honour in being nominated the Society's representative on the Archaeological Joint Committee. Handwritten with printed letterhead, dated 17 May 19443.

Letter from Edward S.M. Perowne, Solicitor, to Mrs Davis, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to ask of the outcome of the discussions at the Council Meeting regarding the Archaeological Joint Committee so he can inform the Institute of Archaeology. Handwritten with printed letterhead, dated 27 May 1943.

"University of London, Institute of Archaeology, Conference on the Future of Archaeology". Letter from Kathleen M. Kenyon, Acting Director, to inform of the upcoming conference to be held from 6-8 August 1943. Printed material with handwritten annotations.

Letter from President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Kathleen Kenyon to note that the geographical range of the forthcoming conference extends only from Britain to the Middle East, and therefore neglects that of India and the Far East. Typed, dated 11 June 1943.

Letter from Kathleen M. Kenyon, Acting Director, to Richard Winstedt, President, Royal Asiatic Society to inform of the reasons for not covering the Far East. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 18 June 1943.

Copy of the 'Notes of Excavation at Muqeyer during January and February 1858'. A handwritten manuscript with pencil drawings describing Taylor's excavations at Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq, in ancient times known as Ur. This is a description of later excavations, not those first written about by Taylor (wrongly attributed as J.E. Taylor) in the 1855 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, under the title Notes on the Ruins of Muqeyer.

Notes on the Ancient Figures and Inscriptions from Márab sent to the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society by George Smythan, and resented by The President of the Society, John Wilson. A description and analysis of inscriptions on stones found by Dr A. Mackell at the town of Márab or Sábá, believed to be the seat of the Queen of Sheba. Four stones were found, two of which were acquired and facsimiles made for the others. Mackell believed the inscriptions were more Ethiopic in character. Wilson compares these inscriptions with ones found by J.G. Hulton and J. Smith (see Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol.5, 1838, p.91). Wilson however suggests these may be of Sabean origin. The article is dated 28 November 1836 with a postscript, dated 2 December 1839, concerning Wilson's reluctance to have his findings published.

With the article are three lithograph sheets showing the figures and inscriptions.