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National Museum of the American Indian
Neville and Eva Harte collection and excavation photographs
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAI.AC.089
- Creators:
-
Harte, Neville A.Harte, Eva M.
- Dates:
-
1951-1967
- Languages:
-
All notations on the photographs are inEnglish.
- Physical Description:
-
52 Photographic prints3.5"x4.25"
- Repository:
Neville A. Harte (1907-1997) was an amateur archaeologist in Panama in the 1950's and 1960's. This collection contains 52 photographic prints of archeological objects excavated at Venado Beach, Panama as well as photographs of the excavation itself. The archaeological collection was sold by Neville and Eva Harte to the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation in 1967.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The majority of the photographs in this collection are snapsots of archaeological objects from Neville and Eva Harte's Panama collection. These photographs were sent to Frederick Dockstader, director at the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, for the purpose of assessing the collection, which Dockstader later purchased in 1967. The photographs include images of archaeological items excavated by Harte at Venado Beach, Panama, in 1951 and 1957. Some photographs include Harte's original object numbering system. Object images include pottery, goldwork, shell and beadwork. There are also a small amount of photographs taken during the excavation itself at Venado Beach. These include images of men digging, pottery in situ and of the Venado Beach burial site. Images of human remains and of the burial site itself are restricted. These photographs have catalog numbers P19197-P19248.
Arrangement
Arrangement
Arranged by catalog number, P19197-P19248.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Neville Alfred Harte was born March 28, 1907 in England to John and Flora (nee Collier) Harte. Neville, along with his mother and sister, moved to the United States some time around 1923 and eventually settled in Florida. Neville and Eva (b.1915), nee Nelcolichif, were married in 1935 and had two daughters, Flora Agnes Harte (1937-1966) and Josephine Harte (b.1939). Harte joined the army and was eventually stationed in Panama in the Canal zone where he and Eva became interested in archeology and both joined the Archaeological Society of Panama. During the 1950s and 1960s, Harte conducted excavations at Venado Beach, Sona, Guacamayo, Rio Grande Valley and Madden (Alajuela) Lake. Harte's publications on the subject include a "Preliminary report on petroglyphs of the Republic of Panama, 1951 to 1960." After retiring from the army in 1968, Harte began reproducing his own replicas of golden huacas. Harte died in Florida at the age of 90 on June 21, 1997.
Administration
Author
Rachel Menyuk
Processing Information
Processed by Rachel Menyuk, Archives Technician in 2016.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These photographs were sent to the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation by Neville Harte in 1967 as part of a larger purchase of the Neville and Eva Harte Collection.
Separated Materials
Neville Harte's field notebooks between 1950 and 1962 can be found in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation records (NMAI.AC.001). These include--Guacamaya, Rio Grande Valley, Madden Lake (Box 247, Folder 4); Sona Expedition (Box 247, Folder 5); Venado Beach (Box 247, Folder 6). There is also a map of the Venado Beach excavation. There is additional correpondence in the MAI, Heye Foundation records from Neville and his wife Eva to MAI director Frederick Dockstader regarding the sale of their Panama collections to the Museum (Box 25, Folder 6).
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Conditions Governing Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish or broadbast materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu. Please note that there are restricted images in this collection.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Neville and Eva Harte collection and excavation photographs; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Related Materials
Related Materials
The Neville and Eva Harte collection (Gold, pottery, shell and ethnology) can be found in the National Museum of the American Indian ethnology collections with catalog numbers 24/0475-24/0495 and 24/0501-24/0726. To view these collections please visit the Accessing the Object Collections page on NMAI's website.
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama -- Antiquities -- Photographs | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photographic prints | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Excavations (Archaeology) -- Panama | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
National Museum of the American Indian
4220 Silver Hill Rd
Suitland, Maryland 20746-2863
nmaiarchives@si.edu
