Hermann Ranke Egyptian Section records

Hermann Ranke completed his Ph.D. in Assyriology in Munich then joined H.V. Hilprecht at the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania as his assistant in the Department of Mesopotamia in 1904. Succeeding years took him back to Germany to assist the Berlin Museum in the Department of Egyptology. In 1910, Ranke was appointed Professor of Egyptology at Heidelberg University. He attained full professorship in 1922.

In 1937, Ranke was forced by the Nazi regime to reliquish his professorship due to "un-German activities." He found asylum with his friends at the Penn Museum as curator of the Egyptian Section. He remained here until the United States entered WWII, then returned to Germany where his wife and three youngest children resided. He lost his oldest son in the war.

Following the war Ranke was reinstated as Professor Emeritus at Heidelberg.

Ranke returned to the University Museum, in 1948 as visiting professor and curator. During his tenure, the section experienced several important changes. Ranke prepared the first guide to the Egyptian collection and rearranged the mummy room. He began the publication of the excavation at Dendereh conducted by Clarence S. Fisher. His acquisitions included a painted stela, a kneeling statue from the time of the Persian conquest of Egypt and a Hathor statue from the last century B.C..

Ranke translated James H. Breasted's and prepared a new edition of Adolf Erman's primary text, . Ranke completed his major work a few months before his death in 1953; .

Hermann Ranke completed his Ph.D. in Assyriology in Munich then joined H.V. Hilprecht at the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania as his Assistant in the Department of Mesopotamia in 1904. Succeeding years took him back to Germany to assist the Berlin Museum in the Department of Egyptology. In 1910, Ranke was appointed Professor of Egyptology at Heidelberg University. He attained full professorship in 1922.

Ranke returned to the University Museum, in 1948 as visiting professor and curator.

The Hermann Ranke Egyptian section records fill one half of an archival box of material. Correspondence comprises almost all of the records with the exception of one file of section reports.

Publication Information: University of Pennsylvania: Penn Museum Archives, 6/1/2016

Finding Aid Author:

Use Restrictions:

Form(s)/Genre(s)

• Correspondence

Geographic Name(s)

• Egypt

Personal Name(s)

• Ranke, Hermann, 1878-1953
• Shadwell, Gilbert C.

Subject(s)

• Hieroglyphics--Egyptian