The Bissing Link

One of the largest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese antiquities worldwide was accrued by the Egyptologist Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bissing (1873–1956). As a scholar, university professor, and politically engaged Prussian nobleman he was an important link in the international network of Egyptology and in the distribution of archaeological objects to museums. He was also active in other disciplines regarding the ancient world, such as Etruscology. Already during his life, the collection was dispersed over different museums. Scholars are now trying to reconstruct it and better understand von Bissing’s role in early-20th-century Egyptology and related fields.

This volume includes a short biography of von Bissing. The main part consists of papers that investigate his role in Egyptology and archaeology, some aspects of his personal and political life, and the way archaeological objects were transferred to museum collections by his agency or donation. The papers not only illustrate von Bissing’s position, but also contribute to the reconstruction of his large collection. They constitute a useful tool for scholars working on museum collections, the history of Egyptology, and related fields of study.