Shared histories: New Work in British Museum and British Library Collections

Abstract

Since their formal separation following the British Library Act of 1972, the British Museum and British Library have largely taken separate paths. Several recent collaborations have aimed to study papyrological material across both institutions, addressing one or more of three strands of enquiry, 1. knowledge gained through systematic documentation of collections, 2. archaeological findspot and provenance revealed through object study and archival research, and/or 3. the cultural context of production and use.