Background

Welcome to Open AfriColl – Objects from Africa in the Collections of the Goethe University.

By providing an overview of available information concerning the number, status and provenance of objects in diverse research collections, this project aims to establish a baseline of transparency concerning objects originating from the African continent held by the Goethe University in Frankfurt (GU).

The results of the project are published on the website: www.open-africoll-gu.de.

The content of this page, including the database on object groups, is also available as a PDF booklet (15.6 MB, currently not accessible).

Irrespective of the circumstances of acquisition, these objects are now more visible to anyone wishing to access material ranging from sound recordings and photographs, to copies of rock paintings and plant specimens. In this way, the project lays the foundation for future cooperations between the collections of the GU and African partners. In the effort to document the current state of object information, Open AfriColl equally draws attention to significant gaps in knowledge concerning both the provenence and contents of certain collections. In this respect, the project is intended as a catalyst for future engagements.