Arabic Correspondence, 1958
Scope and Contents
The Aziz Suryal Atiya papers (1927-1993) contain curriculum vitae, honorary documents, membership cards, contracts, royalty information, personal and academic correspondence, memos, reports, class schedules and materials, notebooks, lecture notes, book reviews, programs, memorial materials, biographies, and maps. Some of the subjects included in the material are studies Atiya did for the Coptic Encyclopedia, an expedition he took to Mount Sinai, and Arab-Israeli relations. Also included are papers related to Joseph Smith's Egyptian papyri and Atiya's role in making them public. While searching for Coptic and Arabic papyri in the Metropolitan Museum of Art storeroom in New York City, it was brought to Atiya's attention that the Joseph Smith Egyptian papyri, which is significant because they are the original documents used for research to write Facsimile No. 1 of the Book of Abraham, a scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Since the Egyptian language could not be read in the 1830s and 1840s when the papyri were supposedly translated, this discovery provided the first chance to check Joseph Smith's ability to translate the Egyptian papyri. Atiya functioned as the mediator between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the First Presidency of the LDS Church.
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Dates
- Creation: 1958
Creator
- From the Collection: Atiya, Aziz Suryal, 1898-1988 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Extent
From the Collection: 36 Linear Feet (70 boxes and 2 oversize boxes)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: Arabic
From the Collection: German
From the Collection: French
From the Collection: Danish
From the Collection: Swedish
From the Collection: Norwegian Nynorsk; Nynorsk, Norwegian
From the Collection: Finnish
From the Collection: Dutch; Flemish
From the Collection: Spanish; Castilian
From the Collection: Portuguese
From the Collection: Samoan
From the Collection: Rarotongan; Cook Islands Maori
From the Collection: Japanese
From the Collection: Chinese
From the Collection: Korean
- Correspondence dated 4 March 1947 from A. Naguib Hashem to Dr. Atiya on lecture opportunity
- Correspondence dated 4 May 1958 from George Makdisi to Aziz Atiya
- Correspondence dated Nov. 1952 pertaining to donations to the University of Alexandria
- Correspondences dated 1949 regarding negotiations for Mount Sinai manuscript project
- Letter dated October 14 from Wendell Phillips to Dr. Atiya plus letter in Arabic
- Minutes of the College of Arts, Univ. of Alexandria, Dec. 16, 1952
- Munāqashat taqārīr baʻthat Dayr Ṭūrsīnā.
- Set 1 of undated correspondence written in Arabic, addressed to 2200 Kalorama Rd., Washington, D.C.
- Set 10 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 11 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 12 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 13 of undated correspondence written in Arabic, includes French and English text
- Set 2 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 3 of undated correspondences written in Arabic addressed to Washington, D.C.
- Set 4 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 5 of undated correspondence in Arabic, includes Itinerary and address in English
- Set 6 of undated correspondence in Arabic with English titles and authors of three books
- Set 7 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 8 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
- Set 9 of undated correspondence written in Arabic
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu