Collections

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Collections

The Museum displays archaeological and ethnographic objects from all parts of the world. The General Pitt Rivers's founding gift contained more than 26,000 objects, but there are now over half a million. The extensive photographic and sound archives contain early records of great importance. Today the Museum is an active teaching department of the University of Oxford. It continues to expand its collections through donations, bequests and special purchases, as well as through students in the course of their fieldwork. The collections lie at the heart of our research and partnerships.

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Online collections

The online collections provide access to all the information held by the Museum about the objects and historic photographs in its collections.

Discover the collections online

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Ethnography and archaeology

The Museum holds archaeological and ethnographic objects from all parts of the world. It was founded in 1884 when General Pitt Rivers, an influential figure in the development of archaeology and evolutionary anthropology, gave his collection to the University. Others were inspired by his gift, and the collections grew exponentially over the last century.

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Photographs, sound, film & archives

The Museum has collected photographs ever since its foundation. We hold important collections of 19th- and early 20th-century photography, and important fieldwork archives, such as the photographs of the traveller Wilfred Thesiger, whose collection alone numbers some 38,000 images. The Museum also holds important sound and film collections.

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Conservation

Conservators at the Pitt Rivers use a variety of techniques to stabilise and preserve ethnographic objects, and slow down further deterioration. Their techniques include analysis of materials and historical research. These scientific approaches are coupled with an awareness of the sensitivities of originating communities.

Man reading a book between library bookshelves

The Balfour Library

The Balfour Library is one of the UK’s leading museum research and teaching libraries for the study of anthropology, archaeology and world music. It holds around 20,000 books, 12,000 pamphlets and 300 journal titles.

Human Remains

The decolonisation process

Maasai visitors to Pitt Rivers Museum. Photo by John Cairns.

Committed to Change

The Benin Bronzes

Axe, Papua New Guinea

This stone axe is from the Wahgi valley, dating to the 1930s. Many isolated New Guinea peoples predominately used...

This stone axe is from the Wahgi valley, dating to the 1930s. Many isolated New Guinea peoples predominately used stone technology until Australian colonists introduced steel tools...

This stone axe is from the Wahgi valley, dating to the 1930s. Many isolated New Guinea peoples predominately used stone technology until Australian colonists introduced steel tools in the mid-20th century.

Axe head, USA

This ground stone axehead is grooved around three sides for haft bindings. It is very old, probably from the Archaic...

This ground stone axehead is grooved around three sides for haft bindings. It is very old, probably from the Archaic period (8,000BC to 1,000 BC).

Caricature mask, Mexico

This carved dance mask is a particular type in which foreigners are represented as caricatures in secular dance...

This carved dance mask is a particular type in which foreigners are represented as caricatures in secular dance performances.

Gold torc, Scotland

This gold torc is part of the Law Farm Hoard found during spring ploughing in 1857 in Moray, Scotland. The hoard...

This gold torc is part of the Law Farm Hoard found during spring ploughing in 1857 in Moray, Scotland. The hoard has been described as the ‘richest gold find from Bronze Age Scotland’...

This gold torc is part of the Law Farm Hoard found during spring ploughing in 1857 in Moray, Scotland. The hoard has been described as the ‘richest gold find from Bronze Age Scotland’ and contained at least...

This gold torc is part of the Law Farm Hoard found during spring ploughing in 1857 in Moray, Scotland. The hoard has been described as the ‘richest gold find from Bronze Age Scotland’ and contained at least 36 torcs.

Glass bead with face, Cyprus

This 2500-year-old cylindrical glass bead features a human face on both sides.

Malangan, Papua New Guinea

This malangan carving is a painted wooden ornament with a central face and matching fish designs at the ends with...

This malangan carving is a painted wooden ornament with a central face and matching fish designs at the ends with green operculum shell eyes.

Metate, Central America

In Mesoamerica, women used metates (grinding stones) of volcanic rock for food preparation.

Ox-scapula shovel, UK

This shovel was discovered during excavations at the stone circle and earthworks in Avebury, Wiltshire in 1909,...

This shovel was discovered during excavations at the stone circle and earthworks in Avebury, Wiltshire in 1909, and dates to between 2900 and 2600BC.

Pottery lamp, Pakistan

This pottery vessel was excavated from Nal in the Indus Valley (located in present day Pakistan) and dates to around...

This pottery vessel was excavated from Nal in the Indus Valley (located in present day Pakistan) and dates to around 2500BC. The container is assumed to be an oil lamp, and the corners...

This pottery vessel was excavated from Nal in the Indus Valley (located in present day Pakistan) and dates to around 2500BC. The container is assumed to be an oil lamp, and the corners would have supported wick...

This pottery vessel was excavated from Nal in the Indus Valley (located in present day Pakistan) and dates to around 2500BC. The container is assumed to be an oil lamp, and the corners would have supported wicks.

Roman shoe, Egypt

This leather shoe and detachable sole were excavated in 1899 at Illatum, Egypt by the archaeologist William Matthew...

This leather shoe and detachable sole were excavated in 1899 at Illatum, Egypt by the archaeologist William Matthew Flinders Petrie. It dates to the Roman occupation of Ancient Egypt...

This leather shoe and detachable sole were excavated in 1899 at Illatum, Egypt by the archaeologist William Matthew Flinders Petrie. It dates to the Roman occupation of Ancient Egypt (30BC to 395AD).

Textile fragment depicting hummingbirds, Peru

This border looks like it was knitted as a 'free structure', but it is actually embroidered using a cross-knit...

This border looks like it was knitted as a 'free structure', but it is actually embroidered using a cross-knit loop stitch, which closely resembles knitting.

USB stick, UK

Archaeological objects can provide a snapshot of individual lives and cultural practices at a point in time, and...

Archaeological objects can provide a snapshot of individual lives and cultural practices at a point in time, and we are actively creating that archaeology all the time.

Our services

The Museum has a number of facilities to support research visits. Our staff are on hand to support requests, including the documenting and digitising of fieldwork collections. We support more than 600 research visits every year. We will do everything we can to provide access, and apologize if we cannot accomodate your request due to limitations on staff time or the fragility of items requested.

Discover Our Services

Detail of the neck of shirt (1893.67.5) before conservation

The work of conservators underpins every aspect of Museum activity, and their understanding of the diverse materials from which ethnographic artefacts are made is vital. As well as conserving artefacts, they advise on the control of the Museum's environment, prevent insect attacks without deploying dangerous pesticides, and oversee the safe packing of artefacts for international loan or safe storage.

The case studies on this page document the work of the conservators responsible for safeguarding the 300,000 artefacts in the Museum's collections.

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