Welcome to the Peabody Institute online catalog!
**The collections and archives will be unavailable for research access from January 2023 through November 2023 due to building renewal work. NAGPRA and consultation inquiries will be prioritized buy may experience a delayed response. Contact Curator of Collections, Marla Taylor at mtaylor@andover.edu with any questions.**
The Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology curates artifacts, documents, and images pertaining to indigenous cultures of the Americas, past and present. The geographical areas with the most complete representation are the Northeastern, Southeastern, and Southwestern United States; the Arctic and Subarctic, Central and South America, and Mexico.
A full list of the sites represented in our collection can be found here.
The Peabody Institute encourages research on the collections that it holds and supports a wide variety of research methods.
The Peabody Institute is also committed to involving Indigenous communities and groups in research efforts involving Peabody collections (archives, photographs, and items), including decision-making about the appropriateness of research activities and analysis. Consultation is required as part of any application for access to collections.
A Collections Research Request form must be completed and submitted for all research inquiries that require access to the collections. Non-invasive techniques including, but not limited to, 3-D scanning, pXRF, and x-ray, as well as invasive techniques, including, but not limited to, radiocarbon dating, compositional analysis, DNA, and isotopic analysis require the completion of the Analysis Request Form.
All research and image reproduction inquiries should be sent to the Curator of Collections, Marla Taylor, at mtaylor@andover.edu.
The Peabody Institute strives for accuracy in collections records. If you notice an error, incorrect cultural attribution, or identify any items that should not be shared online, please let us know via email to mtaylor@andover.edu.
Our online catalog is actively growing and new records are added regularly. We encourage you to explore our site and return often.
Tips for Searching
Need some help getting started with your search? Try the Random Images button to see an assortment of images from the records online. Use Keyword Search to search all fields or Advanced Search for information in a specific data field if you know what you are looking for. You can also browse the collection by using the Objects or Archives button.
Keyword searches use OR as the default connector between words (e.g. a search for Bull Brook will return records associated with Bull OR Brook). If you want to find records where both keywords are found, type in AND between the two words.
To search for a specific phrase, be sure to put the phrase within quotes (e.g. "Rocky Pine Ranch"). You can also use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard (e.g. a search for histor* would come up with records containing history, histories, historical, etc.). Searches are not case sensitive.