Top of page
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Joan Weeks, head of the Near East Section and Turkish specialist, African and Middle Eastern Division.) At this time of the year, many have thoughts of finding the perfect present for their loved ones or friends, and often a cherished book or a subscription to a favorite magazine for …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Near East Section
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Ann Brener, Hebraic Specialist in the African and Middle Eastern Division.) The time is April, 1879; the place, some town or city within the vast Russian empire. Perhaps there is a chill in the air for in Russia the winters are long, and on a night like this it …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Hebraic Section
Posted by: Levon Avdoyan
The history of Georgia and the growth of the Georgian language and ancillary collections at the Library of Congress is the tale of three republics. The first independent Republic of Georgia was established in 1918 following the end of World War I and the dissolution of the Russian Empire. That Republic’s fall to the Bolsheviks …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Near East Section, Uncategorized
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Joan Weeks, head of the Near East Section, African and Middle Eastern Division.) Journeys to Central Asia retracing the ancient Silk Road routes from China to Istanbul captivated American travelers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as they do today’s tourists. With the advent of photography and …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Near East Section
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Ann Brener, Hebraic Specialist in the African and Middle Eastern Division.) In the world of rare books, unicorns are frequently sighted on the pages of older works printed in the European countries, in languages such as Latin or French or English. There, in the guise of what is known …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Hebraic Section
Posted by: Levon Avdoyan
(The following is a post by Levon Avdoyan, Area Specialist for Armenia and Georgia, Near East Section, African and Middle Eastern Division.) I first heard the rumblings early in 2017: “The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is going to have Armenia as one of its featured countries in 2018!” In Washington, DC rumors are rampant, but this one was …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Events, Manuscripts, Near East Section
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Eve M. Ferguson, reference librarian in the African Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division.) Black Panther is the first superhero of African descent in mainstream American comics. The Library of Congress holds the Marvel Comics series, including “Black Panther,” dating back to his debut appearance in “Fantastic …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), African Section
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Mary-Jane Deeb, chief of the African and Middle Eastern Division.) Everyone is aware of some of the major archaeological discoveries in the Middle East: the King Tut discovery in Egypt in 1922 by Howard Carter, the British archaeologist, or the 19th century archaeological discoveries of Babylon and Nineveh in …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Near East Section
Posted by: Anchi Hoh
(The following is a post by Joan Weeks, Head, Near East Section and Turkish Specialist, African and Middle Eastern Division.) With winter doldrums fading away in the warm breezes of spring, many find frivolity and joyfulness a welcome relief to daily routines. April Fools’ Day is one such expression of the season. Although its origins …
Posted in: African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED), Near East Section