MSS 287
Chamberlain Warren Samaritan Collection
Table of contents
Contact Information:
Special Collections
Michigan State University Libraries
100 Main Library
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.884.6471
E-mail:spc@mail.lib.msu.edu
URL: http://specialcollections.lib.msu.edu
Date Received:
Unknown
Date Processed:
November 20, 2006
Acquisitions Information:
The items, originally housed in the Warren Family Museum, were donated to Michigan State University when the museum closed in 1950. The collection was transferred from the University Archives and Historical Collections to Special Collections of the Michigan State University Libraries in August 1994.
Preferred citation:
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Box number, Folder number and/or title, Chamberlain Warren Samaritan Collection, MSS 287, Special Collections, Michigan State University Main Library
Copyright Notice:
Copyright is retained by the author of the items in this archive, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Usage Restrictions:
None
Photoduplication Restrictions:
Collection Summary:
This collection includes a variety of religious and liturgical materials used by the Samaritans. A majority of the collection consists of eighteen Pentateuchs, the earliest dating back to the 15th century. Other texts include Passover Prayers, prayers and hymns for the Day of Atonement, parts of the Defter, and liturgy and instructions for the Festival of Booths. Most of these materials are written in Samaritan with some instructions also provided in Arabic (exceptions noted in content list).
Two important and unique pieces highlighted in this collection are the Inscriptions, which include a marble piece with Samaritan inscription dating back to the 3-6 centuries and a brass scroll case inlaid with silver from the 16th century.
Historical Background:
Samaritans claim their descent from the northern kingdom of Israel, formed when the north seceded from the union after the death of Solomon. Jews are descendents from the southern kingdom of Judah. Initially Samaritans shared with the Jews liturgy and common festivals, but over the years the schism between the two groups led to each community preserving their own traditions.
Once numbering in the tens of thousands, due to persecution and rejection only several hundred Samaritans exist in Israel today. While popularly associated with the “Lost Ten Tribes” and the biblical story of the “Good Samaritan”, the Samaritan’s culture and scriptural materials have also sparked interest in biblical scholarship and the Samaritan Pentateuch provides a “textual witness independent from both the Massoretic Hebrew and the Greek texts (Anderson, 1978)” that assists in the clarification of textual issues.
The Chamberlain Warren Samaritan Collection at Michigan State University is considered the most extensive set of Samaritan materials in the United States. Containing rare and important historical documents, this collection was used by Michigan State University Professor Emeritus Robert T. Anderson in his extensive work on the Samaritans which can be found in his recently published book Tradition Kept: the Literature of the Samaritans (2005) and in The Keepers: an Introduction to the History and Culture of the Samaritans (2002) co-authored with Terry Giles.
Processing Note:
The Chamberlain Warren Samaritan Collection contains materials acquired by E.K. Warren, a wealthy businessman of Three Oaks, Michigan in the early 20th century. Warren, very active in the World’s Sunday School Association, first met the Samaritans during a visit to Palestine in 1901. He took great interest in helping the Samaritans preserve their religious artifacts.
Materials are listed in numerical order based on type. Undated materials are listed with n.d. following the description. This collection was processed by Jill Abood on November 20, 2006.
References:
Anderson, Robert T. (1978). Studies in Samaritan manuscripts and artifacts: the Chamberlain-Warren Collection. Cambridge, MA: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Anderson, Robert T. (1984). The Museum Trail: The Michigan State University Samaritan Collection. Biblical Archaeologist. 47, 41-43.
Related Collections:
Additional information can be found in the Chamberlain Family Papers, 1795-1931 and Warren Family Papers, 1830-1936 housed in Michigan State University’s University Archives and Historical Collections.
Arrangement:
THE PENTATEUCHS
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| CW 2473 | Book form; begins at Genesis 4:11b; Samaritan; animal skin; no cover; 347pp; 30.5 x 38 cm; 1470. |
| CW 2478a | Book form; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan and Arabic; animal skin; no cover; 484 pp; 32.5 x 38 cm; 1484. |
| CW 2478b | Exodus Fragment; Samaritan; animal skin; 1 leaf; 15.5 x 9 cm; n.d. |
| CW 2484 | Book form; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; animal skin; red cloth cover; 427pp; 28.3 x 35 cm; 1474. |
| CW 2481 | Book form; Pentateuch; Samaritan, Aramaic, and Arabic; hand printed on paper; red leather cover with flap; 739 pp; 31.6 x 21.5 cm; 1880. |
| CW 2482 | Book form; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; red leather cover; 489pp; 10.9 x 9.7 cm; 1912. |
| CW 2483 | Book form; Exodus; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; purple cloth and leather cover with flap; 176 pp; 17.5 x 13.8 cm; 1749. |
| CW 10311 | Book form; Leviticus; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; maroon cloth cover; leather binding; 124 pp; 21 x 15.2 cm; 1753. |
| CW 10262 | Book form; complete Pentateuch; Arabic; hand printed on paper; leather cover and cloth binding with flap; 710 pp; 19 x 15.2 cm; 1700. |
| CW 2467 | Scroll with brass knobs; Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; early 20th century. |
| CW 10316 | Scroll; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; early 20th century. |
| CW 10317 | Scroll; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; early 20th century. |
| CW 10318 | Scroll; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; early 20th century. |
| CW 10322 | Scroll; complete Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; 1918. |
| CW 11704 | Photo; part of Genesis; Samaritan, Aramaic, and Arabic; 21 x 18.5 cm; n.d. (A-D) |
| CW 2468 | Cardboard sheets; parts of Genesis; Samaritan; 67 x 84.6 cm; n.d. |
| CW 10320 | Book form; each book contains half of one book of the Pentateuch; Samaritan; (20 Vols.) hand printed on paper, brown cloth cover; 16 x 11 cm; 1915. |
| CW 10309 | Book form; contains half of one book of the Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; brown cloth cover; 16 x 11 cm; 1915. |
| CW 10314 | Book form; contains half of one book of the Pentateuch; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; brown cloth cover; 16 x 11 cm; 1915. |
| CW 26369 | Book form; Genesis 1:1-28:22; Samaritan; hand printed on paper; brown cloth cover; 1915. |
THE INSCRIPTIONS
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| CW 2472 | Marble piece with Samaritan inscription; Exodus 15:3 and 11; 31 x 12.2 x 5 cm. ca. 3rd-6th century. |
| CW 2465 | Brass scroll case inlaid with silver design and Samaritan inscription; made in Damascus; 51 x 19 cm; 1523. |
MARKAH
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| CW 26349 | Book form; Markah; Samaritan and Arabic; hand printed on paper; red cover and leather binding; 681pp; 23.5 x 16 cm; n.d. |
LITURGICAL TEXTS
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| CW 2480 | Book form; Passover Prayers; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; red leather cover with flap; 389 pp; 22.5 x 16 cm cm; 1895. |
| CW 2486 | Book form; Passover Prayers; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; red leather cover with flap; 282 pp; 15.9 x 11.5 cm; n.d. |
| CW 10312 | Book form; liturgical prayers and hymns for Day of Atonement; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; leather cover; 190 pp; 22 x 12 cm; 1867. |
CW 10313 |
Book form; Passover Prayers; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; 162 pp; 21.5 x 15.8 cm; 1914. |
| CW 26343 | Book form; parts of the Defter; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; green cloth over tan leather cover; 280 pp; 10 x 15 cm; n.d. |
| CW 26344 | Book form; Festival of Booths; Samaritan with Arabic instructions; hand printed on paper; patterned tan leather cover; 147 pp; 16.3 x 20 cm; n.d. |