Beyer Collection

The Beyer Collection encompasses pivotal events and figures in the study of Philippine culture and history. From Henry Otley Beyer’s early fieldwork in 1905 to his comprehensive research in ethnography, folklore, archaeology, this collection offers an in-depth look at the diverse cultural heritage and historical narratives of the Philippines. Key highlights include Beyer's extensive typescripts on various Philippine ethno-linguistic groups, rare publications, maps, and photographs documenting early 20th-century Philippine life.

Collection highlights

Black and white portrait of Henry Otley Beyer, standing with hand on ceramic pot wearing a white lab coat

Portrait of Henry Otley Beyer, standing with hand on ceramic pot, 1906, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142912561

Map of East India Islands, Dutch colonies, with Thailand, French colonies, Indochina and Malay Peninsula.

Henry Otley Bayer, Malay Archipelag 1:8,500,000, 1942, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-580711626/view

Faded sepia image of rice fields and rice terraces in a small village

Adolf Bernard Meyer and Alexander Schadenberg, Rice terraces surrounding an Ifugao village, Luzon, Philippines, 1887, nla.obj-142911367

Key items in the collection

This collection hosts a range of formats, including:

Papers of H. Otley Beyer, 1850-1964

At the core of the collection are 195 volumes of typescripts compiled by Beyer and his associates, mostly in the period 1912-30, on the ethnography of the Philippines. They provide a valuable record of Philippine life in the early twentieth century, before US influences became pervasive.

The most substantial series are Bisaya ethnography, the Ifugao people, Ilokos ethnography, Moro ethnography, Philippine customary law and Tagalog ethnography. There are also volumes on archaeological surveys in Rizal Province and Philippine tektites.

In addition to the bound volumes, there are drafts of Beyer’s books, articles and addresses and a huge quantity of manuscripts, theses and published papers by students and colleagues.

The collection holds around 140 maps, both printed and manuscript, ranging from 1894 to 1963. Most of the maps focus on the Philippines and include U.S. Army Map Service issues (1944–52), provincial maps, roadmaps, development plans, ethnographic and language maps, geological surveys, and tektite site maps.

Notably, the collection features an archaeological survey map of Rizal Province made by Beyer in 1929. You'll also find maps of Indo-China, Malaya, Indonesia, and other parts of Asia, offering a wider perspective on the region’s geography and history.

The collection includes hundreds of photographs, many of which are small and unlabelled. The images capture archaeological digs, weapons, tools, pottery, ceramics, and sherds. Other photos showcase temples, old forts, homes, villages, street scenes, and landscapes. You'll also find images of Ifugao villagers, wedding and funeral ceremonies, traditional dances, and parades. Additionally, there are group photos featuring students and academic staff.

Portrait of Henry Otley Beyer, standing with hand on ceramic pot

Beyer’s papers include correspondence (1907–64), notebooks, programs, newspaper clippings, and photographs. His extensive files cover his involvement with institutions like the University of the Philippines, the Pacific Science Congress, the National Research Council of the Philippines, the Philippines Geological Society, and the Philippines Anthropological Association, along with other academic organizations.

About Henry Otley Beyer

Henry Otley Beyer was born in Edgewood, Iowa, and studied chemistry at Denver University. He arrived in the Philippines in 1905, where he worked as a teacher and began studying the Ifugao people in northern Luzon.

Career and contributions

In 1908–09, Beyer conducted research in Asia, North Africa, and Europe and pursued graduate studies in anthropology at Harvard. Upon returning to the Philippines in 1909, he became an ethnologist with the Bureau of Science, conducting fieldwork with the Ifugao, Igorot, Apayao, Kalinga, and other groups.

Beyer joined the University of the Philippines in 1914, founding the Department of Anthropology. He became Professor of Anthropology in 1924, a position he held until retiring in 1954. He remained in the Philippines until his death in 1966.

Pioneer of anthropology

Beyer was the pioneer of anthropology in the Philippines and also made major contributions in the fields of folklore, customary law, archaeology, art and geology. Among his many publications were the Philippine ethnographic series (141 vols, 1912–22), Philippine tektites (1933–34) and Philippine folktales, beliefs, popular customs and traditions (3 vols, 1941–43).

A passionate collector

Beyer was an omnivorous collector. In addition to books, pamphlets, maps, manuscripts and photographs, he collected archaeological and ethnographic specimens, Philippine pottery, Chinese glazed wares and tektites.

Background to the collection

The Beyer Collection was purchased in 1972 from William Beyer, the son of Henry Otley Beyer.

The Western-language books and pamphlets from the collection are housed in the Asian Collections, each catalogued individually. Serials, newspapers, and books in Japanese and other Asian languages are mostly integrated into the general and Asian collections, with a select few retained as a separate collection.

Use the:

This guide was prepared using these references: