Universitätsplatz 3/II, A-8010 Graz

The Archaeological Collections of the Institute for Antiquity at the University of Graz were established as early as 1865; the Institute (formerly the Institute for Classical Archaeology) has only existed since 1894. The collections consist of three parts: the plaster cast collection focuses on Greek sculpture from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. The permanently exhibited section of the original collection consists largely of examples of Greek pottery from the Geometric to the Late Classical periods; in addition, there is a colourful mix of artefacts from all periods and regions of the Ancient World, including fragments of stone sculptures and architecture, terracotta and bronze statuettes, stone samples and much more. In addition to the Institute’s own excavation finds (e.g. from the Roman settlement at Kalsdorf near Graz), the study collection comprises, above all, a representative collection of shards of prehistoric and ancient pottery.

Universitätsplatz 3/II, A-8010 Graz

The former Institute of Ancient History and Archaeology (now the Institute of Antiquity) at the University of Graz holds a collection of approximately 1,000 rubbings of Latin and Greek inscriptions. As yet, only conjectures can be made regarding the origin of the rubbings; they are thought to have been made for the most part around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. The Greek-language rubbings are mainly taken from inscriptions in Athens, Olympia, several Greek islands and Rome, and date from the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD; the Latin ones are from imperial-era inscriptions in Rome, Italy and Eastern Europe.

Universitätsplatz 3/II, A-8010 Graz

The former Institute of Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Graz (now the Institute of Antiquity) is the only one of its kind among comparable Austrian institutes to possess extensive collections, including a sizeable numismatic collection comprising almost 4,000 ancient coins. The collection ranges from Classical Greece, through significant holdings of Hellenistic and Celtic coins, to objects from the Migration Period and the Byzantine era. The majority of the collection consists of coins from the Roman period. Individual parts of the collection have been studied since the 1980s as part of undergraduate theses and doctoral dissertations under the supervision of Heribert Aigner; in 2008, Ursula Schachinger published a catalogue of the entire collection in book form, which incorporated the latest specialist literature. This is because, particularly since the 1990s, a number of fundamental reference works on ancient numismatics have been published; these have become indispensable as standard reference works and, due to the reconstruction of ancient minting systems for specific chronological periods, have led to the establishment of new sequences of coin issues. The digital processing of the collection was initiated in 2010 through a collaboration with the Centre for Information Modelling at the University of Graz and is presented here as part of the ‘Online Portal for Ancient History’, providing for each coin both all numismatic data and accessible archival information, including images.

Attemsgasse 25, 1.OG, A-8010 Graz

Rudolf Meringer was born in Vienna on 9 March 1859 and obtained his doctorate in German philology from the University of Vienna in 1882. After fourteen years of teaching at the University of Vienna, he accepted a post as a full professor of Sanskrit and comparative linguistics at the University of Graz in 1899. From the outset, Meringer developed a particular interest in ethnographic research into material culture and is regarded as one of the founders of the ‘Words and Things’ school of research.

In 1931, Viktor Geramb acquired the collection—comprising more than 200 objects—from the widow of Rudolf Meringer for what was then known as the ‘Ethnographic Teaching Collection’. The collection largely documents Meringer’s preferred areas of research: the development of (tiled) stoves, hearth and stove utensils, and textile processing. The majority of the collection was acquired between 1900 and 1930 and was gathered by Meringer during his numerous travels in Eastern Austria and the Balkans.

Heinrichstraße 26, 2. OG, A-8010 Graz

Since the Middle Ages, the seal has been a legal instrument in its own right. It served as evidence and for the authentication of legal transactions and, in connection with the document, also provides information about the persons involved, primarily the seal holder. For it to serve as a means of authentication and identification, two important conditions must be met: 1.) The seal design must clearly identify the seal-bearer, whether through a coat of arms, a specific shape, the manner in which it is depicted, etc. 2.) The seal may only be used by that particular seal-bearer.

University of Graz’s collection, which consists largely of wax and plaster casts but also includes some originals, spans from the 9th to the 20th century and comprises a total of 281 seals.

Universitätsplatz 2/II, A-8010 Graz

Universitätsplatz 2/III, A-8010 Graz (?)

Schubertstraße 59, A-8010 Graz

The University of Graz Botanical Garden is a site with a history stretching back over 200 years, dedicated to research, plant conservation, teaching and recreation. Around 7,500 plant species grow across some 2.8 hectares; these are studied scientifically and are also open to the public. The garden combines a living collection with biodiversity and climate research, whilst also serving as a space for learning and discovery for visitors.

Holteigasse 6, A-8010 Graz

The University of Graz Herbarium (official abbreviation: GZU) is one of Europe’s most significant botanical collections, comprising around 1,200,000 specimens from all over the world. The herbarium’s collection comprises vascular plants, mosses, fungi, lichens, myxomycetes, algae and cyanobacteria. Currently, around 10,000 type specimens are held at GZU. Of particular international significance is the lichen collection founded by Prof. Dr Josef Poelt, comprising at least 220,000 specimens.

Elisabethstraße 30, A-8010 Graz

The Franz Nabl Institute for Literary Research has an extensive library currently comprising some 23,000 volumes, with a primary focus on Styrian and Austrian literature. The core of the collection consists of the estates and bequests of Styrian authors, including those of Barbara Frischmuth, Gerhard Roth, Reinhard P. Gruber, Klaus Hoffer and Werner Schwab. Recent acquisitions include the pre-posthumous collections of Wilhelm Hengstler, Franz Weinzettl and Günther Eichberger, as well as the publishers’ archive of the journal “manuskripte”. There is also an extensive collection of newspaper cuttings on more than 1,100 Styrian, Austrian and international authors. A collection resulting from a research project (1992–2002) focuses on key authors of the ‘Graz Group’, documenting the international reception of the ‘Graz Group’ up to 1996 and, in some cases, beyond.

Universitätsplatz 3/KG, A-8010 Graz

Universitätsplatz 3a/ZG, A-8010 Graz

With its four units – the Collection, Restoration, Digitisation and the Vestigia Research Centre – the Special Collections rank among the most innovative rare book collections in Europe. Among the highlights that are in high international demand and particularly sought-after is the Graz camera table, used worldwide for the digitisation of valuable unique items, which was developed in-house and originated from the collection itself.

The holdings date back to before the founding of the Jesuit Library in 1573 and comprise papyri, medieval and early modern manuscripts, as well as printed works up to 1900, maps, atlases, facsimiles and the contents of various archives.