Middle East Centre Archive (MECA): Oxford University: St Anthony's College

The Middle East Centre Archive was founded in 1961 by Elizabeth Monroe and Albert Hourani. The purpose of the Archive is to preserve and make available to research the papers and photographs of individuals who have lived or served in the Middle East. The Archive contains over 3,000 boxes of papers and photographs of over 700 individuals or organisations covering the period 1800 to the present day with strong holdings for the Palestine Mandate and for Oman in the 1970s. Collections include articles from, for example, government representatives, members of the armed forces, bankers, businessmen, missionaries and travellers. Read more about the history of the centre here. There are helpful guides to different collections based on country, subject/time period and map, and handlists.

The St John Philby Collection in the Islam section of the catalogue (downloadable word document of the relevant articles attached to this record), holds correspondence with individuals in 6/5/1 and also papers relating to organisations in the UK, such as 6/5/4/8 London Mosque 1926-1956 and 6/5/4/15 Woking Muslim Mission 1933-1954.

The Middle East Centre Archive also holds a substantial photographic collection of over 100,000 images covering all areas of the Middle East from the 1850s. The bulk of the collection consists of early to mid 20th Century photographs with a smaller number of 19th Century photographs including Bonfils and American Colony. Major Collections include the photographs of Freya Stark and St John Philby. 

Part of the main collection has been digitised and can be viewed here. For example, the MECA Charles Butt Project - the Oman Photo Gallery, includes 300 images of Oman arranged in 12 themed photo galleries covering Agriculture, Boats, Coast, Buildings and Landscape, Camel Races, Charles Butt, Flowers and Nature, Food, Military, Oil and Technology, Parades and Displays, People and Sultan Qaboos.

To make an appointment to visit the Archive, visitors must first email the archivist at debbie.usher@sant.ox.ac.uk. Upon the first visit, readers should bring with them a letter of introduction and some photo ID (for example a passport), members of Oxford University should bring with them a valid Oxford University card.