We all meander down the hallways of the library, but usually we are too preoccupied to actually look at the artifacts inside the glass cabinets. The Prewitt-Allen Archaeological Musem is a local attraction, but we take it for granted.
Over 900 artifacts, originating from the Middle East and Greece, make up the Prewitt-Allen Archaeological Museum at Corban University. Currently, about 200 of these items are on display in the 2nd floor of the library.
“The entire collection is unique.” said curator Dr. Adrian Jeffers. “We have the largest collection of biblically related artifacts on the West Coast north of San Francisco. There are several large museums in our area, but none have as many artifacts, especially related to biblical history. Approximately 80% of our artifacts are genuine.”
The artifacts in the museum were collected by Dr. J. Frank Prewitt and Robert Allen. In the 1940’s, Dr. J Frank Prewitt, one of the founding fathers of Corban and long-time teacher, led numerous tours of the Holy Land where he found many artifacts. Robert Allen, a part-time instructor at the college and amateur archeologist, participated in archaeological digs, of which he obtained the majority of the museum’s collection. He was credited for procuring three of the largest artifacts, replicas of the Code of Hammurabi, the Rosetta Stone, and the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser.
“Several vie for the ‘most treasured artifact’ honor.” said Jeffers. “Perhaps the colossal Code of Hammurabi, standing at about 9 ft tall is the most treasured. Its lengthy code of laws, which closely coincides with that of Moses, makes it very significant for biblical studies.”
The museum is listed with the AAA list of local attractions and with the Oregon Museums Association. It is open to the public and tours may be arranged. For more information contact Dr. Adrian Jeffers at adjeffers@corban.edu.