Central American Expedition records

In 1891, the Peabody Museum undertook its first extensive archaeological explorations outside of the United States. Under a special edict from the government of Honduras, the Museum began the exploration of the site of Copan. In recognition of this significant step, a special Committee for Central American Research was formed, consisting at first of Charles P. Bowditch and Francis C. Lowell. Over the next several decades the Committee organized and funded numerous expeditions to Meso and Central America. These expeditions included those led by: John G. Owens to Copan, 1891-1893; G.B. Gordon to Copan, the Ulua Valley, and Quirigua, 1894-1901; Teobert Maler to various sites, ca. 1904-1907; E.H. Thompson to Chichen Itza, ca. 1900-1910; R.E. Merwin to Holmul, the Hondo River, Quintana Roo, and the Peten, 1910-1915; and S.K. Lothrop to Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, 1916-1918. The Committee, especially Charels P. Bowditch, also actively supported the publication of the results of these expeditions in the Peabody Museum Memoirs series, which was established for this purpose.

Thousands of archaeological specimens and casts of monumental architecture were collected on the expeditions; these are stored in the artifact collections of the Museum and displayed in its Central American exhibit hall.