Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich
Encyclopedia
The Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich (Antiquarian Society of Zürich), often shortened to Antiquarische or AGZ, is an association concerned with the study and preservation of the history of the canton of Zürich
. The society has its headquarters next to the public records of Zürich.
as a scholarly society of the urban
middle class
. Despite being merely a private association, it was granted a near monopoly on the findings of archaeological excavations by both the city and canton. Since 1837 the AGZ has published its reports annually.
(The Antiquarische Gesellschaft aims to be a bridge between the science of history and the historical enquiries of the interested public.)
To further this aim the society organises lecture
s, which usually take place in the winter; excursions, often in the summer or autumn; and guidance to researchers. The publications of the society rank alongside the Zürich Taschenbuch as the most important and valuable reference works for historians of Zürich to consult. The autumn lectures have become highly valued for the opportunity they present for the museums of Zürich to exchange information and ideas. In recent years the society has placed primary focus on conserving and restoring historical artifact
s and archive
s.
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
. The society has its headquarters next to the public records of Zürich.
History
The society was founded in 1832 by Ferdinand KellerFerdinand Keller (antiquity scholar)
Ferdinand Keller was a Swiss archaeologist. He is mainly known for his investigations of lake-dwellings in Switzerland in 1853–54, and work on the remains of the La Tène culture. He is the founder of the Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich....
as a scholarly society of the urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
. Despite being merely a private association, it was granted a near monopoly on the findings of archaeological excavations by both the city and canton. Since 1837 the AGZ has published its reports annually.
Objective
Quote: Die Antiquarische Gesellschaft versteht sich als Brücke zwischen der Geschichtswissenschaft und einer an historischen Fragen interessierten Öffentlichkeit.(The Antiquarische Gesellschaft aims to be a bridge between the science of history and the historical enquiries of the interested public.)
To further this aim the society organises lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
s, which usually take place in the winter; excursions, often in the summer or autumn; and guidance to researchers. The publications of the society rank alongside the Zürich Taschenbuch as the most important and valuable reference works for historians of Zürich to consult. The autumn lectures have become highly valued for the opportunity they present for the museums of Zürich to exchange information and ideas. In recent years the society has placed primary focus on conserving and restoring historical artifact
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
s and archive
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
s.