John Phelps papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0053

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection consists largely of manuscript notes dating from 1936 to 1954 compiled by Phelps during his life-long interest in classical studies. The collection does not reflect his legal career or personal life. The notes include Phelps's research on the prehistoric solar calendar, his linguistic studies on the origins of plant names, personal names, and the names of the Mediterranean islands. Extensive notes from Phelps's study of the solstice in Latin mythology are the final items in the collection.

Dates

Creation: 1936-1954

Creator

Phelps, John, 1873-1955 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection is open for use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical Note

John Phelps was a Baltimore lawyer and classics scholar. He was born in Baltimore in 1873 and received his B.A. from Hopkins in 1894. He served as assistant State's attorney in 1896 and was professor law at the University of Maryland.

While in France in 1897, Phelps discovered a few fragments of the Coligny calendar which dated from ancient Gaul (70-80 A.D.). While studying this calendar, Phelps familiarized himself with Europe's ancient and modern languages and mathematics. In 1955, Phelps published "The Prehistoric Solar Calendar."

Extent

5.13 Cubic Feet (13 letter size document boxes, 1 letter half-size document box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

John Phelps was a Baltimore lawyer and classics scholar. Collection consists largely of manuscript notes compiled by Phelps during his life-long interest in classical studies. The notes include Phelps's research on the prehistoric solar calendar, his linguistic studies on the origins of plant names, personal names, and the names of the Mediterranean islands.