A.R.A.S. and Amplification

The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS) is a collection of 14,000 photographs of works of art and other human artifacts collected for the archetypal references within the symbolic content of the images. The photograph is accompanied by a text describing the visual detail of the item, its origin and historical context and possible interpretations of the symbol where that is possible and appropriate. In most instances, the Archive also has a slide of the item, many in colour. Each item is also cross-indexed by the various visual components which constitute the image, hence an alchemical couple will appear in the subject index as King and Queen, Sol and Luna, Sun, Moon, gold, silver, union.

While the informing point of view of ARAS is that of analytical psychology, the objective data presented in the descriptions open the archive to users other than therapists and their patients. These two groups find abundant material for the interpretation of symbols in dreams, active imagination, and other facets of analytical work. The Archive has also been used by a theatre director looking for ideas for sets and costumes, by an artist developing a survey of masks throughout world history, by a theologian looking for an androgynous figure of Christ, and by an analyst using slides for a lecture on feminine images. These examples illustrate the variety of interests which lead people to use ARAS.

The cross-indexing by theme makes possible comparisons across temporal and cultural boundaries, and the collection will be enriched as a wider range of cultural examples are made available. A generous grant from Mr Bingham's Trust for Charity will make possible the completion of the basic sections of the Archive within five years.

ARAS derives its origin from the collection of pictures which Olga Froebe had assembled as part of the Eranos conferences which she sponsored at Ascona, Switzerland. In she presented the Eranos Archive to the Warburg Institute in London an