The Legendary Scribes of History

Landmark

The Legendary Scribes of History

Bronze doors and glass panels at the Library of Congress John Adams Building trace the history of the written word.

Library of Congress · John Adams Building

The alphabet doors

Female figure on a Library of Congress door, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Female figure on a Library of Congress door

Door figure detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Door figure detail

Thoth, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Thoth

Ts’ang Chieh, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Ts’ang Chieh

Nabu, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Nabu

Brahma, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Brahma

Cadmus, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Cadmus

Tahmurath, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Tahmurath

Hermes, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Hermes

Odin, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Odin

Ogma, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Ogma

Itzamna, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Itzamna

Quetzalcoatl, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Quetzalcoatl

Sequoyah, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Sequoyah

Thoth, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Thoth, door detail

Ts’ang Chieh, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Ts’ang Chieh, door detail

Nabu, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Nabu, door detail

Brahma, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Brahma, door detail

Cadmus, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Cadmus, door detail

Tahmurath, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Tahmurath, door detail

Hermes, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Hermes, door detail

Hermes, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Hermes, door detail

Itzamna, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Itzamna, door detail

Itzamna, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Itzamna, door detail

Quetzalcoatl, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Quetzalcoatl, door detail

Quetzalcoatl, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Quetzalcoatl, door detail

Odin, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Odin, door detail

Ogma, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Ogma, door detail

Sequoyah, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Sequoyah, door detail

Sequoyah, door detail, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Sequoyah, door detail

Glass panels depicting legendary scribes, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Glass panels depicting legendary scribes

Glass panels depicting legendary scribes, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Glass panels depicting legendary scribes

Contemporary newspaper feature on the alphabet doors, Library of Congress · John Adams Building — Contemporary newspaper feature on the alphabet doors