THE WEST AND EAST ENTRANCE “ALPHABET” DOORS of the JOHN ADAMS BUILDING

The history of the written word is depicted in sculpted figures by Lee Lawrie on the bronze doors at the west (Second Street) and east (Third Street) entrances. The center doors at the west entrance contain six figures, which are repeated on the flanking doors of the east entrance. The figures are:

HERMES, the messenger of the gods
ODIN, the Viking-Germanic god of war and creator of the runic alphabet
OGMA, the Irish god who invented the Gaelic alphabet
ITZAMA, god of the Mayans
QUETZALCOATL, the god of the Aztecs
SEQUOYAH, an American Indian

The two flanking doors of the west entrance depict six other figures who are part of the history of the written word. The figures, repeated on the center door of the east entrance, are:

THOTH, an Egyptian god

TS’ANG CHIEH, the Chinese patron of writing
NABU, an Akkadian god
BRAHMA, the Indian god
CADMUS, the Greek sower of dragon's teeth
TAHMURATH, a hero of the ancient Persians

Click here to read the story of the 2013 re-creation of the Lawrie doors in glass. The work was performed by the Washington Glass School.

HERMES also known as Mercury, the messenger of the Gods.

Bas-relief sculpture of Hermes, the Greek god, depicted in motion, holding a caduceus. The artwork is bordered in gold with the name 'HERMES' inscribed.

ODIN, the Viking-Germanic god of war and creator of the runic alphabet.

Bas-relief of a bearded figure wearing a horned helmet and holding a spear, labeled "Odin."

OGMA, the Irish god who invented the Gaelic alphabet

Bas-relief of a figure labeled 'OGMA' wearing ancient attire and holding a club.

A detailed brass or metal relief sculpture depicting a figure with an elaborate headdress and decorated attire, holding a flower or plant. The artwork appears to be influenced by ancient or indigenous designs, set against a vertical striped background.

Etched relief of a figure labeled "Itzama" on a metallic plaque with ornate border, featuring a person in ancient attire with a headdress.

Bas-relief of an ancient Mesoamerican figure in metallic stone with detailed headdress and jewelry.

Bas-relief of Quetzalcoatl on a gray panel, featuring a figure in traditional attire and headdress.

Relief sculpture of Thoth, an ancient Egyptian deity with an ibis head, holding a scribe's palette.

TS'ANG CHIEH, the Chinese patron of writing

Bas-relief of a historical figure in traditional clothing holding a scroll, with the name "Ts'ang Chieh."

Bas-relief of a winged figure holding a tablet, labeled 'Nabu'

Relief sculpture of a standing figure labeled "Brahma" with intricate details, draped garments, and a scroll in hand, set in a metallic frame.

CADMUS, the Greek sower of dragon's teeth

Bas-relief sculpture of a bearded man named Cadmus, holding a scroll and wearing a draped garment, set in a panel with a metallic border.

Engraved artwork depicting a figure in ancient attire with a beard, wearing a headdress and holding objects, labeled 'Tahmurath.'

Bas-relief sculptures on doors featuring figures such as Nabu, Tsang Chien, Sequoyah, Ogma, Tamurath, Cadmus, Thoth, Brahma, Hermes, Itzamna, Quetzalcoatl, Odin.

The following is an interpretation of the Symbolism of the Alphabet Doors at the Library of Congress’ John Adams Building. The article was written by James Waldo Fawcett and appeared in the Washington Evening Star on June 30, 1938. The text is copied verbatim, as printed by the paper.

“LEGENDS TRACED ON BRONZE DOORS ON BRONZE DOORS:

Library of Congress Annex Portals Depict Story of Written Word.

Seven pairs of bronze doors have been added to the Library of Congress Annex. They fill an equal number of entrances to the new building, each approximately 10 feet high by 6 feet wide. Three on the west and three on the east side of the main white marble structure pay homage to the legendary inventors of the several alphabets employed in the art of writing, and one on the south end allocated to the copyright office is ornamented with the seal of the United States. The seal of the Library, a human figure, symbolizing, physical labor, and a similar figure, typifying, intellectual labor – the former man, the latter, a woman.

Executed by the flower city ornamental iron Cove of Minneapolis, the doors were designed by Lee Laure, New York, sculptor, under the direction of David, Lynn, architect of the Capital. Pearson and Wilson, consulting architects and excel Alexander B Trowbridge consultant. The themes for the alphabet sequence were suggested by Dr. William Adams Slade, chief reference librarian, and approved by Dr. Herbert Putnam, the library of Congress.

On both the east and East front and the west two doors are identical, each showing six figures as follows:

Thoth, detected with the head of an ibis, was the representative of divine wisdom, and the Amman and Axel of all gods in the theology of ancient Egypt. According to tradition in the Nile valley, he conferred upon mankind political economy, as well as speech, and the graphic arts

Had Four Eyes.

T’sang Chieh, according to legend possessor of four eyes, is declared to have conceived the idea of a written language for the people of China from the markings of birds claws upon the sands of the seashore with Chu Sung he is still worshiped as a patron saint of pictographic letters

Nabu, the sum more Sumerl-Accadian God of the stylus, was perhaps the founder of the first institutional library, he is credited by, Ashurbanapal of Syria, having with having advised him to collect the written records of his country. Two of his statues from Nimrud are in the British Museum in London.

Knowledge of Letters

Brahma, the supreme God of the East Indian trinity, gave knowledge to of letters to the human race, and inscribe the text of the Veda on leaves of gold. His handwriting it is suggested may be seen in the serrated sutures of men’s skulls, if not elsewhere.

Cadmus, with the Phoenicians brought to Greece “a great variety of arts, among the rest that of writings.” His characters, Herodotus affirmed, were to be reviewed in the temple of Apollo in Boetinan Thebes, most of them shaped like the Ionian.”

Tahmurath, culture hero of Aryan antiquity, is reported in the Persian epic “Shahnama,” as having conquered demons and forced them to teach him some 30 scripts ***and thus delineate sounds.”

The center door of each series of three on the west, as on the east side of the annex is a door with figures tribute to:

Hermes, messenger of the Olympian deities of the Greeks, “invented astronomy, music, the art of fighting, gymnastics, the cultivation of the olive tree, measures, weights, and many other things,” including the alphabet and numbers. His Roman name was mercury, and he appears with wings on his feet

Discover of Runes

Odin, discover of the ruins embodied in the Havamal of the “Poetic Edda,” is the Norse originator of the science of written communication. He “looked downward” from the “wind-stirred tree,” and seeing the symbols, “fell to the ground.”

Ogma, one of the Tuatha De Danann, was the Irish inventor of letters, designer of the alphabet, which still carries his name he is called the god of “the shining countenance” in the mythology of the prehistoric Eire.

Itzamna, chief of the Mayan Pantheon is referred to as “Lakin chan, or “the serpent of the east” and the creator of men, animals, and plants, as well as the inventor of writing and books. His country was Yucatán, where he “divided the land among the people.”

Quetzalcoatl, “ most famous and picturesque of the New World Mythic figures, was the source of the Aztec Culture. Some writers think he really lived in ancient Mexico, perhaps “the most remarkable” personality in the annals of primitive America.

Sequoyah of Indians

Sequoyah, “sometimes called the ablest intelligence produced among the American Indians,” devised the Cherokee syllabary. He was born in Tennesee about 1770 and his celebrity is perpetuated in the name of the genus of the California giant redwoods and by an effigy in Statuary Hall in the Capitol.

All the figures of the alphabet doors are of equal size and all are profiles in Strong Relief. Carved borders of symbolic designs surround each of the seven entrances.

Mr. Lawrie, the sculptor responsible for the entire work, was born at Rixdorf, Germany, October 16, 1876, and brought to the United States in infancy. A member of the national Academy of design, the National Sculpture Society, the National Art Club and the architectural league of New York, and also an honorary member of the American Institute of architects. He taught sculpture at Harvard, 19 10–19 12 and at Yale, 1908–1918. Among his most recent creations is the bronze Atlas at the Rockefeller Center New York. He also contributed of his art to the Harkness tower, New Haven, the Nebraska State Capitol, the Los Angeles, Public library, the Bok, Carolyn Tower, Florida, Louisiana State Capitol, Myron Taylor Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, the Saint Paul City Hall, St. Thomas, Church, New York, and the memorial bridge, at Harrisburg, and the national Academy of sciences, Washington. At present he is a consultant to the board of design for the New York world fair. The annex raises five stories above the Second and Third streets at B St. level and Pennsylvania Ave., Southeast, there are two floors below ground level facilities were planned to accommodate 10 million books.”