320 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



S. A., from southern Calitornia; collection of Capt. A. W. Whipple, U. S. A., from 

 Southwest; collection of Rouncevelle Wililman, from eastern Cuina; collection of 

 the Wilkes Exploring Expedition from Polynesia to the West Coast of America. 



In addition to those already named should be mentioned the A-arious branches of 

 the United States executive service, the Department of State, the War Department, 

 the Navy Department, and the Department of the Interior. 



Of the Section of Oriental Antiquities and Religious Ceremonials, 

 Dr. Cyrus Adler writes : 



This section comprises a small collection, interesting not so much because of the 

 intrinsic value of the objects as because of the relation in which they are shown. 

 It may be divided, according to religions and nations, into nine sections: (1) Bib- 

 lico-Judaic, (2) Christian, (3) Mohammedan, (4) Egyptian, (5) Assyro-Babylonian, 

 (6) Hittite, (7) Gricco-Roraan, (8) Brahman, (9) Buddhist. 



Of the Biblico-Judaic section, the collection of manuscripts and editions of the 

 Bible and its versions (forty-one in number) may be considered as the most impor- 

 tant, having both a literary and paleographic interest. Next to this may be men- 

 tioned the collection of objects of Jewish ceremonials, which, besides being a 

 complete set of the objects used by the Jews in their religious observances, is of 

 much artistic and historical value. 



In the Egyptian section the mummy with its cases and the facsimile of the " Book 

 of the Dead" ranks foremost. In the Assyro-Babylonian section the most imposing 

 objects are the two colossal composite figures and the model of a temple tower of 

 Babel, the latter being unique. For purposes of the study of the mythology and 

 culture of Mesopotamia, the collection of seals (upwards of 300 in number) is 

 important. 



The whole collection of Hittite casts (thirty-eight) is unique in America, and affords 

 a basis for the study of the history and civilization of this people, who played such 

 an important part in the ancient history of the Orient. 



In the Grseco-Roman division rank foremost the Serpent Column of Delphi and the 

 reliefs of the pedestal of the Obelisk, both from the Hippodrome in Constantinoi>le. 

 These casts are unique. 



In the Buddhist section there are some fine images of Buddha of carved wood and 

 bronze, models of pagodas from Japan, and a rare collection of musical instruments 

 as well as other religious implements from China. 



A rare piece of mosaic, representing a lion attacking a horse, from an ancient 

 temple in Carthage, also deserves especial mention. 



The varied collections grouped together in the Department of Arts 

 and Industries are not readily summarized, but the following state- 

 ments of those having the most important series in charge will be of 

 interest : 



In the section of historical collections [writes Mr. A. Howard Clark, honorary 

 curator] are exhibited personal relics of representative men and memorials of events 

 and places of historic importance. The nucleus of the collection ^vas the Washing- 

 ton relics transferred from the Patent Office in 1883, and these still comprise the 

 choicest of the historical treasures, including, as they do, so many objects intimately 

 associated with General Washington during his home life, as well as military 

 campaigns. Furniture, porcelain, glassware, and ornamental articles from Mount 

 Vernon, Royal Worcester vases presented to him by Samuel Vaughan, the Martha 

 Washington china, presented by Van Braam, a beautiful Niederweiler bowl, per- 

 sonally presented in 1792 by the Comte de Custine, and a nearly complete dinner 

 service of Chinese ware decorated with the insignia ot the Society of the Cincinnati ; 

 and besides these, the tents, camp chest, field glass, and writing case used by Wash- 



