Ancient Glass and Pottery. 7 



that they are not readable. The one here shown was made 

 in the reign of the Priest-King Dungi or Ur about 2500 B. C. 

 and is translated as follows : 



1. Half a gur and 2 kas (ephaha) of food. 



2. the property of Kul-bar. 



3. four kas of wine, 1 kas of food. 



4. the property of the palace. 



5. 5 kas of milk, 3 kas of food. 



6. 2 barrels of oil, 2 great barrels of oil. 



7. (signed or furnished by) Sin-Tur-Lik. 



8. the steward, the son of 



These tablets date back to different periods up to 500 

 years B. C. in the old Babylonian ruins. But most of them 

 not having been protected against the action of the elements, 

 where they were fully exposed in the dirt and gravel, have 

 become weathered until there are only small remnants left 

 and probably great quantities have been entirely destroyed. 

 Back in the same ages and in the same country and ruins 

 are found pieces of ancient glass, — cups, vases, and lamps, or 

 remnants or pieces of them, more numerous than full com- 

 plete specimens. It is claimed that many of these speci- 

 mens were made from pulverized gems or minerals, — dia- 

 monds, emeralds, rubies, garnets, topazes, amethysts, jades 

 and other fine stones pulverized and made into glass, some 

 of which are exceedingly hard and many pieces of exceed- 

 ingly fine and beautiful color, almost as fine as the gems 

 themselves. (Mr. AYalker exhibited a small bottle made of 

 pulverized gems). 



Of the old eighth century Persian or Babylonian pottery, 

 a most beautiful and exceptional collection has been gathered 

 from the old tomb and the old palace of Haroun Al Raschid 

 who is considered the most celebrated of the eastern califs 

 and the most powerful sovereign of the dynasty of Abbas- 

 sides. He is chiefly renowned as the hero of the "Arabian 

 Nights" entertainment; was born in 776 and died in 809. 

 The tomb at Bagdad in which his wife was buried, was com- 

 pleted about 795 and the palace some years earlier. In this 

 tomb he placed a very great number of the finest of the 

 pottery vases that the potter's art of those times could pro- 

 duce. 



Several years ago, the present consul of Persia to this 

 country succeeded in getting a concession or permit to ex- 

 plore this tomb and take out the pottery. Through the 



