TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 1217 
still remain, the thick strata of burnt earth thrown away in clearing them, and a 
great amount of pottery of a style not known elsewhere. Glazed ware was also 
made here, and large quantities of Greek imitations of Egyptian scarabzi and the 
moulds employed in making them ; such scarabeei were exported to Greece, and 
are often found in early Greek tombs. Shell-wcrking was also practised, and it 
is probably to Naukratis that we should attribute the carving of the Oriental 
Tridacna shells, usually attributed to the Phcenicians. Of the trade in later times, 
after Alexander, the immense quantity of amphora handles with names from 
Rhodes, Knidos, &c., are good witnesses. 
On the history of Greek writing light is also obtained, and we see that as early 
as the beginning of the sixth century B.c. writing was almost universal on the 
hundreds of bowls and vases dedicated in the temples, fragments of more than 
two hundred such inscriptions having been found in clearing the rubbish-hole of 
the archaic temple of Apollo; among them one by the traitor Phanes which can 
be dated within a few years of 540 B.c. The majority, however, are earlier than 
this. 
The history of Greek ornament is also illustrated, and we may trace the lotus 
pattern of Egypt, serving as the basis on which the Greeks developed their honey- 
suckle ornament with the aid of the Assyrian tree pattern. 
In short, we see here the Greeks, with a versatile and highly plastic nature, 
rapidly developing their arts and manufactures upon the models of the old civili- 
sation of Egypt. 
Another, and very different, interest is afforded by the illustration of Egyptian 
ceremonial at the foundation of their great buildings. For the first time the series 
of ceremonial deposits has been found, and we see the models of the vases for the 
libations, the cups for offerings, and the sacrificial instruments of the ceremony ; 
the models of the tools used on the building—the hoe, mortar-rake, adze, chisel, 
hatchet, trowel, and marking-pegs; the samples of all the materials—mud-brick, 
glazed pottery, agate, jasper, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, and obsidian; the metals— 
gold, silver, lead, copper, and iron ; and the founder’s name—Ptolemy II.—engrayed 
on lapis-lazuli. A model mortar and pair of corn-rubbers accompanied these 
deposits, and may refer to some unknown ceremony, or to the purpose of the 
building. 
The large collection of objects found will be distributed among public collec- 
tions, the most important going to the British Museum. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 
The Section did not meet. 
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 
The following Papers and Report were read :— 
1. On Ancient Tombs in the Greek Islands. By J. Tueopore Bent. 
The study of tombs in the Greek islands is conducive to a knowledge of ancient 
and forgotten lines of commerce. There are two periods in which the islands seem 
to have been especially used as depéts for trade: 
1. The prehistoric period. Tombs at Antiparos; why this island is especially 
favourable for this study ; nature of the tombs ; the marble ; obsidian pottery and 
jewellery finds ; speculative remarks as to the date of this race which first peopled 
these islands. 
- 1885. 45 
