INTRODUCTION. 



The following article has been prepared at the request of the Institution by Dr. 

 Pickering, in illustration of an interesting specimen of ancient Egyptian Archaeo- 

 logy, which was presented by Mr. Gliddon in 1842 to the National Institute of 

 Washington, and at the dissolution of this society in 1857, came by its charter 

 under the charge of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The cover of the Mummy-Case, obtained by Mr. Gliddon, was sawed by him 

 into three parts, one of which was presented to the National Institute, another to 

 the Naval Lyceum of Brooklyn, and the third to Mrs. Ward, of New York. Dili- 

 gent inquiry for the two last-mentioned portions has been made, in order to have 

 them also examined and figured, but without success, and attention is now called 

 to the fact in hope that if the other portions are still in existence, the fact may be 

 communicated to the Smithsonian Institution. 



The accompanying plate represents the cover of the Mummy-Case as if perfectly 

 flat. It is, however, curved at each side, although the upper surface is nearly plane 

 except at the edges. 



JOSEPH HENRY, 



Secretary, S. I. 



Smithsonian Institution, 

 July, 1st, 1867. 



(iii) 



