GENERAL PROGRESS AT THE MUSEUM. 17 



queen of the XXIst Dynasty ; a collection of 970 scarabs ; 

 a collection of nearly three thousand early Babylonian tablets ; 

 some important Hittite tablets ; a bronze Egyptian serpent, 

 presented by the Earl of Carnarvon ; and a remarkable 

 collection of cylinder-seals acquired in Assyria by Sir Henry 

 Layard and. bequeathed by Lady Layard. 



The acquisitions of the Department of Greek and Roman 

 Antiquities include six fine bronze statuettes, a large bronze axe, 

 several interesting vases and fragments of early pottery, and a 

 fine mosaic pavement from the Rhone Valley. 



The Department of British and Mediaeval Antiquities has 

 made the most valuable acquisition of the year in the splendid 

 collection of Limoges enamels and other examples of mediaeval 

 art bequeathed by the late Canon S. Barwell. This was the 

 finest private collection of these enamels in existence, and 

 correspondingly enriches the Museum. A full description of it 

 is given below. Another striking and important acquisition, of 

 a very different kind, is the seated figure of a Buddhist devotee, 

 in pottery of the T'ang period, of more than life-size, which has 

 no equal, and very few competitors, out of China. The 

 National Art-Collections Fund and several private friends have 

 been instrumental in obtaining this and many other valuable 

 additions to the riches of the Museum. Among the mediaeval 

 acquisitions attention may be called to the seal-matrices from 

 the Dimsdale sale, and a gilt pocket dial presented by 

 Mr. M. Rosenheim. His Majesty the King has been graciously 

 pleased to deposit in the Museum a number of objects presented 

 to him by the Dalai Lama of Tibet, including a remarkable 

 saddle, on which the first Dalai Lama rode into Lhasa. 



In the Department of Coins and Medals special attention 

 is due to the unique gold coin of Off'a, the first coin struck in 

 this metal by any English king, which was obtained at the 

 Carlyon-Britton sale, with several other interesting coins. A 

 silver tetradrachm of Timarchus (one of three known), and a 

 double denarius of Germanicus, of which only one other 

 specimen .is known, may also be mentioned, together with the 

 gift by Sir R. H. Lang of a collection of Greek coins from 

 Cyprus. 



The special Parliamentary grant for the assistance of Schools 

 of Art has been devoted to the supply of (1) casts of ancient 

 sculpture, (2) facsimiles of illuminated manuscripts, (3) electro- 

 types of Italian Renaissance medals. Gifts of official publica- 

 tions have also been made to many local libraries and 

 museums. 



The following are the publications issued by the Depart- 

 ments at Bloomsbury during the year : — 



Catalogue of Egyptian Scarabs, &c., in the British Museum. 

 By H. R. Hall. Vol. I. : Royal Scarabs. With 1,518 illustra- 

 tions in the text. 4to., 1^. 15s. 



Hieroglyphic Texts from Egyptian Stelse, &c., in the British 

 Museum. Part IV. 50 plates. Folio, 7s. 6d. 



0.75 B 



