14 ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, 6CC. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The Sloane Catalogues of "Antiquities" and "Miscellanies" have been transcribed, 

 comprising 3,276 entries. 



Hand Catalogues have been made of the books of reference in the Studies of the 

 Department. 



II. — Acquisitions. 



The acquisitions of the Department are 875 in number, and may be classed as follows: — 



Egyptian. — A funereal ritual on papyrus, in the Hieratic character. 

 A bronze figure of Is is winged. 



A cast of the upper part of the statue of a functionary, with the name of Psamraetichus I., 

 inscribed over a royal name anciently erased ; presented by John Lee, Esq., ll.d. 



Babylonian and Assyrian. — Tvvo sculptured stones from Babylon, similar to tiie well- 

 known " Caillou Michaud" at Paris. On one of them is the figure of an early Babylonian 

 king in low relief, and an inscription relating to the purchase of a field; the other conta.ins 

 a similar inscription, and the name of the king Merodach-adan-iikhi. On the conical top of 

 each stone are various symbols of divinities. Probable date, the 12th century before Christ. 



Two monolithic monuments brought from Kurkh, near the source of the Tigris ; they have 

 on them basreliefs of monarchs, and long inscriptions on every side. One commemorates 

 Asshur-izir-pal, who reigned b. c. 880 ; the other, his son Shalmaneser. 



Sixteen engraved cylinders of hard stone, chiefly of Chaldean workmanship, and four 

 gems. 



Phanician and Early Oriental. — Four gems, with Phoenician inscriptions. 



An Intaglio of large size, representing a monarch in a Parthian head-dress, and a Pelilevi 

 inscription in honour of Balak-pati, " Lord of Spoilers," a name not to be found in the 

 dynastic lists of the period. Also, six other gems with Pehlevi inscriptions, and three 

 Gnostic gems. 



Six Himyaritic inscriptions on stone obtained at Marib, in Southern Arabia, by Mikal 

 Joseph ; purchased from the British and Foreign Bible Society. Two inscriptions of the 

 same kind, one from Taizz in Yemen, the other from Abyan, near Aden, both presented by 

 Colonel Playfair. 



An altar dedicated to Athor &c., with a Himyaritic inscription, found at Abyan near 

 Aden, and a slab with a Hebrew inscription from Aden, both presented by Colonel Coghlan. 



Early Christian. — The important collection of Christian Glass from the Catacombs at 

 Rome, belonging formerly to the Count Matarozzi of Urbania, and engraved in Garrucci, 

 Vetri oriiali di figure in oro. It consists of 17 specimens, remarkable for their sub- 

 jects, as well as their completeness and preservation. Among the subjects may be men- 

 tioned, Moses striking the Rock, Daniel and the Dragon, the seven-branched Candlestick, 

 busts of Christ, figures of St. Peter and St. Paul, and other early Saints, portraits of 

 various persons with their names inscribed, of which the most remarkable is dedicated to 

 the Acherontine Hercules. This addition to the series of similar objects already in the 

 Museum renders the National Collection second only to that of the Vatican in early 

 Christian glass. 



A leaden seal from the Catacombs of Syracuse, presented by George Dennis, Esq., H. M. 

 Vice-Consul at Benghazi. 



British and Mediceval. — The Foreign illustrations of this section have been increased by 

 the three following important additions : — 



(1.) A slab of stalagmite, in which ai-e imbedded worked flmts associated with Reindeer 

 bones, worked and unvvorked, and other traces of contemporary human presence; excavated 

 in a cave at Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France, and proving the existence of man in that district 

 in a state of great barbarism, while herds of Reindeer must have been common. Presented 

 by Henry Christy, Esq., and M. Edouard Lartet, of Paris. 



(2.) A typical collection of Antiquities of the Stone Period, found in the Lakes of Swit- 

 zerland, on the sites of dwellings built on piles ; obtained by the Hon. Admiral Harris, 

 H. M. Minister at Berne, and derived principally from the collections of MM. Lcihle, Messi- 

 kommer, and Uhlman. Also, a small series of Antiquities of the Bronze Period, from other 

 lake dwellings in Switzerland ; presented by Colonel Schwab, of Bienne, and by J. H. M. 

 Weitbrecht, Esq. 



(8.) Three iron celts and fragments of bronze ornaments and pottery, from the remarkable 

 Celtic Cemetery at Hallstatt, in the Salzkammergut of Austria ; presented by Bergmeister 

 Ramsauer, of Hallstatt. 



The British series has received the following additions : — Fragments of British pottery, 

 found in a cave near Bury Head, Devon ; presented by Farnham Maxwell Lyie, Esq. 



A British urn, found near Abingdon ; presented by W. H. Davies, Esq. 



Two flint knives, found near Eyeworih Wood, Hants. ; presented by Henry Drayson, Esq. 



A series of bronze weapons, implements, and ornaments, 148 in number, partly found in 

 the Thames, partly in Ireland; transferred irom the Museum of Practical Geology. 



Three bronze celts, presented by John Henderson, Esq. ; and four bronze celts and a 

 bronze knife of rare form, presented by Henry Christy, Esq. 



Two fragments of gold from the treasure trove at Mountfield, near Lewes; presented by 

 the Lords of the Treasury. 



A remarkable 



