ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Museum. In the course of these operations, more than 275 tombs were opened, and the 

 Acropolis of Camirus was also explored. 



On excavating on this latter site, various foundations of wulls were laid bare, and under 

 these foundations a curious system of galleries, with shafts at intervals, apparently to hold 

 water, has been tiaceu out. A variety of early cintiquities in porcelain, bronze, ivory, gold, 

 potterv, and various minerals, have been found in these shafts and galleries. The I'ruiis of 

 tiiese excavations constitute some of the mo^t important accessions which have been made 

 for many years to the Department. 



The Antiquities found consist of the following classes : — 



Painted Fictile Vases from the earliest to the latest period of Greek Ceramography, and 

 comprising a number ot interesting and valuable specimens of tiie best style. Among these 

 vases n^ay be especially noted the following : — 



1. A drinking cup, on the inside of which is a figure of Aphrodite borne through the 

 air on a swan. Her name is inscribed above her. This design is drawn in brown, on a white 

 ground. The drapery of Aphrodite is coloured red. The group is exquisitely composed 

 and drawn with a mastery which shows that the vase belongs to the finest period of Greek 

 Art ; it is probably of the period of Phidias. Whether this cup be of Rhodian fabric or 

 imported, it will challenge comparison with the finest examples of Ceramography from 

 Vulci, Nola, or Athens. Height, 4 inches by 9| inches in diameter. 



Among the vases with red figures on a black ground are the following ; — 



2. A cup of the kind called Kantharos, representing on the obverse a combat between 

 Theseus and Andromache, on the reverse a similar combat between Paris and Phorbas, all 

 these names being inscribed. This cup is remarkable for the beauty of the drawing and for 

 its form, which is of rare occurrence. Height, lOf inches. 



3. A drinking cup on the inside of which is represented the Rape of Thetis by Peleus. 

 with the names of Thetis and her companions inscribed above them ; on the outside are the 

 combats of ^neas and Diomed, and of Herakles, Cycnus, and Ares. 



4. An Amphora on which is represented Phineus and the sons of Boreas. 



Small bottles and jugs of variegated glass called amphoriski and (jenochooi. The series of 

 these from Camirus is most reniarkablf for variety of colour and perfection of condition. 



Terra-cot tas. — Of these the most worthy of note are — A jar four feet high, with two 

 handles, the shoulder and handles covered with ficjures and ornaments in relief of a very 

 archaic character. Fragments of such jars are sometimes found in tombs in the Greek 

 islands, but this specimen is believed to be the only jar of so large a size which has been 

 discoveied entire. 



A terra-cotta coffin 6J feet long. 



Two small archaic groups in relief, one representing the Rape of Thetis by Peleus, the 

 other Aurora carrying off Kephalns, both coloured. 



A female figure, broken at the knees ; its original height must have been nearly two feet. 

 It is ornamented with earrings and two necklaces resembling those of the small statuettes 

 which are found at Dali, in Cyprus, and which are, therefore, probably of Phoenician 

 origin. This figure is painted in black and red, and is a most curious specimen of archaic 

 art. 



A number of small draped female figures (probably representin.^ the Aphrodite 

 Persephone), grotesque male figures, pigs und other animals, masks, and neurospasta or 

 jointed dolls. 



Porcelain. — A most interesting collection of objects in this material was found in the 

 shafts and galleries on the Acropolis, at Camirus. These objects comprise statuettes of 

 Egyptian divinities ; vases in the shape of lions, sphinxes and other animals; other vases 

 with friezes in very low relief, and scaraboei, one of which is inscribed with the name of the 

 Egyptian king, Thothmes Hf,, a proof of the very high antiquity of some of these remains. 



Ivories. — In the same shafts and galleries were found numbers of amulets and other 

 small objects carved in ivory, among which are archaic masks formed of segments of ivory 

 beautifully jointed and united by a pin running- obliquely through them. 



Statuettes in Calcareous Stone. — A number of these, very rudely sculptured, were found 

 in shafts and galleries in the Acropolis. They probably belong to the Phoenician period. 



Gold Ornaments. — A few embossed plates from a necklace of the archaic period, similar 

 to those obtained from Camirus in previous years, were found in tombs. 



Alabaster jars (Alabasta). Of these there is a fine series. 



Inscriptions. — A decree of the people of Camirus inscribed on a marble stele. This appears 

 to relate to the division of landed property, and is a very curious specimen of early 

 Doric. Its discovery on the Acropolis of Camirus fixes the geographical position of that 

 city. Altogether the collection presents a rich store of materials for the history of Greek 



277. C Art, 



