ACCOUNTS, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. I5 



excellent condition. The cista, or basket, borne on the head of Seilenos is probably the 

 one used in the Dionysiac Mysteries, and, from the general character of the subject, it is 

 not impossible that this bronze was part of a Choragic monument dedicated on the occasion 

 of a dramatic victory. 



(3.) A small collection of Phoenician Fictile Vases and other antiquities found at Dali, 

 the ancient Idalium, in Cyprus. 



This pottery, which in fabric and design is nearly identical with the earliest Greek 

 vases found at Mycena3, Athens, and in certain islands of the Archipelago, has never been 

 discovered at Cyprus till very recently. Similar pottery has been met with in Phoenicia, 

 Palestine, Egypt, and Assyria. It seems highly probable that this kind of fictile vases was 

 originally fabricated by the Phoenicians, and imported by them into the Greek islands, 

 and that imitations of this ware were among the first essays of the Greek potters. 



(4.) The following fictile vases have been obtained from Athens : — 



i. A lekythos, moulded as a head of Hermes; the face is painted in several colours, 



which have been preserved almost in their original freshness, though painted in the kind 



of tempera used in Greek terra-cottas. 



ii. A small oinochoe, on which two Cupids, pouring a libation on a sacrificial altar, are 

 painted in red, with accessories in gold. 



iii. A very small vase in the form of a krater, inscribed ^tXta. 



(5.) A Greek inscription, of which the subject appears to be a decree granting a statue 

 to some citizen in reward for public services ; from Halicarnassus. 



(6.) A marble circular altar, round which are sculptured in relief the Nine Muses ; 

 from Halicarnassus. 



(7.) A large marble slab inscribed in Greek with a long list of names, probably of con- 

 tributors to some public subscription; from the island of Calymna. 



The following presents have been received by the Department — 



(1.) A bottle of green glazed ware, covered with reliefs, and probably of Graeco- 

 Phoenician origin. 



Presented by John Henderson, Esq., F.S.A. 



(2.) A small terra-cotta head, of archaic character, found in Asia Minor. 



Presented by T. F. Hughes, Esq., Oriental Secretary at Her Majesty's Embassy, 

 Constantinople . 



(3.) A bronze head of Polyphemus ; found in Cilicia. 



A gold ring, in which ia set an intaglio representing a bull butting in front of a small 

 temple on a rock ; found near Tunis. 

 A Roman ivory casket, from Cologne. 



Presented by Augustus W. Franks, Esq. 



(4.) A bronze hand, an oinochoe and a candelabrum of the same material, and a terra- 

 cotta votive foot. 



Presented by Professor R. Westmacott, k.A. 



(5.) A Roman terra-cotta lamp, found in dredging the harbour at Malta. 

 Presented by R. Bennett, Esq. 



(6.) A Greek fictile vase, on which is represented a group of Dionysos and a Mjenad. 

 Presented by the Rev. R. Mantell, Dean of Stamford. 



(7.) Eight terra-cotta impressions from the dies of coins, five small terra-cotta saucers, 

 and some glass cubes for inlaying. 



Presented by Madame Schindler. 



C. T. Newton. 



Department of British and Medieval Antiquities and Ethnographt. 



I. — A rrangement. 



The remainder of the table cases in the British Room have been re-Kned and the 

 contents replaced in them. 



A selection has been made from the large series of Prehistoric Antiquities discovered in 

 a cave near Bruniquel (Tarn et Garonne), France, and the specimens, amounting to 

 1,166 objects, have been fixed on tablets and exhibited in a table case. 



The series of early British urns has been removed to another part of the British Room ; 

 the extensive collection of ancient German urns, obtained from the representatives of the 

 late Dr. Klemm, has been arranged in one of the side cases ; and the repairing of the 

 Anglo- Roman pottery has been continued. 



274. B 4 Twenty- 



