630 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886 



Marble. "Jaspe rouge." A jasper red breccia, with light spots and streaks. Slab 12 

 by 12 by 1 inches. Western Algeria. Gift of E. Fritsch, New York. 38841. 



"Breche sanguine"." Blood- red, light and dark. Western Algeria. Gift of 



E. Fritsch, New York. 38840. 



EGYPT. 



Onyx marble. From quarries at Blad Recam, near ravine of Oned-Abdallah, 

 Egypt (?). Polished block, 8£ by 7 by 7 inches. 25343. 



This stone, the so-called Egyptian onyx, is composed principally of carbon- 

 ate of lime, and occurs in large beds among the Tertiary limestones of Blad 

 Recam (marble country), near the ravine of Oned-Abdallah. The old quar- 

 ries which supplied the inhabitants of Rome and Carthage with the fine 

 translucent marble used in the interior decorations of their houses and mon- 

 uments were here situated. These quarries were for over 1,000 years en- 

 tirely lost sight of, and it was not until the year 1849 that they were re- 

 discovered by a French gentleman, M. Delmonte. In ancient times the stone 

 was cut into small vases for holding precious ointments. It is now imported 

 in considerable quantities into Paris, where it is used in the manufacture 

 of time-pieces, small vases, candlesticks, and similar objects. (On Build- 

 ing and Ornamental Stones, by E. Hull, p. 149.) 

 Onyx marble. From quarries at Blad Recam, near ravine of Oned-Abdallah, 

 Egypt (?). Polished block, 18 by 8f by 7 inches. 



This stone, popularly called Oriental alabaster, is another variety of mar- 

 ble derived from quarries in Egypt, and employed in works of art, except 

 statuary, both in ancient and mediaeval times. Its stalagmitic origin is at 

 once apparent upon inspection. The color is that of amber, or rich yellow- 

 ish brown, of various shades arranged in folds or wavy parallel bands ; 

 sometimes it is beautifnlly iridescent. The mammillated structure so char- 

 acteristic of dejiosits due to filtration or percolation is also not infrequent. 

 This stone was largely employed by the ancient inhabitants of Egypt in 

 the formation of canopi (or jars surmounted by sculptured images of the 

 dog-headed god), in which were deposited the ashes of the dead. Besides 

 these smaller objects, large cinerary urns were formed of this material. 

 This stone is popularly called alabaster, but is entirely different from true 

 alabaster in composition. (On Building and Ornamental Stones, by E. 

 Hull, p. 150. See text, p. 475.) 

 Travertine. " Orientalal alabaster." Yellowish and nearly colorless. Two speci- 

 mens. 4 by 4 by £ and 4 by 2 by f inches. Bowker, Torrey & Co., Boston, 1884. 

 36774. 

 Porphyrite. Egyptian porphyry or " roseo antico." Very dark red, with pink por- 

 phyritic feldspars. 2£ by 2 by £ inches. From quarries near the first cataract of 

 the Nile. 4863. 

 Nurnmulitic limestone. A portion of one of the steps formerly leading to the obe- 

 lisk at Alexandria, Egypt, now in Central Park, New York. Alexandria. Com- 

 mander H. H. Gorringe, U. S. Navy, 1881. 26816. 

 Granite. A block of red hornblende biotite granite found in the ddbris at the foot of 

 the Egyptian obelisk at Alexandria by Commander Gorringe during the excava- 

 tions preparatory to its removal to New York. That the fragment was originally 

 a portion of one of the obelisks now in New York and London is undoubted, 

 though of which can not with certainty be told. The specimen still shows the 

 original carving. Syene. Commander H. H. Gorringe, U. S. Navy, 1881. 26815. 

 A block of blue-gray hornblende mica granite, being a portion of a large col- 

 umn found in the d<5bris at Alexandria during the excavations preparatory to 

 the removal of the obelisk to New York. The locality from whence the rock 

 was originally taken is not known. Alexandria. Commander H. H. Gor- 

 ringe, 1881. 26817. 



