REPORT ON THE SECTION OF ORIENTAL ANTIQUITIES 

 IN THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



By Cyrus Adler, Assistant Curator 



In the absence in Europe of Prof. Paul Haupt, honorary curator of 

 the section, I beg to submit the following report for the past fiscal 

 year. 



The collections exhibited are still confined to Babylonian, Assyrian, 

 and Egyptian objects, and the considerable amount of material now in 

 the Museum which would naturally come under the heading of Biblical 

 Archeology is exhibited in other departments. Possibly the most 

 gratifying results of the year's work, the character of which did not 

 differ from the preceding one, is the increased cooperation of other 

 institutions and of individuals, and the aid which the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution has been enabled to extend to the recently established museums 

 and to scientific investigators. 



The authorities of the Catholic University of America (Washington, 

 D. C), recently inaugurated, have established an oriental museum. 

 They have adopted the Museum standards and a healthy cooperation 

 has been established. 



The growing interest in oriental studies has resulted in the formation 

 of a private class in Washington, whose investigations have been aided 

 by photographs and objects belonging to the collections. 



The fact of the participation of the Smithsonian Institution in the 

 Eighth International Congress of Orientalists, which met at Stockholm 

 in September, 1889, was briefly alluded to in the last report. 



At the request of Count Carlo Landberg, the secretary of the con- 

 gress, the Smithsonian Institution published a special circular for 

 American scholars, containing information as to the meetings. The 

 Institution presented on behalf of the Museum to the King of Sweden, 

 president of the congress, a set of reproductions of Assyrian seals, 

 illustrating the methods employed. These objects were highly com- 

 mended by his majesty on their presentation ; General Thomas, United 

 States minister to Sweden, transmitting a communication to that 

 effect. The Smithsonian Institution was represented at the congress 



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