THE MUSEUM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7087, 1 May 1901, Page 3

THE MUSEUM.

AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION.

ANCIENT TYRE,

The Christohurch Museum has been very fortunate in acquiring collections whose value has contributed' to the Museum's reputation as- being among the finest of such institutions in the world.

There has just been placed in the Antiquity Room a collection of remains from tombs in the Ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon, as well as from- the Island of Cyprus, and Captain Hutton thinks it one of the taost remarkable collections the Museum has ever been fortunate enough to acquire. The collection consists of a large number of glass terra-cotta utensils, together with certain bronze charms, and' was purchased for the Museum from the late Mr Robert Damon, of Weymouth, England, who, -be-' tween the years 1873 and 1881, spent a great deal of time investigating >the tombs of- the ancient cities of Sidon and Tyre, and the Island of Cyprus. There are 135 pieces of glass, chiefly from tombs' in Tyre, tmoet of them in fine condition, although a few are slightly damaged. It is curious, in view J of' the self-sufficiency of modernity, to notice how closely the <&aip& of the various glass bottles approximate to those that one sees in a chemical laboratory. There are flat flasks almost identical in shape with certain modern whisky flasks, and these Captain Hutton thinks were used for holding the scents, for which the voluptuous Phoenicians were famous. There are little glass vases, such as might be bought to-day in any crockery shop in this city. Thin vases, like eccentric test-tubes, are also contained in the collection, and were probably lacrumatories, or vessels for holding tears, though Captain Hutton thinks it more likely that they were little vest-pocket scent-bottles. A remarkable feature in • many of the delicate glass bottles is a peculiarly beautiful iridescence due, in the Curator's opinion, to a fine striation of the ' surface accomplished through the decay of the ancient material. It is impossible that human art, however skilful the Phoenicians were in making glass, could have produced these effects, tar exceeding in beauty the most exquisite^ shades ot the mother of pearl.

In addition to these glass bottles and tubes there are a number of stone seals and terra-cotta buttons, the latter seeming extremely ungainly and- awkward appendages to the toga. From Sidon and Cyprus. come certain marble and alabaster ointment jars, such as Mary Magdalene used jn her historic homage to the Saviour. . Eight little lamps from Cyprus and two weirdly decorated bricks lrom Tyre complete the clay portion of the collection. There are also a bronze dish and bracelet from Tyre and a bronze lamp from Pompeii.

A remarkable item in the collection is a handful of wheat from/ the well-known baker's shop in Pompeii, which was overwhelmed in A.D. 75. It is brown and looks worn out, but is in a perfect state of preservation.

Captain Hutton pointed out that the acquisition of this collection, was exceedingly grateful, as it comprised just the articles that were wanting to complete the Phoenician collection. It was as fortunate as pleasing, inasmuch as it is now practically impossible to obtain further relics from those ancient localities. This arises from the fact that a museum was built twenty-five years ago in Constantinople, and the export of relics is forbidden, the museum in Constantinople receiving all the finds. Captain Hutton thinks the collection may be referred to as the " Damon " collection.

A handsome case has been placed in the Antiquity Room, and is now filled with t]i»«*» interesting remains. " ' ' ' ■ ■&-