Annual Report of Semitic Museum

The eighteenth annual report of the Semitic Museum has recently been published by Professor David G. Lyon h.'01, the Curator of the Museum.

The additions to the museum during the past year have been two bronze battle-axes from Damascus, four stone seals, two of which appear to be Babylonian, one Assyrian, and one Persian, two Arabic manuscripts, and about two dozen specimens of rock salt from the shores of the Dead Sea. Of the Greek papyri received from the Egypt Exploration Fund and reported a year ago, three have been deposited as a loan in the museum of the Classical Department of the University.

As anticipated in the report for last year, Professor George A. Reisner '89 began the excavations at Samaria, for which the Turkish authorities granted a permit in October, 1907. Baurath Dr. Gottlieb Schumacher of Haifa accompanied Dr. Reisner to continue the work after the latter's return to Egypt. After two interruptions due to serious local difficulties, relief from the Turkish authorities enabled a month and a half of digging to pass without further annoyance. At the end of August the money available for the first year was exhausted, and the work was accordingly brought to a close. The total amount of time devoted to excavation was nine weeks. Professor Reisner expects to resign his position in Egypt and to begin work again in April.

The main excavation was carried on at the summit of the hill of Samaria, where walls of buildings of many ages were unearthed. The remains discovered were mostly Roman, in particular a large Roman altar and the torso of a figure of heroic size. At one point was found a very massive wall which seems to be certainly Hebrew, but owing to the great depth of the debris and the late date of the discovery it was not possible to dig out any considerable portion of this wall the present year. At several points on the summit the clearings reached the rock, but at no point did such clearing cover more than a few square feet. The city wall is over two and a quarter miles in circuit, and it is confidently hoped that the search for Hebrew buildings will be rewarded.

Professor Lyon testifies to the courteous consideration of their Excellencies Hamdi Bey and Khalil Bey of the Imperial Museum, from which a commissioner was sent, according to law, to take possession for the Museum of such objects as might be found.