The Assyrian antiquities are contained in a suite of rooms recently erected on the outside of the Egyptian gallery, and in a spacious room on the basement. The collec tion consists of sculptures excavated at Nimrud, Khorsabad, and Koyunjik by Layard, in 1847-50, and more recently by Rassam and Loftus, under the direction of sir H. C. Rawlinson. The Nimrud sculptures are the oldest, belonging to a period ranging from 930 B.C. to 747 B.C. Those obtained from Khorsabad seem to have been executed under a monarch who reigned about 747-721 n.c., while the collection from Koyunjik belong to the time of Sardanapalus, apparently 721 B.C. and 625 B.C. The monuments consist. chiefly of slabs of gypsum, alabaster, and limestone sculptured in low relief, the sub jects being the exploits of the king whose palace walls they ornamented. Many of the sculptures are covered with cuneiform (q.v.) writing, which, by the labors of Rawlin son, Hincks, and Smith, has been deciphered, giving us a history of this remarkable people, and corroborating the narrative of the sacred scriptures whenever they refer to the same event. See ASSYRIA. Besides the series of sculptures, the Assyrian collection includes a variety of smaller but highly curious and instructive objects, discovered at Nimrud and Koyunjik.
Greek and Roman Antiquities.—This collection occupies four apartments, which run parallel to the Egyptian gallery. The Lyeian gallery contains a series of architectural and sculptural remains from ancient cities in Lycia, obtained by sir C. Fellows in 1842-46. In the next gallery are the remains of the famous mausoleum (q.v.) at Halicarnassus, erected in honor of Mausolus by his widow Artemisia. These remains were discovered by C. T. Newton, esq., in 1857-59. In the same room are some remains of the temple of Athene Polias at Prienc, including the stone on which its dedication by Alexander the great is inscribed. The Elgin gallery contains the sculptures from Athens and Attica, the greater portion of which were obtained by the earl of Elgin, and purchased froin him by parliament in 1816 for £35,000. The most important series in the gallery is the decorations of the parthenon (q.v.), which, notwithstanding their dilapidated condition, form the most valuable monument of Greek art which has descended to modern times. The gallery contains also sculptures and casts from the temple of Wingless Victory, the temple of Theseus, and the ereelitheum, at Athens. In an extension recently made to this gallery, are a colossal lion from Cnidus, and a drum of a sculptured column. and other remains, from the temple of Diana at Ephesus. The Helenie gallery contains a number of antiquities brought from Greece and its colonies at different times. The most important are 23 slabs of a frieze sculptured in mezzo•rilievo, which, from the locality where they were found, are called the "Phigalian marbles."
The gallery on the s. side of the building is occupied with the Roman and Grwco Roman sculptures. The bilk of the collection was fortned by Charles Townley, esq., and purchased in 1805 for £20,000, Subsequent additions have been made by the bequest of the collection of R. P. Knight, esq., in 1824, and by various purchases and dona tions. The collection contains an interesting series of Roman portrait sculptures, and a very extensive mythological series, amongst which are some of universal fame—the Venus, Clytie, the Discobolus, and many others. A room on the basement is appro priated to mosaics and miscellaneous monuments, such as representations of animals, architectural and decorative fragments, and sacred and domestic implements. A fine collection from southern Italy, exhibiting specimens of the arts of the Etruscans, Greeks, and Romans, was bequeathed to the museum by sir William Temple in 1856.
The collections of smaller remains are placed in a suite of rooms on the upper floor. They consist of-1. An extensive series of vases, commonly though not correctly known as Etruscan, formed from the collections of sir W. Hamilton and Mr. Burgos, from purchases at the sales of the prince of Canino, M. Durand, and others; and from exca vations in Sicily, Rhodes, and on the sites of Greek colonies in Cyrene and elsewhere, 2. A miscellaneous collection of terra-cottas, mural paintings, and other objects. 3. Bronzes of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman workmanship, consisting of sculptures, and various domestic and other articles, as candelabra, lamps, vases, horse-trappings, armor, etc. 4. The collection of engraved gems and gold ornaments now, since the addition of the Blacas and Castellani collections, perhaps the richest in the world.
Coins and Atedals.—The very large collection of these objects is arranged in chrono logical order under five great divisions, viz., Greek, Roman, .Mediaeval and Modern, English, and Oriental. The department is under the care of a keeper, assistant-keeper, and four assistants.
British and Mediceral Antiquities and Ethnography.—The British collection is arranged in chronological order. The oldest series contains the antiquities of the stone and bronze periods, consisting of celts, daggers, swords, shields, and early pottery. The British Roman antiquities comprise specimens of earthenware, lamps, and miscellaneous articles. A small collection of sepulchral urns, weapons, and personal ornaments represents the Anglo-Saxon period. The antiquities found in London, and belonging to the late C. R. Smith, have been recently added to this collection. The ethnographical collection con tains antiquities, as well as objects of modern use, belonging to all nations not of Euro pean face.