S&SWM PR papers L1868

L1868

Ansd June 29/97

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | June 27.97

Dear Sir

Before attempting to distribute, or to dispose en bloc of my newly-discovered Palaeolithic Implements from Somaliland, (from the palaeolithic city or settlement at Jalelo) which I visited this winter (having discovered it last year), I think I might to communicate [sic] with yourself, as to whether you are disposed to acquire the collection as it now stands or any portion of it. I am anxious to cover part of the expenses of an expedition. I am proposing to myself [sic] in Southern Russia, in search of some similar city of prehistoric [illegible] I enclose a cutting which you may have seen as the reporters of many of the daily papers came to see me, which I shd be much obliged if you would kindly return. The Egyptian things (which are not so perfect as the Somaliland) are I believe being acquired by Liverpool. I think there are over 2000 Somaliland palaeo. of which about 500 are perfect - the most perfect known,; and I had better say at once that I want (1) two hundred pounds for one hundred specimens which may be selected by yourself or anyone you depute, to which I would add two hundred of the second grade (flint & quartzite) if you desire (2) four hundred pounds for the lot as it now stands (packed in cases at 3 Hanover Square).

At the request of the Council of University College I am exhibiting them once more on Wed next (30th) at University Coll. Gower St. from 8 pm to 12 midnight & should be glad if you could come & see for yourself. Or if you will request Prof. Flinders Petrie (of Univ Coll) to select the ones hundred for you for the sum named I shall have them forwarded to you on Thursday and the 2nd class ones, later.

Perhaps you would let me know - well before Wed morning [insert] or by Telegraph to Flinders Petrie by Th.[end insert] as I find the packing & unpacking very laborious work.

Believe me
sincerely yours
H.W. Seton-Karr

General Pitt-Rivers

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L1870

Ansd by telegram July 10/97

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | July 3.97

Dear Sir

I have just sent off to you a case containing 25 picked examples & one hammer stone. The rest of the box is filled up with 2nd class impts & flakes. The 25 are contained in 3 wood boxes in the other, & are made of different sorts of stone. I think you will be astonished at the weathering of some

------------------------- [in the original letter]

the flakes all come without exception from Marodigeh a place 20 miles south of the palaeolithic city.

All my perfect implements were found at this settlement, which lies between the wells of Jalelo, Dago, Bolgathan & Hambabeina, 85 m. from Berbera & 75 from Bulhar. I enclose some cuttings previously omitted.

It was Th. mg [apparently Thursday morning] which I rec'd your letter & the imp were already packed, but I told Prof. Petrie that I had hoped he would have been able to choose for you, but I have picked the best series I could

Your truly
H.W. Seton-Karr

Enclosed three newspaper clippings:

'The Cradle of the Human Race' Tools probably used by Adam. Mr H.W. Seton-Karr's discoveries [no date or newspaper name]

'Prehistoric Man - Hunting in Africa: Chat with Mr H.W. Seton-Karr [no date or newspaper name][2 clippings]

'Wild Beasts and Prehistoric Man' Black and White June 19 1897 page 778

[ There is also two copies of a typed version of L1870 ]

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L1875

Karr | Ansd July 15/97

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | July 13.97

Dear Sir

Many thanks for your telegram telling me the Implements had arrived.

Your letter has not yet reached me, but I merely write to say that I shall be happy to present you with 100 second class Implements (for yourself only) in addition to the selection series from Somaliland, because I have a great many of the former from which I picked out the best.

I am going on Fri. ev. to St Malo, but on hearing from you I shall be happy to pack & sand them to you, without any further expense to yourself the end of next week

Indeed I am glad to get rid of them I have to stimulate me to find another palaeolithic settle ment (in Persia perhaps); I hope next year to be able to send you some Egyptian axes from the E. Desert but my latest of these have all as you know been acquired by the Corporation of Liverpool. Will you let me know if, in case I am near Salisbury, I have any chance of seeing you. I came there last year to play golf.

Yours sincerely
H.W. Seton Karr

General Pitt Rivers

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L1879

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | July 16.97

Dear Sir

There will be a short account in the Aug. no Anth Journal, but I have not published anything more.

I shall be glad to let you have some Egyptian ones next year, if Mr Forbes will let me without interfering with his morphology, if I get any more. I played golf some where near Salisbury, but though I heard of your links I did not visit them I beg  [illegible] cheque for 50£ with thanks

I will come to Tisbury on Mon July 26th at 12-18 & bicycle over in time for lunch at 1-30 if your son will be at home & would play golf in the aft, & perhaps next morning too, & I could leave Tisbury on Tues 27th at 4-42 p.m. If they are not at home then I will come another time. I go to St Malo today for four days.

Yours sincerely
HW Seton-Karr

See Add.9455vol5_p1554 /7 and on, only 34 are listed in the catalogue of the second collection, Pitt-Rivers paid £50. The 100 second class implements are not listed in the catalogue of the second collection.

L2103

Seton Karr | Ansd June 28/98

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | June 5 98

Dear General Rivers

I was in Egypt the whole of last winter, & spent the time in making an examination of the desert along the banks of the Nile northwards from Esna where the sandstone ends and the flint bearing limestone commences, I also visited the deserted emerald mine by the Red Sea for Mr Streeter.

I also discovered a new but small flint mine near the old [insert] other [end insert], and made a very rich haul chiefly of a large quantity of knives just like those from Denmark. This is I think the first time these have been found in Egypt. There were also truncheons with handles and large implements like the Pressigny ones - about 3000 in all.

There were no palaeolithis here, but as I anticipated I made great discoveries of them at Esna where people from the South would first meet with flint.

I have not yet written to anyone about these things because I did not want them separated, and Liverpool, to whom I desired to offer them first have not yet made up their minds. I am moreover [insert] I fancy [end insert] obliged not to put the new flint mine things "on the market" in such a way as to interfere with their last acquisition, & so I may keep them for a time.

I am however free to do or [sic] I like with the other things - namely my new discoveries at Esna, Thebes, Matana, Nagada, Kina, and so on, which as you know have nothing to do with my flint mines which are hundreds of miles north, & it is with reference to them that I am communicating.

You are the first to whom I am writing & if I might send you a series from the Nile from Esna, northwards, which could be illustrated with a map of the river from Cairo to Aswân (for I found some remarkable ones in the central desert E. of Aswân on my way to the emerald mines, tho not of flint), I think you would be surprised & pleased I think this collection, which is practically my winters work (except the mines) is worth about 150£, & numbers about [insert] upwards of [end insert] 250, although I have labelled & repacked but not counted them.

If this is too many I could send you a selection from each locality of some of the best for 50£ or someone could come & choose for you.

I did not get to Somaliland again but next time I shall endeavour to work in the way you explained to find some deposits which may contain remains; I was also deterred from excavating one of the pits at the flint mine of Wadi el Sheik partly by want of time and partly because I found them full of the deadly cerastes the enormous funnels found formed by drifted sand & piled up excavated material, making a trap for them.

I have this in view however. Perhaps I ought also to add that I believe Dr Forbes (Liverpool) desires to effect any good exchanges for the Liverpool Museum after the [insert] his [end insert] next Museum Bulletin is out which deals with the Flint Mine Implts which he acquired.

In case I ought not to have mentioned to you about my new flint-mine, so as not to interfere with Dr Forbes' contemplated exchanges, perhaps you would kindly consider this as confidential, because although the new mine is quite distinct yet I do not want to interfere with him, & so will not part with any for the present.

But with regard to the other parts of Egypt I am free, & it is about these I write.

With best regards
I am
yours sincerely
H.W. Seton-Karr

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L2124

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | June 29 98

Dear Genl. Rivers

I am very glad that you are fairly well, as you have been away & so on, & I trust you will be all the better for the change.

Please give my very best regards to Mrs Rivers & your son if at home, - the one I know

I am sending the case of implements off today.

I go to Norway on Th. of next week

I have included the only stone implts I found at the lost Emerald Mines of Zabara in Jan, namely 3 objects in micaceous schist, or talcose schist. All the implts are named as to locality. No one but Dr St... [illegible] has seen them (the latest mine implts I cannot show on account of Dr Forbes) who I think will again & [3 words illegible] 81 for 70£ I have now about 10£ worth left for I think my friend Wood

yours sin...
HW Seton-Karr

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L2125

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | June 29 98

Dear Genl Rivers

I omitted to say in my letter today the following is the list of Implements I have sent

From

Thebes 7
Edfu 1
Farshort 2
El Kab 5
Darawi (S of Esna no flints) 4
Kina 6
Mainfahout 1
Girget 1
Nah Hamadi 2
Nagada 2
Esna 12
Magaga 11
Emerald mines of Zabara 3
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57

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L2128

Atherton Grange | Wimbledon | July 1 98

Dear General Rivers

I have sent a small series of Egyptian Implements to a Mr Newton, & asked him if he does not retain them to send them on to you if you will accept them as an addition to the others; if my winters work is well represented in your museum I shall feel that my winter has been well spent as regards the Desert

yours sinc...
HW Seton-Karr

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L2147

[illegible] | Sundalsören | Nordmore | Norway | July 23 98

Dear General Rivers

Thank you very much for the cheque for the Implements. I hope none of the third box were broken in transit. I sent them on without repacking as I was just off.

I am going back to Somaliland in November cannot some archaeologist be sent with me?

yrs [illegible]
H.W. Seton Karr

7 items are listed in volume 9 of the CUL Catalogue as coming from Seton-Karr possibly in 1899, they may be part of this collection, the remainder are not listed in the catalogue

Transcribed for Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project by AP July 2011