S&SWM PR papers L487

L487

2 Rupell Chambers | Bury Street W.C. | May 7. 1888

Dear General Pitt Rivers

I write to tell you that according to promise I carefully examined the side of the small Wady near the Tombs you described at Kourneh but failed to discover any flint implements in situ.

This winter, however, I obtained two regularly formed "celts" or implements of this form [drawing], found with mummies at Kourneh. I had never known such objects to occur before in Egyptian Tombs.

I don't know whether you want to acquire any of the curios & beautiful Roman & early Christian Textiles - if so, I could send you a large & fine collection which I made myself at Echmin in Upper Egypt. Believe me to be

Sincerely yours
Greville J. Chester

Pitt-Rivers seems to have resisted the lure of the Ancient Egyptian textiles and flint implements, or at least they are not listed in the catalogue of the second collection.

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L2531

Tuesday

Dear General Pitt-Rivers

I write one line to say that my collection of Hittite and Phoenician things will continue to be on Exhibition at the Archaeol: Institute all through next week.

I am sure you will be delighted by a sight of Petrie's antiquities now on view in the Egyptian Hall.

I have been out of Town & unable to call for my textiles. Might I ask you to send them me by parcel post?

Petrie thinks some of the Textiles are so old as 200 or 300 years BC:- he agrees with me in thinking that the purple patterns are of the 4th century AD - he found a coin with some of that description.

Yours sincerely

Greville J. Chester

If you like it, I can give you a rude ancient Egyptian doll with the hair represented by beads for your Oxford Collection

Although this letter is undated it appears likely that it was dated after L487, and probably fairly close in date. The doll does not appear part of either collection

Transcribed by AP May/ August 2011 as part of the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project.