Scope of the Collections
The museum collections feature 12,000 objects from the geographic and cultural areas of the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mexico, Central America, and South America, as well as North America and prehistoric Europe. We are also fortunate to be able to study and display material from the over 2,000 ancient Egyptian objects on loan to the museum from the Eton College Myers Collection.
We are currently working to catalog our entire collection so that it can be accessible online. A selection of objects in our collections can also be accessed through ARTSTOR. The search function at the top right of this website can also be used to locate various objects and related content featured on our website.
Some of our collection strengths include: Latin funerary inscriptions, the Mendes Israel Cohen Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, a nearly complete Roman surgical kit (shown at right), the Sidney Painter Collection of Roman Coins, a significant collection of prehistoric European and North American lithics, and a type collection of ceramics from ancient Cyprus.
More information about collection items from specific cultural and geographic areas is listed below.
Egypt
Amulets, scarabs, and jewelry
Canopic jars
Ceramic lamps
Ceramic, stone, glass, faience, and copper alloy vessels
Ceramic, wood, stone, and copper alloy statues and figurines
Copper alloy mirrors
Funerary cones
Inscribed ostraca
Kohl pots and kohl tubes in wood, ivory and faience
Lithics
Mummified animals
Relief fragments
Seals and sealings
Shabtis
Stelae
Stone cosmetic palettes
Textiles
Weapons and military equipment
Wooden coffin and coffin elements
Wooden headrests
Wooden models
Greece
Architectural elements and relief fragments
Black and red figure ceramic vessels
Ceramic and copper alloy figurines
Ceramic, glass, and copper alloy vessels
Ceramic lamps
Cypriot ceramics
Jewelry
Stone funerary monuments
Stone statue fragments
Weapons and military equipment
Mexico, Central America, and South America
Ceramic and bone figurines
Ceramic and stone vessels
Ceramic, stone, and copper alloy masks
Jewelry
Relief fragments
Stone sculptures, including ballgame yoke
Near East
Ceramic vessels and lamps
Cuneiform tablets and cones
Cylinder seals and sealings
North America
Bone tools
Ceramic vessels and sherds
Lithics
Prehistoric Europe
Animal remains
Bone and horn tools
Ceramic spindle whorls
Ceramic vessel sherds
Copper alloy bracelets, rings, and buttons
Copper and iron alloy weapons and tools
Lithics
Rome
Anatomical votive objects
Architectural elements and relief fragments
Ceramic lamps
Ceramic, stone, and copper alloy figurines
Ceramic vessels, including terra sigillata
Coins
Copper alloy fibulae
Copper alloy handles and utensils
Copper alloy stamps
Curse tablet
Fresco and mosaic fragments
Funerary urns
Glass and copper alloy vessels
Hair pins
Jewelry
Latin funerary inscriptions
Lead alloy pipes
Stamped bricks
Stone statue fragments
Surgical implements, shears, and tweezers
Textiles
Weapons and military equipment
Egypt
Amulets, scarabs, and jewelry
Canopic jars
Ceramic lamps
Ceramic, stone, glass, faience, and copper alloy vessels
Ceramic, wood, stone, and copper alloy statues and figurines
Copper alloy mirrors
Funerary cones
Inscribed ostraca
Kohl pots and kohl tubes in wood, ivory and faience
Lithics
Mummified animals
Relief fragments
Seals and sealings
Shabtis
Stelae
Stone cosmetic palettes
Textiles
Weapons and military equipment
Wooden coffin and coffin elements
Wooden headrests
Wooden models
Greece
Architectural elements and relief fragments
Black and red figure ceramic vessels
Ceramic and copper alloy figurines
Ceramic, glass, and copper alloy vessels
Ceramic lamps
Cypriot ceramics
Jewelry
Stone funerary monuments
Stone statue fragments
Weapons and military equipment
Mexico, Central America, and South America
Ceramic and bone figurines
Ceramic and stone vessels
Ceramic, stone, and copper alloy masks
Jewelry
Relief fragments
Near East
Ceramic vessels and lamps
Cuneiform tablets and cones
Cylinder seals and sealings
North America
Ceramic vessels
Lithics
Prehistoric Europe
Animal remains
Bone and horn tools
Ceramic spindle whorls
Ceramic vessel sherds
Copper alloy bracelets, rings, and buttons
Copper and iron alloy weapons and tools
Lithics
Rome
Anatomical votive objects
Architectural elements and relief fragments
Ceramic lamps
Ceramic, stone, and copper alloy figurines
Ceramic vessels, including terra sigillata
Coins
Copper alloy fibulae
Copper alloy handles and utensils
Copper alloy stamps
Curse tablet
Fresco and mosaic fragments
Funerary urns
Glass and copper alloy vessels
Hair pins
Jewelry
Latin funerary inscriptions
Lead alloy pipes
Stamped bricks
Stone statue fragments
Surgical implements, shears, and tweezers
Textiles
Weapons and military equipmentTextiles