Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics 1903-1933
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Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
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Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics
Creation of Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics
Time of Creation of Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics
Amherst College. Gilbert Museum.
Biographical History for: Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics
Historical Note The Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics refers to a collection of bone, stone and pottery implements believed to have been created and used by Native Americans in the New England region. In 1853, Professor Edward Hitchcock, Jr. (AC 1849) presented his collection of 721 specimens of Connecticut Valley Indian relics to Amherst College. In 1857 it was increased to 1,100 specimens. This collection formed the foundation of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics, named for George Henry Gilbert (1806-1869) of Ware, Massachusetts, a generous benefactor of the College. Hitchcock continued to curate the museum together with two other scientific collections in the Appleton Cabinet (later known as Appleton Hall), the Hitchcock Ichnological Cabinet and the Adams Zoological Museum. In 1903 the collection numbered nearly 3,000 specimens. The specimens in the collection are still held by Amherst College; however, the collection is closed to research pending review under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
Scope and Contents of the Collection Catalog records describing specimens of Native American relics in the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics at Amherst College, including the original collection of Dr. Edward Hitchcock (AC 1849) and later additions from other sources, including the collection of D. S. Kellogg. Supplementary materials include two printed catalogs of the museum, 1903-1904.
Indians of North American--New England.
lcsh
Indians of North American--Implements.
Gilbert, George Henry, 1806-1869.
lcnaf
Hitchcock, Edward, 1828-1911.
Kellogg, David Sherwood, 1847-1909.
Amherst College. Class of 1849. Hitchcock.
series
Series 1: Catalogue Volumes
In volume 1, Dr. Edward Hitchcock, AC 1849, explains that "the design of this catalogue is to perpetuate some knowledge of the specimens in the collection in case of any accident resulting from fire, breakage, theft or otherwise." He further explains that for accuracy, the diagrams in the volumes are traced, rather than drawn. The catalogue begins with Dr. Hitchcock's own collection. It includes accession records of collections added later, with their cost and the source of funding in most cases. The Kellogg collection, consisting of about 15,000 relics, is included in Volume IV. "I.C.P.," who catalogued entries Z-1 through Z-44 has been identified as Irvin Chaffee Plough, AC 1942.
Explanation by Dr. Hitchcock of the catalogue and the method of making diagrams. Entries 1 through 2297
Entries 2298 through 3234
Pages 1 - 95: entries 3235 through 4597
Page 96 - 251: entries 4977 through 7655
Pages 29 -end: entries 4598 through 4675
[entry numbers 1676 through 4974 omitted]
Noted as the Kellogg collection
Pages 1 - 295: entries 7657 through 13,145
Pages 297 - 299: entries Z-1 through Z-44, catalogued by "I.C.P."
Pages 1 - 50: entries 13,233 through 14,484
Pages 51 - 263: entries A-1 through A-4675
Pages 264 - 287: entries 20,0001 through 20,358
Note on page 51: "A = 15,000 A1 = 15,001 A4222 = 19,222 etc.
[numbers 13,146 through 13,232 omitted]
One page only: Entries 13,851; 13,942; 13,852; 1571
Series 2: D. S. Kellogg Collection
Kept with the catalogue since it relates directly to a major part of the Amherst collection.
Kellogg's bound volume of notes, collection dates, and tracings
Loose pages removed from bound volume
Notes on the archaeology of the Champlain River valley
Kellogg's list of Indian camp sites
Typescript: Extracts relating to his collection of Indian Relics from the Journals of D. S. Kellogg
Series 3: Supplementary Material
The printed Catalog, which appeared in 1903 and again in 1904, is a short one with photographs of some of the items on display at the Gilbert Museum, as well as narrative about the museum.
"Catalogue of Indian Relics in the Gilbert Museum." 1903 edition
"Catalogue of Indian Relics in the Gilbert Museum." 1904 edition (2 copies)
F. B. Loomis articles:
"On the Shell Heaps of Maine," 1912
"Dr. Hitchcock and the Amherst Indian Collection," 1915
"Early Man in Florida," 1926
F.B. Loomis notes: small heaps, 1933