Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-19
AROHAEOLOGISTS MEET
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS
FOR WASHINGTON SOCIETY.

The fourth annual meeting of the Wash
ington Society of the Archaeological Insti-
tute of America drew together last even
ing notable gathering OF men and women
prominent in scientific and social circles a,
the residence Of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Henry Butler, 1885 I street. In the abb
sence Of the president. John w. Foster.
President Needham of the George Wash
ington University presided The principal
event of the evening was. an address by
Prof Maurice Bloomfield, Ph.D., LID. of
the Johns Hopkins University, who attend
ed the congress of Orientalists at Algiers
last April. DR.. Bloomfield addressed the
society on Recent Archaeological Excava-
tons in Eastern or Chinese Turkestan,"
and announced some most interesting dis
coveries.
Prof. Bloomfield's Remarks.
1.-THE last two congresses of Orientalists
took place. respectively, at Hamburg In
1902 and at Algiers in April of the present
year." Professor Bloomfield said. Instead
Of the more familiar oriental countries,
eastern or Chinese Turkestan occupied the
center of the stage at both congresses IN
1860 the British government in India sent
DIR. A. M. Stein on an expedition to kho-
tan, in the western part Of Chinese Turkes-
tan. He returned with rich booty-Buddist
statues and frescoes, vot.ve tablets con-
tanning pictures of Buddhist sacred his
tory manuscripts of ancient Hindu char
acter made of paper and leather; ABOVE
all, wooden tablets used for correspond
ence and legal documents. These WOODEN
tablets are furnished with covers Whlcn
are fastened to the base by strips and clay
seals. Upon these seals there are usually
figures in the CARBOHYDRATES form or art.
'In 1903 the German government sent an
other expedition to Turfan, in the same
discoveries
still more important. About 800 fragments
of manuscripts on paper, SILK ana ieathe
written in a variety of Syriac character
called Estraggeio, contain remnants or the
longest Manichean literature; that is, the
bible of Mani. Mani was the FOUNDER OIL
a religion in the third century A. d. Wnlcn
remained for many years dangerous rival
of Christianity. Before this discovery our
knowledge of Mani and of the Manlchean
religion was at second hand derived from
oriental writers and Christian fathers. ~,
After the address, remarks were mace oy
DR.. Joseph Clark Hoppfn, recently annual
professor of the American School OF Gas
steal Studies at Athens, Prof. Thomas tftz-
Hugh of the University of Virginia and
others.
Election Of Officers.
The secretary, Prof. Carroll, gave an ac-
count of the meeting of the council OF the
institute In Boston last January, and a
resume of important archaeological events
occurring since tndC time. ne dlSo StdtSo
that the membership of the Washington So
ciety was $50, being fourth in the list of
affiliated societies in point OF member
ship.
The annual report of the treasurer, Mr..
John B. Larner, was read, and referred
to an auditing committee. The following
officers were elected to serve for the year:
President, John w. Foster; vice presi-
dents, Samuel Pierpont Langley, Charles
w. Needham, Mgr. Dennis ]. O'Con-
nell, Mrs Elizabeth j. Somers; secre-
tary Prof. Mitchell Carroll: treasurer Mr.
John B. Larner; councillors, John w. Fos-
ter, ex-officio, DIR. Cyrus Adler, Prof. Mitch
ell Carroll, ex-officio, Prof. William Henry
Holmes, Prof. Joseph Clark Hoppin; execu-
tive committee, the president, the vice pres
idents, the secretary, the treasurer, the
councillors, Mr.. John B. Henderson jr., Mr.
Joseph c. Hornblower Mrs. Herbert Wads-
worth, Mrs. Charles D. Walcott.
1t was announced that arrangements were
being made for the usual series of regular
meetings at the houses of members, and
ers will be Rev. DR.. John P. Peters Of New
of Pennsylvania expedition to Babylonia
and conducted the excavations of Nippur;
Prof Harold North Fowler Of Western Re
serve University, and probably Solomon
Reniach, the celebrated French archaelo-
gist and authority.
After the adjournment the members and
guests present passed a delightful hour in
the enjoyment of the courteous hospitality
of Mr.. and Mrs. Butler.