Amherst College. Gilbert Museum.

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.

From the description of Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian relics, 1903-1933. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 51570616

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).

From the guide to the Catalogue of the Gilbert Museum of Indian Relics, 1903-1933, (Amherst College Archives and Special Collections)