Elephant Pipes and Israelite Tablets: the controversy between the United States Bureau of Ethnography and the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences

The Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, founded in 1867, is aclassic example of the small urban-based associations that characterized the democraticspread of knowledge throughout the United States in the post-Civil War era. Among theirmissions was to promote the gospel of scientific truth among the citizens of America.Members facilitated research, sponsored lectures and introduced responsible datacollection. They sought to turn relic hunters and ‘arrow head’ collectors into seriousarchaeologists (C. E. Putnam 1885: 35–36) who would ‘share their wealth’. In the wordsof W. H. Pratt, one of the four founders: ‘Personal proprietorship is ratherantagonistic to a liberal public spirit and true interest in the increase and diffusionof knowledge’ (McDonald 1992: 4). Therefore, the establishment of a museum became one oftheir missions