proceedings: anthropological. soceity 23 



monuments of architecture and sculpture that have been most influ- 

 ential in the development of art. 



Dr. Carroll, in introducing his subject, noted our indebtedness to 

 Greece as five-fold, comprising (1) democracy, (2) obedience to 

 reason, (3) love of beauty, (4) letters, and (5) art. The history 

 of Greece was outlined in seven divisions: (1) The Prehistoric and 

 Heroic Ages to the Dorian n igration, 2000-1000 B.C.; (2) the Greek 

 Middle Ages, 1000-500 B.C.; (3) from the Persian Wars to Alexander 

 the Great, 500-386 B.C.; (4) from Alexander the Great to the Roman 

 conquest, 336-146 B.C.; (5) the Roman, Byzantine, and Latin 

 supremacies, 146 B.C.-1453 A.D.; (6) the Ottoman supremacy, 

 1453-1832; (7) the n-odern Greek kingdom, 1832. 



The racial life of Greece was emphasized by Dr. Carroll, who said 

 "The central fact of all Greek history, from prehistoric times to the 

 present, is the unbroken life of the Greek race. This racial unity 

 rests on common blood, common language, and common institutions." 



1. Race. From 650 to 850 the Slavs in Greece outnumbered the 

 Greeks, but the Greeks, being superior in civilization, gradually ab- 

 sorbed them. The process of Hellenizing the Slavonians went on 

 steadily until in about 200 years it was practically complete. Thus, 

 between 850 and 1050 was formed the basis of the modern Greek nation . 

 It contains a large infusion of Slavonic blood, but the strain of Hellenic 

 blood has been perpetual and this has determined the type of the 

 modern nationality. 



2. Language. Greek, though for many centuries crude and ungram- 

 matical, never lost its vitality. In organic matters of structure and 

 syntax Greek has never made a compromise with any foreign language. 

 Briefly, its story has been this. About 300 A.D. the spoken Greek 

 language began to diverge from the literary language, but until 750 

 Old Greek was generally understood by the people. Then came the 

 breach of Greek tradition, due to the Slavs, and by 900 A. D. classical 

 Greek had probably ceased to be generally understood. Between 

 1100 and 1200 popular Greek began to have a literature of its own, the 

 popular Greek of the thirteenth century differing little from the popular 

 Greek of today. The chief difference between Old and Modern Greek 

 is that one is synthetic and the other analytic. 



3. Character. National characteristics of ancient and modern 

 Greeks are: (1) aptitude for city life; (2) ability in commerce; (3) 

 love of mental culture; (4) cleverness. The real core of the Greek 

 nation throughout its history is the agricultural population of Greece 

 proper. The Greek nationality, like the Jewish, has never been crushed 

 out nor lost. 



The 515th meeting of the Society was held at the National Museum, 

 November 6, 1917, at 4.30 p.m. 



Prof. James H. Gore presented a paper on Belgium and the Belgians, 

 illustrated by lantern slides. 



Starting with the revolution which resulted in the withdrawal of 

 the part of Holland that afterward became an independent kingdom 



