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PREFACE 



In April, 191 1, Dr. Joseph E. Pogue, mineralogist in the U. S. 

 National Museum of Washington, requested my co-operation in bringing 

 out an extensive monograph which he contemplated on the turquois 

 from the mineralogical, historical, and ethnological points of view. 

 It was originally intended that the following notes should be embodied 

 in the form of an appendix in Dr. Pogue 's proposed work which I 

 understand is now complete in manuscript. As adverse circumstances 

 beyond the control of the author have unfortunately delayed for the 

 last two years the publication of his study, and as a recent official jour- 

 ney to Alaska will prevent for some time longer active operations on 

 his part, my contribution to his work is herewith issued in a separate 

 form. It should be understood that only the exhaustive monograph 

 of Dr. Pogue, which it is sincerely hoped will come out in the near 

 future, will lend these notes their proper background and perspective. 

 As at one time a plea was made by me for the co-operation of naturalists 

 and orientalists {Science, 1907, p. 894), it is gratifying to note that we 

 have advanced a step farther in this direction, and it will be seen on the 

 following pages that oriental research can also bring to light new and 

 .r not unimportant facts as yet unknown to our natural science. The 

 _ occurrence of the turquois in Tibet and China, and to a higher degree, 

 - its history and cultural position in those countries, present a chapter 

 of knowledge with which our mineralogists have been hitherto unac- 

 quainted. But only concerted action and sympathetic co-operation 

 Vi can lead us to positive and enduring results. The orientalist needs the 

 naturalist as much as the latter, when his inclinations carry him to 

 Asia, may profit from the stimulus of the former, in that he can suggest 

 and encourage problems, the solution of which will turn out to be of 

 vital significance to archaeology. Our mineralogical knowledge of 

 Eastern and Central Asia is in a very unsatisfactory condition, and it 

 is desirable that the horizon of our mineralogists shoiild no longer be 

 bordered by the Panama and Suez canals. There is a great and promis- 

 \^ ing field open between the two, and a plan which a mineralogist should 

 c follow in aiding the cause of archaeology in Asia is briefly indicated on 



t* p. 54. 



For various information I am under obligation to Dr. Friedrich 



