BOAS, THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN RAVE 183 



We may, however, cast a glance at the forms that America presents 

 when compared to the Old World If our picture contains any truth, the 

 independence of American achievements from Old World achievements 

 stands out prominently. The industrial arts were discovered in two large 

 areas independently — the Afro-Asiatic and the American. They spread 

 over continents but remained separated until the period of European 

 colonization. To a great extent, the discoveries made were analogous — 

 basketry, weaving, pottery, work in metals, agriculture. The important 

 step that the Asiatic or European hunter made to the domestication of 

 animals had hardly begun in America, where the Peruvians had developed- 

 the use of the llama. Much less had the still more far-reaching discovery, 

 been made of agriculture with the help of animals and the invention of 

 the wheel. The use of smelted iron for tools was not known. Important 

 differences may also be traced in fundamental forms of social institu- 

 tions, arts and religious beliefs. Thus some of the most important 

 advances of the races of the Old World were not known in America, 

 although in other respects the work of civilization had far advanced. 



In concluding, I beg to remind you once more that the sketch that I 

 have given, although based on the accumulation of observed data, must 

 not be taken as more than a lightly woven fabric of hypothesis. At every 

 step, there are lacuna? of our knowledge which our imagination may tem- 

 porarily bridge to serve as a guide for further inquiries but which have 

 to be filled by solid, careful work to reach results that will be acceptable 

 before the forum of science. 



