XX Proceedings. \_March Sth, igio. 



equal to any of the portrait jugs in vogue in this country in the 

 1 8th century, and in some cases better art. The vases and 

 dishes are beautiful specimens of ancient ware. 



We can only guess at their meaning. Some are painted as 

 well as moulded, but all bear scarcely any indication of what 

 we call the hand of time. 



The bars of silver that were buried with this pottery have 

 corroded nearly away. Some bars that were about an inch 

 square have dwindled down to about one eighth of an inch; 

 there was probably an alloy of copper in the silver. Comparisons 

 have been made with the corrosion of similar bars buried 400 

 years ago by the Incas in the same soil, which, being so full of 

 silicates, preserves metal : the silver is only slightly tarnished. 

 This and the utter disappearance of the baser metals give 

 reasons for assuming the age of the pottery to be anything 

 between 5,000 and 10,000 years old. 



Mr. Myring compared the remains of the dead of this 

 ancient people with those of the Incas. The soil that preserves 

 precious metals from quick decay has very little influence on the 

 bodies of the Incas buried 400 or more years ago. It appears 

 to mummify them, but those of the Chimus, discovered with 

 this ancient pottery, were absolutely dust, with the exception of 

 the skulls and large bones. If the explorer had had some 

 gelatine with him in which such things could be preserved, he 

 would have been able to bring the remains to this country. He 

 informed me that he put two dozen skulls carefully into sacks, 

 but they were so decayed that, after going a few miles packed on 

 the backs of the mules, they became dust, and unfortunately he 

 could not bring any with him from which casts could be taken. 



Mr. Myring has also discovered other Peruvian antiquities 

 of later date, a large silver god and a gold crown of one of the 

 Inca Kings and some jewellery. 



All archaeologists and students of art and antiquity are 

 indebted to Mr. Hewitt Myring for his great and priceless work 

 in Peru, carried out single-handed, at great personal danger and 

 cost. He has contributed to our knowledge of ancient man and 



