49° 



Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



can hardly be determined by the state of preservation cf the stone 

 and wood used in their construction or by the vegetation growing 

 in or round them. 



The early Portuguese explorers refer to them as being at that 

 time (sixteenth century) objects of a mysterious origin. 



The discovery of beads, gold work, roughly carved stone em- 

 blems, etc., is claimed by some to establish their antiquity beyond 

 doubt on account of the similarity between them and what are 

 found in Egypt and Arabia, but it must not be forgotten that these 

 articles may have been brought from Northern Africa by Arab 

 traders or by migrating tribes in comparatively recent times. 



KHAMI KUIXS, LOXG HIGH WALK. CHECK PATTERN. 



Messrs. Bent, Swan, and Schlichter claim to be able to deter- 

 mine the date of the erection of these buildings by the oriaitation, 

 by the disposition of certain portions, stones, and monoliths, which 

 they consider have special significance as indicating knowledge and 

 practical application of astronomical principles. Others prefer to 

 base their conjectures as to the probable age on passages from 

 ancient writings, both Biblical and Pagan. 



The scientist without hesitation mentions a possible i,ooo or 

 2,000 years B.C. The ordinarj- observer, seeing a post still standing 

 in the position in which it was evidently placed when the walls were 

 built, finds it diflScult to believe that even in the dry climate of these 

 uplands the hardest wood could exist for such a period. 



