stone Age in hidiana 



109 



primitive forms of implements, corresponding in general to the Paleo- 

 lithic implements of Europe, can be properly referred to only as of 

 Paleolithic type." 



The latest from the Smithsonian Institution on this subject is by 

 Holmes in "Aboriginal American Antiquities," as follows: "Old world 

 cultures have come to be known as the Early Stone, the Late Stone and 

 the Bronze ages. In America, classification of artifacts on the basis of 

 culture steps is not attempted. Our aboriginal history as a whole lies 

 entirely within the so-called age of stone. A discussion of the Stone 

 Age is a comprehensive study of the whole subject matter of the aborig- 

 inal peoples and their culture." He says further: "The purpose of 

 the archeologist is not merely to classify and describe antiquities but to 

 make available an intimate knowledge of all the phenomena of aboriginal 

 culture and apply it to the elucidation of the American race and to the 

 history of the human race as a whole." But, in order perhaps to en- 



Fis'. 2. Clay fi.uures taken from below an old la\a flow near the Mexican volcano 

 Xitli. Estimated a;j:c, 7,000 years. 



courage classification of artifacts on a cultural basis, he also states: 

 "It is the privilege of the archeologist to adopt such classification and 

 take such points of view as he believes will best serve his particular 

 purpose, the broader purpose being to place the whole body of the sub- 

 ject matter on record in the manner best suited to the needs of the 

 anthropologist-historian, who in due course may expect to have at his 

 command data sufficiently complete to enable him to give to the world a 

 well-rounded story of the American race." 



This permit comes very tiinely, for recently in Mexico some authentic 

 geological and archeological explorations have, as they report, found 

 data which calls for a "face about in archeology and history." It 

 .seems that a quarry had been opened up in an ancient flow of basaltic 

 lava, and in the earth stratas below were found the remains of aboriginal 

 life belonging to a very ancient culture. The age of the lava flow is 

 established geologically at 5,000 years, and the indicated age of life 

 previous to the eruption of the volcano Xitli is 2,000 years; making the 



