196 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



not ouly need the best; care for tlieii' safety and preservation, Imt 

 that they should be so arranged as to make a satisfactory display to 

 the public and at the same time be easily studied by those who may 

 desire. They will come more and more into demand as time progresses. 

 Their value will become better and better recognized, and it might be 

 well for the Museum to make provision by which these valuable relics 

 should be duplicated. The series should be extended to include all other 

 specimens so as to become as complete as x)ossible, and they should, 

 according to the general plan proposed by me, be united with all anti 

 quities from the same country and displayed in one group or chaml>er. 

 The great altar of the " Temple of the Cross '' was divided into three 

 great slabs of stone. The right half is possessed by our Museum, as 

 described; the central portitm was removed from its x)lace and carried 

 a short distance in the attempt to transport it to Mexico; the task was 

 found too difiicult and it was allowed to remain exposed to the running 

 water and the elements for twenty more years, and so damaged as to be 

 nearly destroyed. It has lately been transported to the city of Mexico, 

 where it now is. The left-hand portion still remains in Yucatan. 



The decision of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to make 

 plaster casts of tyiucal stone implements belonging to the prehistoric 

 age of the United States, for the purpose of distribution among educa- 

 tional establishments, necessitated a special lesearch into the material 

 of this department. Typical implements had to be selected. In times 

 past molds had been made from many of these implements, and the 

 selection was limited to these molds in order to avoid the expense, use- 

 less and improper, of making molds of diii>licate imidements. A prep- 

 arator was employed to make these casts of implements, the Museum 

 furnishing the molds and the material. He has been at work during 

 the greater part of the past iiscal year, and had completed at its close 

 about 6,000 casts of implements at a cost of about oO cents each, or 

 $1,800 for all. The objects chosen had to be described, which was done 

 with as much brevity as possible, giving for each one its name, locality, 

 material, by whom contributed, and the number on our catalogue. Tbe 

 catalogue number had to be marked on each for its identification, and 

 the rest of the information was given in accompanying lists and labels. 

 Each set is composed of the following casts: 

 Piileolithic iiiiplcuicuts (Europe) : .Siukeis, i»emlauts, or cliaruis 5 



Casts 3 , Figures 16 



Figures 2 Drilled tablets : 



Paleolithic impleuieuts (IJuited States) : Casts 5 



Casts 2 Figures 9 



Figures 16 i Inscribed tablet 1 



Grooved stoue axes : (Jeremouial objects: 



Grrooved either wholly or par- Casts 9 



tially, some with projecting Figures 10 



Avings, casts 5 : Spade-shaped implemeut 1 



Flat back for insertion oi' tight- Boat-shaped objects . . .-. 3 



euiug wedge 5 Bird-shaped objects 2 



Double-bitted 1 Tubes 3 



