282 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 60 



perfected electrically driven chisels, 100 days. The magnitude of 

 this work with its high relief, undercutting and diversitied lloral de- 

 tail is, however, more than paralleled in magnitude by that of the 

 huge monolithic stelae of Copan and Quirigua, which are marvels 

 of intricate design and bold relief, and carved, it is assumed, without 

 machinery and in the main, no doubt, with implements of stone. 



It would ai)i)ear that the shaping and use of minor artifacts of 

 stone — utensils, implements, ornaments, and objects of religious sig- 

 nificance — was carried to a high degree of perfection among most 

 primitive peoples before the larger works of sculpture and archi- 

 tecture were conceived or undertaken, although among exceptional 

 peoples megalithic monuments and cyclopean structures of astoinid- 

 ing jn-oportions were erected during very early stages of ]n"ogress 

 in the shaping arts. 



Howsoever important the stone-shaping arts may have ])een to 

 the impleuient maker and the carver of minor sculjitures generally, 

 their greatest field of accomi)lishment was in getting out and dress- 

 ing the vast bodies of soli<l rock refjuired in the building arts 

 aud in carving the colossal sculptures which characterize the cultrire 

 centers of Middle and South Auierica. INIuch, however, must re- 

 main forevei' undetermined regarding the means euiployed by the 

 jU'imitiAe city-l)uilders in (juarrying these monster stones from the 

 unbi'oken body of living rock. 



With regard to the question of the geographical distribution of 

 the various processes here referred to, it may be said that some are 

 widespread or even practically universal, while others are confined 

 apparently to limited areas and represent single connnunities or 

 tribes. The fundamental processes were doubtless known in one 

 form or another to all the American i)eoi)les, either by original dis- 

 covery or by acculturation, the differences in their operation arising 

 locally as the result of differences in nuiterial and needs and varying 

 also witli the state of advancement of the ]ieo]ile, the diiTerence de- 

 pending not a little, as with civilized peoples, upon the inventi\e 

 jrcnius of a few individuals. 



