XXXVI REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



watched by Professor Holmes and Mr William Dinwiddie, 

 without, however, the finding- of a single artificial object in 

 the previously undisturbed gravels. This negative result is 

 believed to be of great importance to American archeology. 

 Special examinations, frequently requiring excavations, were 

 made of the ancient soapstone quarries of the District of 

 Columbia and in Virginia, Mr Dinwiddie and Mr Gerard 

 Fowke aiding in the work; and toward the close of the year 

 Mr De Lancey W. Gill, of the United States Geological 

 Survey, was detailed to make an examination of the ancient 

 mica mines of North Carolina. Valuable collections of mate- 

 rial representing aboriginal arts and industries grew out of 

 this work. 



In December Professor Holmes was placed in charge of the 

 exhibit of the Bureau of Ethnology for the World's Colum- 

 bian Exposition at Chicago, and several months were occupied 

 mainly in preparing, classifying, labeling, and arranging the 

 exhibit, which includes (1) a series of collections illustrating 

 aboriginal quarrying, mining, and implement-making indus- 

 tries; (2) various collections of ethnologic material made chiefly 

 by collaborators of the Bureau; and (3) a series of life-size 

 figures illustrating the domestic life, arts, and industries of the 

 aborigines. It is a pleasure to observe that this exhibit attracted 

 great attention among visitors to the Exposition. Messrs Henry 

 W. Henshaw, James Mooney, F. H. Cushing, and Gerard 

 Fowke aided in the preparation of this exhibit. 



At intervals throughout the year Professor Holmes continued 

 researches concerning the development of the shaping arts. 

 Hitherto, American archeologists have in general been content 

 to accept the classification of prehistoric peoples into culture 

 stages based on the products of art work in stone, the classifica- 

 tion being derived from European studies. During the last 

 decade different archeologists have devoted much attention to 

 the development of pristine culture as indicated by the artificial 

 stone implements, weapons, and other objects found in many 

 parts of this country, and have come to question the applica- 

 bility of the European classification. While the investigation 

 can not be regarded as complete, it is worthy of note that a 



