October 22, 1896] 



NA TURE 



611 



character. Principal Rendall strongly supported the orthodox 

 classical view of Reichel and Leaf, and scoffed at the " I'elasgian 

 heresy."' Dr. .Munro, Sir John Kvans, and Mr. Myres continued 

 the discussion ; the latter insjenioiLsly showed how a round 

 shield could be twisted into a figure of 8. The President also 

 -spoke, and Prof. Ridgeway replied to the criticisms ; and so 

 terminated one of the most lively and interesting debates that 

 Section H has ever experienced. Dr. O. Montclius gave a 

 characteristically careful and learned paper on pre-classical 

 chronology in Greece and Italy, in which he distinguished four 

 divisions of the Bronze Age in North and Central Italy, dating 

 from 2IOO to lioo li.r., two I'rotetruscan Periods, from lioo 

 to goo n.c, in Central Italy, and two Central Italian Etruscan 

 Periods from 900 to 700 B.C. The forms of the implements, fibuUi;, 

 pottery, i:c., that characterised these several periods were fully 

 illustrateil by lantern slides. He stated that the copper imple- 

 ments were made in the same shapes as those of the old stone 

 implements. Prof. Petrie referred to a recent discovery of his 

 own, in Egypt, of iron tools of such a character that they must 

 have been made by a people long acquainted with iron ; they 

 were associated with an Assyrian helmet which can be dated 

 about 670 B.r. This is the oldest known datable iron find. The 

 beginning of the use of copper tools in the Mediterranean area 

 was from 3500 to jooo B.C. The President read a paper on 

 pillar and tree worship in Myken^ean Greece, as illustrated by 

 signets, on a gold ring from the early Mykenajan Period (about 

 1500 B.C.) a dual cult of a male and female divinity in their 

 pillar shape is engraved. Other signets show deities as pillars 

 and trees enclosed in small shrines ; the cult of the fig-tree and 

 the early sanctity of the dove were referred to ; and attention 

 was al.so drawn to the fact that pillar and tree worship of 

 Mykeniean Greece is seen largely 10 survive in the rustic cult 

 of classical fJreece. Mr. G. Cofl'ey gave a lucid account, 

 illustrated by lantern slides, of the relation of the stone-carvings 

 of the tumuli of New Grange, Dowth and Loughcrew to Scan- 

 dinavian art. He has lately "discovered in Dowth the representa- 

 tion of a boat identical with those inscribed on Swedish rocks ; 

 this is the first undoubted example found outside Scandinavia. 

 Other new evidence was brought forward to substantiate his 

 view of a direct borrowing of Norse motives, many of which in 

 their turn had come into Scandinavia from the Mediterranean 

 up the valley of the Danube, and round Hungary. Mr. Kermode 

 concluded a long and very interesting day's work by describing 

 a magnificent series of rubbings and drawings ot Celtic and 

 Scandinavian crosses from the Isle of Man. In a recent number 

 (if. Natcre, October 8, p. 547) we have referred to the appre- 

 ciation by numerous members of the Association of Mr. Kermode's 

 endeavours to preserve and record these beautiful and most 

 interesting remains. 



Prof. Flinders Petrie brought forward on Wednesday his 

 scheme of an ethnological and archaeological storehouse. Most of 

 the speakers who followed admitted that more room was needed 

 than most existing museums can possibly afford if large collec- 

 tions were to be jireserved intact, and it was also recognised 

 that long series of objects were necessary for .scientific study. 

 Certain details of his proj^osed museum were criticised, but Prof. 

 Petrie thought that all these could be met. 



An interesting paper on " The Duk-duk and other Cu.stoms 

 as Forms of Expression of the Melanesian's Intellectual Life " 

 was read by Graf von Pfeil. During his long stay in the 

 Bismarck Archipelago he came to regard the natives' strong 

 desire for physical and psychical seclusion as an explanation of 

 some of their ceremonial customs. They still hate the white 

 man, and distrust their fellow countrymen. The Duk-duk 

 apparently serves to propitiate evil spirits and to levy blackmail 

 on non-initiates. The Eineth and Marawot ceremonies were 

 described for the first time ; the former appears to be relate<l to 

 ancestor worship, and talioos are placed on various foods, actions 

 and words. Little, however, is as yet known about this or the 

 Marawot ; the latter consists mainly of a dance on a high platform. 

 The author urged the immediate importance of studying the 

 habits of the Melanesians, owing to the change which is taking 

 place. In the discussion which followed, Mr. Hartland and 

 Prof. Iladdon suggested that there was more behind these 

 ceremonies than the author had yet discovered, li\it he was 

 congratulated on approaching the subject from a jisychological 

 point of view. The Count maintained his view that the 

 Melanesian was very largely actuated by mercenary motives. 



Mr. V. T. Elworlhy announced the very recent discovery of 

 an Ancient British interment in Somer.setshire, which led to a 



NO. 1408, VOL. 54] 



long discussion, the net result of which appeared to be that this 

 was a burial, in a stone cist and with a decorated earthen vessel 

 of the Neolithic lype, of a man who, by his skull, undoubtedly 

 belonged to the Bronze Race. 



This session was one of the most successful of any meeting of 

 Section H. Most of the papers maintained a high level, and the 

 pre-arranged discussions proved an intt resting and instructive 

 feature. Numerous distinguished foreigners had expressed their 

 intention of being present, but, unfortunately, only Drs. 

 O. Montelius and H. Stolpe, and Prof. \V. H. Goodyear 

 actually arrived. 



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