TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 917 



adorned Assyrian helmets, and the trappings of horses, both in Assyria and Persia. 

 Then there is the Maquahuitl, a Mexican weapon, consisting of blades of obsidian in 

 a wooden handle, which appears also in rock carvings in Peru, and an affinity to 

 which is seen in New Guinea and the Philippines. 



The remarkable resemblance existing between the pottery of Hissarlik and 

 Peru is shown to extend to an ornament or symbol found frequently on the vases 

 of Hissarlik, which appears reversed on vases in the Mexican paintings ; whilst, 

 curiously enough, the Mexican form of this symbol appears on the sculptured stones 

 of Scotland in conjunction with the T which forms one of the Maya hieroglyphs. 



Another instance of similarity is found in the circle with lines running through 

 it, which in Peru is said to represent a watercourse constructed by one of the Incas. 

 Another suggestive symbol is the protruding tongue, signifying Quetzalcoatl in 

 Mexico, but which is found in statues in various other parts of America, and also in 

 Egypt and Etruria. The winged globe of Egypt, Assyria, and Persia, seems to 

 have its representative, but reversed, in Central America, whilst some of the 

 Phoenician letters, also reversed, appear sculptured on the rocks in the Yonan Pass. 



The stone circles, cairns, dolmens, and rocking-stones of Europe and Asia, have 

 also their representatives in America, and in the case of the circles are connected 

 with the same legends, that is, that they were men and women turned to stone for 

 dancing instead of listening to a prophet or teacher. 



The paper does not deal with similarities in architecture, great tumuli, &c, 

 these having already received considerable attention ; but the square apertures in 

 graves in Peru are compared with those in Cyprus and Sardinia, and with similar 

 holes of a round form in various parts of Europe and Asia. These holes are sup- 

 posed to be made to allow of the free passage of the spirit, a similar idea having 

 originated the curious custom of trepanning, which prevailed in Europe in Neolithic 

 times ; this is found also in Peru, and is apparently indicated among the mound- 

 builders of Illinois. 



Several curious customs alike in the two hemispheres are mentioned, especially 

 that of the distortion of the head. 



All these coincidences, and many more which are omitted for want of space, the 

 author believes, can only be accounted for by some very early prehistoric inter- 

 communication, the manner and route of which have yet to be determined, there 

 being many difficulties in either route, whether across the Pacific from Asia, or the 

 Atlantic from Europe, being accepted, because of the absence of intermediate traces, 

 and the fact that in Peru, farthest removed from the Atlantic, we find the strongest 

 traces of ancient European influence, whilst the Mexican civilisation seems to 

 approach nearer to that of Asia. 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. 



The following Report and Papers were read : — 



1. Report of the Committee for defraying the expenses of completing the 

 preparation of the filial Report of the Anthropometric Committee. — 

 See Reports, p. 279. 



2. Notes on the Races of the Jews. By Dr. A. Netjbatjer. 



In this paper an account is given of the race-elements which at various times 

 have become part of the Jewish nation. The author criticises the popular opinion 

 that the two divisions of Sephardim or Spanish-Portuguese Jews, and Ashkenazim 

 or German-Polish Jews, correspond with the tribal divisions of Judah and Ben- 

 jamin respectively; this opinion he considers to have no historical foundation. 



On a Skull from the Loss of Podbaba, near Prague, and a Skull found 

 in alluvium at Kankakee, Illinois, along with a Tooth of the Mastodon. 

 By Dr. Daniel Wilson. 



