906 REPORT— 1887. 



and utilised the native silver gathered on tlie surface of the soil. 1,300 sepultures 

 explored ; all the bodies inten-ed, and not cremated. Generally in large terra-cotta 

 vases, in which the body is doubled up. Enormous quantity of copper and bronze 

 arms and utensils ; of vases in pottery ; bracelets, rings, earrings, in copper, bronze, 

 gold, silver ; necklace-beads in bone, ivory, serpentine, bronze, copper, silver, gold. 

 The following is a summary enumeration of the objects found by the authors : — 

 400 flint knives ; 150 flint arrowheads ; 700 flint saws ; 80 axes of polished stones ; 

 200 whetstones ; -iOQ various stones — polishers, discs, hammers, moulds, &c. ; 900^ 

 awls and other implements in bone and ivory ; 70 flat copper axes ; 300 copper 

 and bronze knives and daggers ; 4 bronze swords ; 140 copper arrowheads ; 4,000 

 necklace-beads in stone, shell, bone, ivorj^, copper, bronze, silver, gold, &c. ; 400 

 borers in copper, bronze, silver ; 700 bracelets, rings, and pendants in bronze and 

 copper ; 400 bracelets, rings, and pendants in silver ; 8 bracelets, rings, and pen- 

 dants in gold; 7 diadems in silver; 1,300 terra-cotta vases, of which two-thirds 

 are entire vases ; 600 perforated shells, <S:c. A very important and complete mono- 

 graphj' relating all these discoveries has just been published in Antwerp, 



3. Ihe Origin of Toteonism.^ By C. Staniland "Wake. 



The term totem signifies the device of a gens or tribal division, and it may be 

 an animal or a vegetable, or any natural object or phenomenon, or even a mere 

 quality._ The nature of totemism as a system is shown by the fact that among the- 

 Australians the totem is the symbol of a group of kinsmen. It is thus equivalent 

 to a family name, and it is properly defined as a ' badge of fraternity,' answering to 

 the ' device of a gens.' The gens was defined by Schoolcraft as the totemic institu- 

 tion, and a consideration of the rights and obligations of the gens throws light on 

 the subject of totemism. The gens is founded on two chief conceptions, the bond 

 of kin and non-intermarriage of persons belonging to the same gens. The former 

 implies the obligation of mutual help, defence, and redress of injuries among the 

 members of the gens. This obligation applies not only to hvmian beings, but also 

 to the totem group of objects, which are regarded as sacred by the members of the 

 gens, although they may be killed and eaten by persons not belonging to it. 

 These notions show a close connection of totemism with animal-worship and 

 ancestor-worship. ^ The conception of kinship is essential to ancestor-worship, 

 which, like totemism, rests on the obligation of mutual aid and protection; and 

 this, again, is associated with the superstitious regard for certain animals and other 

 objects, which are viewed by their human allies as guardian spirits. 



The fundamental basis of totemism is to be found in the phase of human 

 thought which supposes spirits 'to inhabit trees and groves, and to move in the 

 winds and stars,' and which personifies almost every phase of nature. These 

 notions were not unknown to the religious philosophy of antiquity, according to 

 which the Universe or Great Cause was divided into two principles, that of light 

 or good, answering to the active cause in nature ; and that of darkness or evil, 

 answering to the passive cause ; each of which was subdivided into a multitude of 

 partial pauses, likewise intelligent. The idea of dualism in nature is found in 

 Australian totemism, which is said to ' divide not manlrind only, but the whole 

 universe into what may almost be called gentile divisions.' It is connected also 

 with the idea of transmigration, which was considered by ancient (Oriental teaching 

 as essential to the attainment of perfection by the human soul, the forms through 

 which it was supposed to pass including not only beasts, birds, and fishes, but also 

 trees, stopes, and other inanimate objects. The problem of totemism receives its 

 solution in the fact that the totem is the re-incarnated form of the legendary 

 ancestor of the gens or family group allied to the totem. The totem is thus some- 

 thing more than a ' badge of fraternity ' or ' device of a gens.' It is regarded as 

 having actual vitality, as the embodiment of an ancestral spirit. Any object is 

 fitted for this spirit re-incarnation, and therefore totemism may be looked upon as 



' The paper has been published in extenso as chap. xii. of Ser/jent-worshijJt and 

 other Essays, by the same author. 



