It seems at first sight impossible to build up any idea of their habits aud 

 comparative states of savagery from the few objects which have survived the 

 corroding influences of time. 



Were we to apply the same methods to the study of civilized races to day, 

 very little could be gathered of our life by an examination of the refuse piles of 

 our dwellings. All the delicate works of art, wood carving, embroidery, books, 

 models, etc. would disappear in the time that has elapsed since the earlier ages 

 of man, and we should only have left the glass, porcelain, and stone fragments 

 which would survive. From the refinement aud delicacy of these objects, how- 

 ever, we would have a right to infer the progress aud condition of the race, and 

 would be justified in the assumption that in their perishable art the same refine- 

 ment had been manifested. 



It is true these deposits do not give us their textile fabrics, if they had any, 

 or their wood work or more perishable art ; but judging the ancient savage by 

 the modern one, the sites of their villages, or contents of their refuse heaps, give 

 us a very fair indication of what they possessed. The imprint of matting or 

 cloth upon their pottery tells us at once the texture and kind of fabric used. 

 An arrow head presupposes a wooden shaft. Knowing how scantily supplied 

 with objects the hut of a low savage is to day, we have every reason to believe 

 that the primitive savage was no better provided in these respects. 



The importance of studying deposits of the nature of the Omori Mounds has 

 been fully realized, since the investigations of the Danish shell mounds brought 

 to light so man}' facts bearing on the habits of the primitive races of Denmark. 

 Of such importance was an examination of the Danish deposits considered, that 

 the Government appointed a commission consisting of three men highly eminent 

 in science to make exhaustive explorations. Aud now so jealously does she 

 guard her treasures that laws have been enacted prohibiting the exportation of 

 archaeological specimens or antiquities of iny kind from the country. "With the 

 •existence of an Archo3ologinal Society in Tokio, consisting exclusively of Japanese, 

 who hold their meetings regularly, and the fact that there have already been a 

 number of works published by native archaeologists who have figured with more 

 or less accuracy the stone implements, ancient vessels, inscriptions and the liket 

 it seems proper and just that Government should follow the example of Greece, 

 Italy and Denmark in passing laws to prevent these treasures from going ou, 

 of the country. May the Government not only prevent the exportation of spe- 

 cimens, but may it jealously guard its ancient temples, monuments, gate ways 

 and idols. I can not refrain from quoting at this point the words of an accom- 

 plished English archaeologist^ Mr. Borlase, who expresses a hope "that the liber- 

 al views which have hitherto prompted the Mikado's Government in all that re- 

 lates to science and art, may be extended to that chef d'a'ievrc of their country 

 ( which is indeed unmatched in the world ) and that authors may 3-et have to 

 record the graceful act, on the part of the present Administration, which lias 



