ANTHROPOLOGY AT THE PARIS EXPOSITION IN 1889. G67 



were largely occupied by man in this early antiquity. The representa- 

 tion of the geography of this country and of the caverns was exceed- 

 ingly elaborate, and the display of objects therefrom very rich. 



M. Dupont continued in 1872 the excavations of caverns in that 

 country which were begun by Schmerling 35 or 40 years before, and 

 MM.de Pnydt, Fraipontand Lohest took it up in 18S4 where M. Dupont 

 had left it. These gentlemen made many investigations and excava- 

 tions in the caverns of the Lesse and Meuse, but the principal one was 

 at the Grotte tie Spy, a few miles northwest from the city of Dinaut, 

 where were found the celebrated skulls and skeletons of prehistoric 

 man. Not only did these discoveries verify those of Schmerling and 

 Dupont, and establish with greater certainty the existence of the paleo- 

 lithic period and the human occupation during that period in the num- 

 berless caverns of that locality; but it served to emphasize our knowl- 

 edge concerning the race of men belonging thereto. The discoveries 

 at Neanderthal and Caustadt were only of human skulls, but that of 

 Spy included much of the skeleton, aud has done more than probably 

 any other to give us an accurate knowledge of the anatomy and osteol- 

 ogy, aud of the size and form of this, the man of greatest antiquity 

 whose remains have yet been found. 



The Belgian display was worthy of much commendation. Not only 

 was it quite complete, but its arrangement was excellent. The student, 

 as he passed along, could comprehend and understand the science which 

 it illustrated and the sequence of the specimens displayed. Maps were 

 displayed upon the walls which showed the various prehistoric stations 

 and the different periods and epochs to which they belonged. With 

 lithographs, drawings, and photographs the various caverns of southern 

 Belgium were well illustrated. La Naulette, Pont-a-Lesse, Montaigle, 

 Furfooz, Chaleux, Hastiere were shown in their geographic position, by a 

 general view, three sections, longitudinal, and transverse. The cavern 

 of Spy was shown in much the same way, but, being more modern and 

 considered more important, it was given in greater detail. A section was 

 given both ways, showing the various strata in the cavern, while in the 

 case below were laid out a series of objects found in each stratum. This 

 was continued in a similar manner in many other of the caverns. By 

 these means one could study the prehistoric archaeology of Belgium in 

 great detail and with much certainty. 



The neolithic period was occupied principally with the great quarry at 

 Spiennes. I had visited it and studied it under the guidance of M. Cor- 

 net, now unhappily deceased, and this display was particularly gratify- 

 ing to me. Many excavations have been made in this quarry, and it and 

 the workshop have been so studied as to be understood in all its rela- 

 tions to the prehistoric man. These excavations had been carefully de- 

 signed at the time, and the designs, together with the objects found, were 

 here laid out before the beholder. 



These labors so conscientiously done in respect of the prehistoric sta- 



