1877.] Anthropology. 183 
find in the results of their digging confirmation of the superposition of 
the Mousterian upon the Solutréan epoch, by M. G. de Mortillet. 
In Matériaux, 11th number, Mr. Valdemar Schmidt's paper on Com- 
parative Studies upon Funeral Rites in Prehistoric Times in Europe is 
reviewed. During the stone age inhumation was in use in nearly all 
these countries. Traces of cremation are observed in certain regions in 
the tombs of that age, but it can be proved that these sepultures belong 
to an epoch not far removed from the age of bronze. During the latter 
age, incineration predominated in the east of Central Europe, and in the 
north ; but in the west inhumation was more frequent. In Scandinavian 
countries, two periods can be distinguished; the former, where the bodies 
were inhumed, the latter, where they were burned. Passing to the age 
of iron, anterior to the Roman period, we see inhumation practiced in 
Greece, cremation in Italy. In the west of Europe, inhumation pre- 
dominated ; in the east, incineration; in the centre, the two rites co- 
existed. In Scandinavia, this epoch does not exist. In the Roman 
epoch, they burned the corpses at Rome, in the provinces, and in most 
other countries; but at the end of the reign of the Antonines, inhuma- 
tion was recommended, and this method was propagated everywhere, 
even beyond the Roman empire. Since then there has been no inciner- 
ation, excepting in Slavonic countries, and among the Saxons in the 
north of Germany. This rite did not disappear until the prevalence of 
Christianity. Dr. Schmidt thinks that the custom of cremation was 
brought into Europe by the Aryans. 
In the same number of Matériaux, P. Fischer contributes a very val- 
uable paper on the recent and fossil shells found in the caverns in the 
south of France, and in Liguria. In gathering up these results the 
author has been assisted by MM. Lartet, Massenat, Mortillet, Piette, 
and Rivière. The authorities on the subject are copiously given. 
The opening of the School of Anthropology, established a year ago in 
Paris, took place November 15th. M. Broca, director of the course, 
delivered the opening address, explaining the limits of anthropology and 
its relations to other subjects. Anthropology studies the individual, that 
it may know the many ; medicine studies the many that it may heal the 
individual ; and thus with other ancillary sciences. Anthropology is the 
natural history of the human race. The course, as established, is as 
follows : — 
Anatomical Anthropology, P. Broca. 
(1.) Comparison of man with the higher mammals. 
(2.) Comparative anatomy of races. 
(3.) Craniology. 
Biological Anthropology. P. Topinard. 
(1.) Physical and physiological characters of living men. 
(2.) Anthropometry. i 
Ethnological Anthropology. Eugene Dally. 
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