REVIEWS OF RECENT LITERATURE. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
Human Remains from Maya Territory.— A few broken calvaria, 
a few fragments of long bones, and a few sets of teeth are all the 
skeletal remains that we possess of the ancient inhabitants of the 
Maya territory. In the admirable report upon the ruins of Copan, 
by Maudsley, we read that “traces of bones were found,” “a few 
small fragments of human bones were found,” etc. The more 
recent explorations. at the same ruin by the expeditions from the 
Peabody Museum have resulted in the discovery of “fragments ” and 
“filed teeth.” The few crania which, it might be inferred from the 
field notes, were well preserved and which are now in the Peabody 
Museum are in too fragmentary a condition to be available for 
study. In his account of the ruins of Xkichmook,’ Mr. Edward 
Thompson describes the structure and architectural remains of an 
interesting group of ruins. We may readily believe that the “ Palace,” 
which he pictures in word, photograph, and plan, is “a most imposing 
structure,” as its walls stand 64 feet high and are raised 80 feet 
above the surrounding level. Notwithstanding the probably dense 
population, as indicated by the extent of the ruins which formerly 
occupied the region, very few human remains were found. “ Badly 
decayed human bones and teeth,” “fragments of human bones much 
decayed,” etc., is the record of the explorations among the burial 
chambers. 
In a pleasantly written narrative? Mr. Gordon gives an account of 
the Honduras of to-day and of the vast quantities of potsherds and 
other artifacts that exist along the Uloa River. Whether or not they 
were manufactured by a race distinct from the Mayas, as suggested 
by Mr. Gordon and Professor Putnam in his editorial note, they indi- 
cate the presence of an extensive population in that valley in former 
times. However, the disappointing statement again appears, “ The 
human remains . . . consist of crumbling fragments of bone. . . 
1 Thompson, Edward. Ruins of Xkichmook. Field Columbian Museum, 
Anthropological ee vol. ii, No. 3. 
2 Gordon, Geor . Researches in the Uloa Valley, Caverns of Copan, Hon- 
duras, Memoirs of ‘is Peabody Museum of American Archeology and ee 
Cambridge, Mass. Vol. i (1898), Nos. 4 and 5. 
