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BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
11th Annual Report, 1889-90, 
"In the autumn of 1889 Mr. W. H. Holmes was directed to 
take charge of the archeologic field work of the Bureau. In 
September he began excavations in the ancient bowlder quarries 
on Piny branch, a tributary of Rock creek, near Washington. A 
trench was carried across the principal quarry, ‘which had a width 
of more than 50 feet and a depth in places of 10 feet. The 
ancient methods of quarrying and working the bowlders were studied, 
and several thousand specimens were collected. Work was resumed 
in the next spring, and five additional trenches were opened 
across widely separated portions of the ancient quarries. Much 
additional information was collected, and many specimens were 
added to the collection. In June work was commenced on another 
group of ancient quarries situated north of the new Naval Observa¬ 
tory, on the western side of Rock creek. Ve^y extensive quarry¬ 
ing and implement-making had been carried on/this place. The 
conditions and phenomena were almost identical with those of the 
Piny branch site. Subsequently an ancient soapstone quarry near 
Tenleytown was examined. The ancient pitting corresponds quite 
closely with that of the bowlder quarries, and the condition of 
the pits indicated equal age." (Page XXVI) 
"Mr. W. H. Holmes was chiefly engaged in the preparation 
of papers on -the arts of the mound builders. Four elaborate 
papers have been undertaken by Mr. Holmes, one on pottery, a 
second on art in shell and bone, a third on textile fabrics, and 
a fourth on pipes. Three of these papers were well advanced 
toward completion at the close of the fiscal year. In addition 
to tiiis work he has prepared several papers relating to his field 
explorations. These include a report on excavations in the 
ancient quartzite bowlder workshops and the soapstone quarries 
of the District of Columbia, and a rock shelter in West Virginia. 
(Page XXXIV) 
