1896.] Anthropology. 519 
ANTHROPOLOGY.’ 
Professor Holmes Studies of Aboriginal Archictecture in 
Yucatan.—Professor W. H. Holmes in his recent visit to the Islands on 
' the east coast. of Yucatan, the sites of Chichen Itza, Izamal and Uxmal © 
and certain shell heaps, near Progreso (See Archeological Studies 
among the ancient cities of Mexico, by W. H. Holmes. Field Colum- 
bian Museum Publication 8. Chicago 1895) has presented us with a 
valuable and characteristically clear summary of the important archi- 
tectural features of the Peninsular ruins. 
Eschewing archaeological investigation in such directions as those of 
implements, pottery, metals, art, food, burial, etc., he fixes our attention 
upon the stones used in building, the manner of dressing and laying 
them and the purpose of completed structures. The details of this 
subject casually referred to by Charnay and Waldeck and in the un- 
indexed pages of Stephens, are summed up to together with certain 
original observations and arranged in order, until we see the relation- 
ship, in’ purpose that charactertzes the ruined structures in the region. 
No demonstration has yet been made as to the kind of tools used 
in carving the limestone of the facades and Professor Holmes like all 
previous travellers, leaves the question unanswered. Neither does he re- 
fer to Mr. McGuires’ theory that the work was done with round ham- 
merstones. But a block fortunately found at Chichen Itza, pecked on 
1 This department is edited by H. C. Mercer, University of Pennsylvania. 
