The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-09-12
EXHIBIT OF ETHNOLOGY
Miniature Mexican Palaces For
St. Louis Exposition.
MOST OF WORK CARVED BIZ HAND.


Of Mounted American Animals,
Fish ana Birds to BE sent 70 the
worlds Fair.
Not since the days Of the Buffalo
exposition has there been such d scene
Of activity about the Smithsonian
workshops in Washington, down near
the water front, as at present. Tax.
idermists, artists and general workmen
are hard at work preparing the ex-
hibits Of the National museum, Smith
sonion institution and bureau Of eth
nology for the ST. Louis exposition,
says the Washington Post.
At the beginning of the present sea-
son Professor William II. Holmes,
chief of the bureau Of ethnology. de-
cided to reproduce in miniature the
wonderful palaces and temples Of the
semiciyilized Mayos, Zapotecs. Quiehes
and other tribes Of southern Mexico
and Central America. He at first III
tended to have as many as twelve such
/ reproductions, but the work Of making
these miniatures has proved SO difficult
that the number has been reduced to
eve. The difficulty has been that ow-
| ing to the wealth of ornament and
sculpture on these buildings It Is I'M
] possible to cast the parts from molds.
In most cases the miniature reproduc-
lions Of these temples and palaces have
simply been carved By hand from solid
blocks Of plaster Of paris.
Three of these miniatures have been
completed the Temple Of Xolehieolcos
in Yueatan, the palace Of the old Mix
tee kings at Militia. Mexico, and the
Cosa del Gozernador in Yucatan, the
making Of which occupied nearly three
months
Work has been started on the fourth
Of the group, the So called Castle Of
Chichen- Ztza The next to follow viii
be the Temple Of Palenque, on the fas
cade of which IL carved the peculiar
Maya cross. the symbol which So puz-
zled the monks and priests iii the train
Of Cortes army and which caused
them to argue that ST Thomas must
have visited America and half way
Christianized the natives long before
the coming Of Columbus
Among the Smithsonian taxidermists
more rapid progress Is being made
The work Of mounting the big three
horned giraffe is about finished, and
| the mounting Of the Norwegian Elk. the
Alaskan musk Ok and the Marco Polo
sheep Is also well under way Mr.
| Charles Knights reproduction Of the
big steg0saurus IL also nearing compile
ton, and the construction Of the whale
/ from the casts obtained by Professor
/ Lucas n advancing DIT a rapid rate.
Or. W. j. MCGEE, who recently re-
/ turned from d three weeks stay i'll st.
Louis, where he was engaged III or
gaaizing the department Of anthropol-
ogy and ethnology, Of which he has
charge at the great exposition. says.
while the plans for the department
are not yet mature. various features of
interest are under consideration, 1t IL
anticipated that the ethnologic exhibits
viii include several of the most strik-
ing tribes known to science. Arrange
ments have been practically completed
for displaying family groups Of pyg
mics and giants /. e the smallest and
/ largest representatives Of mankind. In
order to Illustrate development iii the
/ arts it il designed also 10 exhibit FAM
lily groups Of peoples still living In the
stone age, others just at the beginning
Of metal working and others engaged
in primitive pattery making, basket
\ weaving, etc.
"One Of the features contemplated Is
a living representative Of the Nlack
tribe, a race living III the neighborhood
Of Thessaly, the descendants Of the
warlike Romans who remained in
Greece after the battle Of phaisaiia
These people are of the pure ancient
Roman type, and in spite Of years Of
Turkish oppression they have never
mixed either with Greeks or Turks
They now live in tents and are follow
ed from place to place BY hocks Of
sheep and herds Of goats Another
type which i hope to secure is the pure
Greek Of classic days, now found only
among the sphakiotes, ia the noun
tains of Crete or III rare instances on
the island Of Corfu or the more remote
Islands Of the Greek archipelago. These
Greeks have the head and profile Of
the Hermes Of Praxiteles large blue
gray eyes, golden hair and are giants
in stature"
III the department % fish and birds
the Smithsonian is preparing d won
derful exhibit. Mounted specimens OF
the four wild species Of chickens, the
GalIus hankiva, parent of all domestic
breeds: Gallus SOMEWHAT, Gallus stan
ley and Galus varius, the latter some
what resembling pheasant, will also
be shown. There viii also be shown
complete exhibit Of the different spe-
cies Of pheasants, partridges. guinea
fowls the common Javan, white and
brown winged peafowls and q full ex-
hibit Of American birds, especially Wild
ducks, geese, cranes, herons, the COM
mon wild and oceiated turkeys, jays,