Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-09-12
EXHIBIT OF ETHRCLOGY
Miniature Mexican Palaces For
st. Louis Exposition.
MOST OF WORK CARVED BY HAND.

| rAsn anu bAruS 10 he Sent to the
| Worlds Fair.
Not since the days Of the Buffalo
exposition has there been such a 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 III. Holmes,
chief Of the bureau Of ethnology, de-
cided to reproduce in miniature the
wonderful palaces and temples of the
semicivilized Mayos, Zapotecs, CLUTCHES
and other tribes of southern Mexico
and Central America. He at first in
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
five. 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 miniatu reproduc-
tons 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 Temple of Xolchicolcos
In Yucatan, the palace Of the old Mix
tee kings at Militia, Mexico, and the
Cosa del Cozernador in Yucatan, the
making of which occupied nearly three
months. FITS
Work has been started on the fourth
Of the group. the so called Castle of
Chichen-Ztza. The next to follow will
be the Temple of Palenque, on the ia
cade of which is carved the peculiar
Maya cross, the symbol which so puz-
zled the monks and priests in 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
(AC SOl11luS VI
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 we'll under way. M
Charles knights reproduction Of the
big stegosaurus is also nearing complt
ton, and the construction of the whale
from the casts obtained by Professor
Lucas is advancing at rapid rate.
DR.. w. ]. Niece who recently re-
turned from a three weeks stay in ST.
Louis, where he was engaged in or
ganizing 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 is
anticipated that the ethnologic exhibits
will 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-i. e., the smallest AMI
largest representa- of mankind In
order to illustrate development in the
arts it is designed also to 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.
Zone of the features contemplated is
a living representative Of the Vlack
tribe, race living in the neighborhood
Of Thessaly, the descendants of the
warlike Romans who remained in
Greece after the battle Of Pharsalia.
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 docks Of
sheep and herds of goats. Another |
type which | hope to secure is the pure
Greek Of classic days, now found only |
among the Sphakiotes, in the noun |
tains of Crete or in 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
n stature"
In the department Of fish and birds
The Smithsonian is preparing a won
ierful exhibit. Mounted specimens Of
The four wild species of chickens. the
Gallus hankiva parent Of al! domestic
breeds; Gallus4 SOMEWHAT, Gallus stan
ey and Gailus varius, the latter some
what resembling pheasant, will also
be shown. There win also be shown !
/ complete exhibit of the different spe
les of pheasants, cartridges, guinea
owls, the common Javan. white and
brown winged peafowls and full eA
libit of American birds, especially wild
lucks. geese, cranes. herons, the COM
non wild and ocelated turkeys. jays.
'obins and woodpeckers among the
after being the giant woodpecker OF
lower California and northern Mexico.