The Washington herald., 1915-12-28
SEEK To GUARD
RARE ANTIQUES
Americanists Want Uniform
Laws Against Hunters
of Souvenirs.
CAPITAL MEN HONORED
G. W. Mead Shows Textile Design
Used by Mesolithic People Which
Is Counterpart of Persian.
CAPITAL MEN HONORED

Uniform laws to prevent commercial
souvenir hunters and other non-scientific
persons from despoilinS antiquities will
be asked by the present congress of
Americanists II the resolutions sub
mitted yesterday at the opening meeting
are adopted. Another resolution calls for
the promotion of anthropological re-
search in the American republics. Prob
ably both will carry if the remarks heard
about the halls of the National Museum
yesterday are an indication.
The program yesterday began with a
general meeting in the large auditorium
of the museum, at which President John
W. Foster delivered his address of well
come, followed by the address of DIR.
Walcott. of the Smithsonian Institution.
Brief responses were made on behalf of
the various countries represented by DR..
Juan Ambrosetti, of Argentina: NJ AL
phonse Gagnon. OF Canada: Prof Luis
Montana, of Cuba: Miss Adele c. Breton,
of England. and Alexander c. Vouros, of
Greece. Then, with DIR. Ambrosetti in
the chair. the reading of the scientific
papers began.
Design Same ms Persian.
Textile designs used by the people who
preceded the Incas in western South
America were discussed by Charles W.
Mead, of the American Museum OF
con slides OF the four general motives.
the human figure. the bird. the fish. and
the puma. His paper dealt particularly
with the puma, or cat design of the So
called Megolithic people.
One remarkable coincidence was a cat
eyes. nose and mouth design. the exact
counterpart of one used in the fifteenth
century in Persia by the makers OF the
Persian goat-hair rugs.
* h9
will claim contact of the ancient Peru
Wan wcavers with those of Persia" said
Mr. Mead. I'VE must call this an eX-
ample of the influence of technique upon
design.
This particular design has two squares
for the eyes. with line running from
each. paralleling. to represent the sides
nf the nose. and then squaring at the
corners of the mouth. The speakers
theory is that il WAS worked out quite
originally in each ease. owing To the
fact that each had tn. same problem OF
square corners in wCavin, and each had
the cat family in everyday view.
Washington Men Honored.
other papers given were: nr. Rudolph
SchulIer oldest Known illustrations of
South American Indians" and Present
State OF knowledge OF South American
Indians" DIR. J. \. Capiro. Of Notre
Dame. Ind. origin oil the lnulans ol
Central and South America: Phillip
Ainsworth Means. Rise of the Inca En-
pirc." DIR. Hiram Bingham. An Inca
Road and Several Hitherto Undescribcd
Ruins in the Trabamba Valley. Peru. and
Some Extraordinary Trepanned Skulls !
Found in ihe Same Valley" Rev. John
NJ. Cooper Of tthc Catholic University. |
''F'uegian and ChonOan Relations.
At the preliminary meeting OF the con-
cress yesterday. four Washingtoniansl
were recognized 10y being named honor |
ary vice presidents. As follows: Rear
Admiral Charles II. stockton. retired: |
Rt Rev. T. J. Shahan. O. II. Tittman, |
and Robert : Woodward. Other hon
orarv vice presidents are Prof. Luis Mon |
tame Cuba: Dr SImocns di silva, Brazil; !
Francisco J. Eancs. FredcriCo 4. Pact, |
Manuel GamiO Mexico: DIR. Samuel !
Dixon. Philadelphia: Or. William J. iiol- |
land. Pittsburgh: Edward X. Putnam, /
Iowa. and Or. Roland b. Orr. Canada.
All the members Of the congress were |
given invitations to the reception of III" |
Secretary OF State. given TO the pan
American delegates at the Pan-Amcrican
Union Building. |
The Congress Of Americanists will con- |
tinue for the rest of the week. The chief |
work of the day sessions will be scientific |
papers.