Handbook to the Ethnographical Collections (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

British Museum; Dept; Of British And Mediaeval Antiquities And Ethnography

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1330861663 ISBN 13: 9781330861660

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Excerpt from Handbook to the Ethnographical Collections

It is obvious that almost insuperable difficulties beset the formation of a representative ethnographical collection within the space available, even if it were limited to the races within the empire.

At no period in the world's history has any one nation exercised control over so many primitive races as our own at the present time, and yet there is no institution in Great Britain where this fact is adequately brought before the public ina concrete form. Meanwhile civilization is spreading over the earth, and the beliefs, customs, and products of practically all aboriginal peoples are becoming obsolete under new conditions which, though interesting from an economic point of view, have only a secondary importance for the ethnologist. In proportion as the value of Anthropology is appreciated at its true worth, the material for anthropological study diminishes; in many cases native beliefs and institu tions described in the book have already become obsolete, though it has been found convenient, in mentioning them, to use the present tense. Such facts alone enforce the necessity for energetic action before it is too late.

It is hoped that the two indexes will add to the utility of the volume.

It is proposed that the collections illustrating Ancient America and the Oriental Religions shall form subjects for separate guides at some future date.

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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Product Description

Excerpt from Handbook to the Ethnographical Collections The present publication is called a handbook rather than a guide, as the continual increase, and consequent re-arrangement, of the collections renders allusion to particular cases impossible. The great amount and variety of the available information on the peoples of the whole uncivilized world, their beliefs, habits, and productions, have rendered concise treatment a necessity; but it is hoped that even this short abstract from an immense material will enable the visitor to grasp the scientific value of ethnographical oltjects, and to perceive their relation to the products of more advanced civilizations exhibited in other parts of the Museum. Many of the older specimens in the gallery have a connection with British enterprise and exploration which adds considerably to their interest: thus, the voyages of Cook, Vancouver, and others, including the explorers who took part iu the search for Franklin, are represented in the Museum; and the magnificent collection of the London Missionary Society, now shown in the Pacific Section, illustrates another phase of British enterprise among uncivilized peoples, in which we may take legitimate pride. India and its l)orderlands are represented only to a limited extent. The India Museum at South Kensington illustrates the industrial arts of Hindustan, leaving to the British Museum the ethnography of the primitive tribes. It has however, l)een difficult to avoid some overlapping of the two collections without causing gaps in both, and some confusion may exist in the public mind as to their respective functions. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330861663
• ISBN 13: 9781330861660
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 356