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Elephants and Ethnologists
Paperback
AnthropologyArchaeologyCentral American History
ISBN13: 9781025630441
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 212
Weight: 0.67
Height: 0.45 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Elephants and Ethnologists is a provocative work of archaeological and anthropological inquiry that explores the controversial theories of diffusionism in the early twentieth century. Written by the renowned anatomist and ethnologist Sir Grafton Elliot Smith, the text centers on the identification of specific motifs within ancient Mayan stelae at Copán as representations of Indian elephants. Smith uses this visual evidence to challenge the prevailing notion of independent cultural development in the Americas, arguing instead that Mayan civilization was significantly shaped by trans-Pacific migrations and influences from Southeast Asia and India.
Through detailed analysis of artistic styles and mythological symbols, the book examines the connections between Old World and New World iconography. Smith presents a rigorous case for the transmission of culture across the oceans, touching upon broader themes of human migration and the shared heritage of global civilizations. This work remains a significant historical document in the study of ethnology and the evolution of archaeological thought, offering readers a fascinating look into the debates that once defined the understanding of Pre-Columbian history and the origins of indigenous American architecture and art.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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