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William Henry Holmes

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HOLMES, WILLIAM HENRY , American anthropologist, was born in Harrison county, 0., on Dec. 1, 1846. He graduated in 1870 from McNeely Normal college (Ohio) and in 1872 became an assistant in the U.S. Geological Survey. He was with the F. V. Halden survey in the Rocky Mountain States for eight years, being assistant geologist 1875-80. In 1880 he was appointed geologist and continued his western explorations. From 1888 to 1894 he served as archaeologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology. After a brief period as curator of anthro pology at the Field Columbian museum in Chicago (1894-97), he returned to Washington to become head curator of the depart ment of anthropology at the U.S. National Museum (1897-1902). After serving as chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology from 1902 to 1910, he again returned to his position as head curator at the National Museum, which he held until 5920. During 1908-20 he also served as curator for the National Gal lery of Art, and in 1920 gave up his archaeological work to be come director of that institution. Holmes was one of the pioneers in archaeological investigation in the South-west. His researches in aboriginal pottery have greatly contributed to knowledge on the subject of the habitat and relationships of Indian groups and cultures.

His books include

Art in Shell of the Ancient Americans (1883) ; Ancient Pottery of the Mississippi Valley (i886) ; Pottery of the Ancient Pueblos (i886) ; Ancient Art of the Province of Chirique, Colombia (i888) ; Archaeological Studies among the Ancient Cities of Mexico (1895-97) ; Aboriginal Pottery of the Eastern United States (1903) . A complete bibliography of his writings to 1916 is found in Holmes Anniversary Volume, Anthropological Studies (1916).

ancient and curator