. The evolution of the dragon. op-ment of the material side of civilization and the even vaster influenceit exerted upon beliefs and ethics. It represents the first stage in theevolution of clothing ; and it was responsible for originating the beliefin love-philtres and in the possibility of foretelling the future. It would lead me too far from my main purpose in this book todiscuss the widespread geographical distribution and historical associa-tions of the customs of baptism and pouring libations among differentpeoples. I may, however, refer the reader to an article by Best, entitl
. The evolution of the dragon. op-ment of the material side of civilization and the even vaster influenceit exerted upon beliefs and ethics. It represents the first stage in theevolution of clothing ; and it was responsible for originating the beliefin love-philtres and in the possibility of foretelling the future. It would lead me too far from my main purpose in this book todiscuss the widespread geographical distribution and historical associa-tions of the customs of baptism and pouring libations among differentpeoples. I may, however, refer the reader to an article by Best, entitled Ceremonial Performances Pertaining to Birth,as Performed by the Maori of New Zealand in Past Times {Journalof the Royal Anthropologicalhistitute, Vol. XLIV, 1914, p. 127),which sheds a clear light upon the general problem. The whole subject of baptismal ceremonies is well worth detailedstudy as a remarkable demonstration of the spread of culture in earlytimes. Op. cit. p. 684. - Ibid. See J. Wilfrid Jackson, op. cit. Fig. 6.—Reikesentation ok the ancient Mexican wokshii of the Sin Ihe image of the sun is held up by a man in front of his face ; two men blow conch-shelltrumpets; another pair burn incense; and a third pair make blood-offerings by piercingtheir ears—after Zelia Nuttall. INCENSE AND LIBATIONS 71 Summary. In these pages I have ranged over a very wide field of speculation,groping in the dim shadows of the early history of civilization. I havebeen attempting to pick up a few of the threads which ultimately be-came woven into the texture of human beliefs and aspirations, and tosuggest that the practice of mummification was the woof around whichthe web of civilization was intimately intertwined. I have already explained how closely that practice was related tothe oiigin and development of architecture, which Professor Lethabyhas called the matrix of ciNilization, and how nearly the ideas thatgrew up in explanation and in justification of the ritual of emba
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