The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-10
THE HIGH sARTlQUITY OF MAN.
Foss1l Renatns Of the Neander valley.

buS uloh uNNIaNSta ~ "EN
FossN Remains of the Neander Valley.
Translated from the German Journal Die Natur.
The question concerning the antiquity OF the
human race, which in our times occupies q
prominent place in the minds OF scientists, is
of the highest interest; and in consequence of
important recent discoveries and researches has
assumed a new phase. The discovery OF seven
teen fossil human skeletons, which, amid the
bones of mammoths, mastodons, and other anti
diluvian animals, we're recently found in a cavern
near Aurignai in the Pyrenees; the disclosure of
the lacustrine habitations IN Switzerland and
elsewhere whose antiquity can be traced higher
up than the commonly adopted Mosaic age of
the world, and which already 0etray certain
development of civilization, has thrown a ray
OF light on the prehistoric age of mankind and
the scientific world now turns with renewed
interest to this important subject. Although
many unsustainable hypothesis have been offered
and many errors crept INTO the manuals OF
natural philosophy, the Importance of the ques-
ton cannot be denied; and as long as man will
think, the mystery oil the creation of his own
species will form one of the most attractive
scientific problems.
The highest antiquity of the human race has
been established upon the facts which have been
brought to light in consequence OF the perfora.
tions and other experiments which took place
in the delta OF the Nile and in that of the Msss-
spp near New Orleans
lie alluvial deposits of the Mississippi must
during immemoTial time have taken place in the
same manner as to-day, while the level OF the
ground periodically sank and rose again. The
plain in which New Orleans lies rises only nine
feet above the level, of the sea. Borings in the
neighborhood of that city have been driven
down to the depth of six hundred feet, without
arriving at geological stratum older than that
upon which rests the actual alluYial deposits.
But the periodical sinking and rising Of the
ground results out of the fact that on occasion
of excavations, made for building purposes,
several layers OF forest trees OF the American
cypress (taxodum distchUm) were found sue
ceeding each other at different depths.
The diggers had to be replaced by wood
choppers who cut thor way downward through
four layers one above the other the undermost
of which was so old that the wood could be cut
like cheese. In other parts of Louisiana even
then, sunk LAYERS of cypress trees have been
traced, which at increasing depths follow each
other below the present surface. AZ a depth Of
sixteen feet the workmen found charred wood
and also the skeleton of man whose bones
when taken out crumbled, while the skull,
hidden under the roots OF cypress tree belong
lug to the fourth layer, was well preserved and
doubtless belonged 10 one of the indigenous
American races. DR.. B. Bowler consecrated to
this subject special report and in this excel
lent treatise he carefully considered all the facts
by means Of which, with approXimative accu-
racy the antiquity OF the different layers OF wood
might be calculated, and in order to keep within
the limits ofprobabiity, he purposely everywhere
preferred the lowest hgures, From these data he
last time, the Mississippi delta arose above the
level of the sea, at h400 years. Now, II each
of the ten periods during which the cypress
forests, which now lie underground were above
the surface, were of the same duration, those
years must be multiplied by ten. and we thus
obtain period OF l44, 600 years as that required
TO form those underground forestlayers, and
l58 600 years the length of time required to form
the delta of the Mississippi.
The boTings near the Nile were executed during
the years l66l-54, at the instigation of the Geo
O.. II L - IL.
Memphis, where the delta is five English miles
large the other not far from Heliopolis where
the breadth is sixteen miles. The h oles wer,
driven down to depth OF sixty and seventy-twC
feet, and landsnails, bones, and frequently alsC
pieces OF earthenware and bricks, were brought
up The animal remains belonged without ex
ception TO living species; most frequently there
were found bones Of oxen, swine, dogs camels
and asses. Since being imbedded in the aiiuvia
soil of the Nile, the Egyptian fauna in particu
lar that of domestic animals, consequently re
mained unchanged. OF more Importance, how
ever, are the traces Of human industry whic
have been dug out from the same depth. 1t
well known that the delta OF the Nile is the pre-
duct Of the periodical inundahons of the Nile
If, therefore, it is fact confirmed by accurat
measurements, concerning the successive accr
mutation of the deposits OF the Nile, that nea
Memphis the increase OF the soil during a ceI
tury was at the utmost only Ave inches-in th
lower delta IL is scarcely one-half of this-th
gradual uprising of the soil to the extent
sixty to seventy.two feet must be supposed /
have taken a period of from a. 400 TO II, 80
years. Therefore, at those remote periods
time, Lower Egypt must have been inhabited b
the men who made the bricks and manufacture
the earthenware which have been brought u
from this great depth, and who possessed almo
the same domestic animals as the actual inhab
tants of this old country
Nobody can tell beforehand at what dept
below the alluvia formations Of our own periC
new discoveries may be made, perhaps in
short time. But by combining the results of Il
latest researches particularly concerning Il
character of the Mississippi delta, we mi
justly arrive at the conclusion that the geolol
cal formation of the present period compl
hends at least period of one hundred tho
sand years. Now, as human remains have be-
found In the older formation of the diuvi
period, whichtcertanly comprehends as maj
years, the existence of man must reach up
an antiquity which may be estimated at o.
hundred thousand or even three hundred the
sand years.
In what precedes, we have only mention
the most important researches and specu