Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-08
rME asf4QgHT or NAN.

.
Mr.. Frank Calvert, of the Dardauelles,
who, beside his archaeological attain.
ments, Is an experienced geoloaist, has
communicated to the Levant Herald the
following notice Of discovery which he
has made near that town, and which car
ries back the existence Of mankind to
period immensely more remote than has
vot been ascertained by scientific research:
II have had the good fortune to discover
in the vicinity of the Dardanelles conclu-
siye proofs Of the existence of man dur
ing the Miocene period of the Tertiary
age. From the face of cliff composed
OF strata of that period, at a geological
depth of 500 feet, have myself extracted
the fragment of a joint of bone of either
dinotherium or mastodon. on the con-
yex side of which is deeply incised the I'M
mistakable figure of horned quadruped
with arched neck. lozenge- shaped chest,
long body, straight forelegs and broad
feet There are also traces Of seven or
eight other figures, which, together with
the hind quarters of the first, are nearly
obliterated. The whole design encircles
the exterior portion of the fragment,
which measures nine inches in diameter
and five in thickness. / have also found
not far from the site of the engraved bone
in different parts Of the same cliff, a flint
flake and some bones Of animals, fractur-
ed longitudinally. obviously by the hand
of man for the purpose of extracting the
marrow, according to the practice of all
primitive races. There can be no doubt
as to the geological character of the for
nation from which disinterred these in
teresting relics. The well-known writer
on the geology of Asia Minor, M. de Tchi-
hatcheff, who visited this region, deter
mined it to be of the Miocene period and
the fact is further confirmed by the fossil
bones, teeth, and shells of that. epoch I
found there, for / sent drawing = Of some
of these fossils to Sir John Lubbock. who
obligingly informs me that having submit
ted them to Messrs G. Busk and Jeffreys,
those eminent iauthorities have identified
among them the remains of dinotherium
and the shell of species OF melania, both
of which strictly appertain to the Miocene
epoch. In addition to these discoveries,
at about ten miles distance from The above
locality ] have lately come tip N other
traces Of mans existence in DRIFT 200 or
800 feet thick, underlying 400 or 800 feet
Of stratified rocks. cannot positively at.
firm that this formation is likewise Mic
Gene, the fossil shells it contains not hay
ing yet been examined scientifically blu
in all probability such will prove to be thu
case. Throughout this drift have foun(
numerous stone implements much worn
Flint is comparatively rare, but other hare
stones have been adopted, red and othel
colored jasper being most common. Som,
Of these implements are OF large size
weighing upward of nine pounds. 1t il
not more than forty or fifty years since til,
possibility of mans having come into De
ing at an earlier period than the received
term OF 1000 years was first discussed
and it is only quite recently that geolo-
gists, upon the evidence furnished by the
Quaternary drift, are agreed to assign him
an antiquity of about 100, 900 years Some
suspected traces of his existence have, in
deed, been noticed in the Pliscene and Mi
Ocene formations, but not sufficiently
markep to be conclusive. 1t may be men
toned that the drift of the Quaternary age
to which the earliest vestiges hitherto
known of primitive man had been conffn-
ed. forms Immediately below the earth's
surface, comparatively speaking, a mere
crust; beneath underlie in succession the
vast thicknesses of The new and old PHO
Genes and the .Miocenes OF the Tertiary
age, to which last my discovery now car
ries back the existence of mankind. The
remarkable fact is thus established beyond
Aqaestion that the antiquity of man is no
longer to be reckoned by thousands, but
by millions Of years. shall abstain from
making further researches in the place
where the engraved bone was discovered
until can do so in the presence of per-
sons well known in the scientific world,
who, l trust. may be tempted to visit the