The Republican journal., 1873-07-03
Human Skeleton 100000 Years Old
Paris Correspondence n. Y. Tribune.

Paris Correspondence N. Y. Tribune.
In July, 1871, Mons Emile Riviere was
directed bv the French minister of public
instruction to examine the caverns at
Mentone, Italy, in the interest of archie
ology. While prosecuting this work in
March, 1872, a prehistoric human skele-
ton was found, and pamphlet descrip-
tive OF the same and of the researches
prior to its discovery has been placed in
my hands. | purpose giving brief ac-
count OF this discovery for the informa-
ton OF those interested in prehistoric
studies.
Nine caverns at Mentone have been ex-
pored, and all have furnished interesting
antiquities. They are situated in the prov
ince OF Porto Maurizio and the commune
ot Nentlmiglia along the shore of the
Mediterranean sea, about SO feet above
its level. Two of the nine have been
discovered recently. Those numbered
two, six and eight are rather rock shelters
than caverns. All are situated on the
same plane, and are formed by great
natural riffs in the mountain of Roches-
Rouges, or red rocks, over which the
Corniche road passes. A plateau SO to
100 feet in width extends from the caverns
10 the sea shore, and is traversed by the
ancient Roman via Aurelia.
RESEARCHES IN THE CAvERNs.
The caverns have been frequently ex-
amined, and much interest has attached
10 the discoveries made AS early as
ls4j Mons. Grand, of Lyons, gathered a
quantity OF cut tlints, several fragments
of hematite. and some sulphuret of anti
nony. He concluded that the cut fiints
were documentary, coarse, and belonged
to the earliest period of art. In 184S
Mons. Forel, of Switzerland. found more
flints and numerous bones belonging to
animals of living species; also some as
9igned to the primitive OK. Later, Mons
Geny and DR.. Pere renewed the investi-
cations, collecting cut tlints, shells, bones,
teeth, and implements OF stone, as well
a. few articles of pottery. All indicated
Tor the grOttoes of Mentone two epochs-
the paleolithic, or that of cut stone, when
implements were made of cut stone and
the necOlithic, more recent, the age of
polished stone, when utensils were
polished. The excavations were, how.
ever, of slight depth, and it was not until
the construction of the railroad from
Genoa to Mentone, the route of which
passed in front Of some of the caverns,
that sufficient earth was removed to dis
close any fossil human remains The
trench for the railway in front of third
cavern, and l6 feet below its present level,
has exposed a layer OF Is to 10 inches
thick, composed of bones, some of which
are charred, of teeth, of tints and traces
of charcoal, indicating the site of an
ancient hearth. Similarly. in front of the
seventh cavern 45 feet below the surface,
two molar teeth belonging to the rhinoc-
eros tishorhinus were found, also some
bones from the stag, broken by man. The
ninth cavern has shown no traces of oc-
cupation by man, but has furnished bones
Of fauna, embracing nine carvivores
t1esh-eating animals, two pachyderms,
elephant, rhinoceros. or hippotamus, ]
four ruminants, three rodents, two birds
The seventh and eighth have not been
thoroughly examined yet. From the sixth
number of flint instruments, pins and
arrows OF bone, canine tooth of the
cave bear, and some coprolites of the
cave hyena have been gathered. The fifth
cavern is the deepest of ALL measuring 81
feet 1t is q feet broad at its entrance,
contracts rapidly to eight feet and en-
larges 50 as to form q second chamber
1t is covered with stalactites and stalag
mites, and its soil, composed of black
earth and broken stones, contains mum
Der OF flint arrows points, lances, scraper:
and chips, showing that flint instruments
had been made in the cave. On the othel
hand, only two bone instruments were
found, while the debris of teeth and bone
existed in great quantity. The fauna o
this cavern is composed of the cave hyena
fox horse, wild boar, primitive OK, com
mon stag, roe-buck, primitive goat, rab
bit, and few mollusks.
THE CAVERN Or THE FOSSIL MAN.
Passing by the first, second and thir'
caverns, we come to the fourth, in whic
the fossil man was found, the most i'm
portant of all by reason of the depth o
the excavations and the numerous object
brought to light. II is 20 feet broad a
its entrance, 50 feet broad, 81 feet high
Its soil is formed principally of ashes ant
kitchen debris. The small size of man
articles of bone and flint contained i'm
has made it necessary to sift al! the mas
forming the hearth as fast as it could b
separated by pick. Three months wer
thus spent digging each day littl
deeper and removing layers ten inche
thick. A depth of 81 12 feet was reache
below the first level, |making SO 1-2 fee
below the modern surtace-TMEs. when
on March rs, 1872 there was discovered
for the first time in the caverns of Men
tone, fossil human skeleton OF tn
paleolithic epoch. Its complete Olsen
gagement from the ashes and debris Gov
ering it required eight days of unintel
rupted work. It lay on its left side, in tn
longitudinal direction of the cavern, abou
twenty-three feet from the entrance. Tn
attitude was one OF repose, as if deaf
had overtaken a man during sleep TIL