Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-12
NO PROOF OF ANCIENT MAN
chronological Bureaus Account 81 Il
Research Work Of DR.. Hrdiicks,

Pathological Bureaus Account q u
Research Work Of DR.. Hrdiicss.
Five years ago the bureau Of Amer
lean ethnology published a bulletin o.
"skeletai Remains Suggesting, or AZ
tributed TO. Early Man in North Amor
ica." based on the researches Of ID
Ales Hrdiicka. curator OF physical an
thropolosy in the United States Ma
tional Museum. There is to appea
shortly In similar form. under thu tin
OF EARLY Man in South America"
resume Of the Investigations Of Dr.
Hrdlicka. In collaboration with W. n
Holmes. head curator Of the depart
ment of anthropology in the United
States National Museum. Mr.. Bailey
Willis Of the Unitei States Geological
Survey. and Messrs. Fred Eugen(
Wright and Clarence f. Fenner Of thd
Geophysical Laboratory Of the Car
negre Institution of Washington.
Even before the completion Of itt
report on ancient man in North Amer
lea, DR.. Hrdlicka became interested IL
the evidence bearing on the cores.
ponding problem In South America
and subsequently. at the suggestion of
W. II. Holmes. he was sent by tn.
secretary OF the Smithsonian Institu-
tion to visit Argentina for the pur.
pose OF making a study at first hand
OF the available material and an in.
vestigation Of the most promisina'
regions
In view OF the important position &C.
cupied by geology in studies of this
nature. Mr.. Bailey Willis Of the Unite u
States Geological Survey was chosen
to accompany DR.. Hrdlicka-
The chief objects of the expedition
were: the examination of the skeletal|
remains relating to early man. in|
Brazil and Argentina; the study Of ths
principal localities and deposits from
which these finds came and. IL posi-
BILE, the collection of osseous archae !
ologrc and other specimens bearing on
the subj ect OF mans antiquity. 1t was
hoped that through Investigation on
the ground would enable the explor ]
ers to form more definite conclusions
concerning the finds that the literature
relating to them warranted. and that
possibly by means of new discoveries
IIBHt WOuIu DS tHTOWn WI
the whole subject Of early man in South
America, especially in Argentina
The party reached Argentina early in
May. 1910. DR.. Hrdlicka spent two months
In that country, while Mr.. Willis re.
manned somewhat longer. nearly all Of
this time being given to the researches
recorded in the report The work was
greatly facilitated by several Of the local
men Of science and the authors express
warm appreciation for the valuable
assistance thus rendered. During the first
part Of the stay In Argentina, DR..
Hrdlicka devoted his time to the study
Of the available skeletal material at
tributed to ancient man. found in the
various local museums. while Mr.. Willis
examined the various samples of baked
earth, and other objects believed TO have
been associated with the activities of
prehistoric man. Several localities IN
Buenos Ayres where local exposures could
be studied. including the drydock where
the "Diprothomo' skull had been found
bone time before. were carefully ex.
amined. On the oath Of May the party
set out for the coast where important
specimens had been discovered. and few
days later were Joined at Mar del Plata
by the late Professor Florentino
Ameghino and his brother Carlos, who
assisted the expedition materially. accom-.
panying DR.. Hrdlicka and Mr.. Willis for
more than three weeks from place to
place on the coast. and to several In.
land points Of interest.
After the completion Of this general
survey. DR.. Hrdlicka visited the valley
lAf tho 10
fossil crania many years ago. while Mr.
Willis proceeded to Arroyo Siasgo and
Alvear. to study the geology Of these
territories and several specimens Of baked
earth supposed to be the product OF
ancient human industry. Early in July.
both explorers met again In Buenos Ayres.
and after finishing their work in that
region started for Ovejero. a locality ir
northwestern Argentina that has come
into prominence in the last few years
through It's yield of human bones; they
also visited Tucuman. San Juan and
Mendoza. DR.. Hrdlicka then proceeded
to Peru. while Mr. Willis returned to
Buenos Ayres.
The researches occupied nearly three
months. Every specimen relating to an
Client man that could be found was ex-
amined and every important locality was
investigated. Unfortunately the general
results of the inquiry are not In harmony
with claims previously made by the vari.
Gus authors who reported the several
finds. On the contrary, the conclusion
was reached that to the present time the
evidence is unfavorable to the hypothesis
OF mans great antiquity. especially as tc
the existence Of very early predecessor
Of the Indian in South America; nor doet
1t sustain the theories OF the evolution Of
man In general. or even that Of an Amer.
lean race alone. In the southern continent
The facts gathered attest everywnere
merely the presence of the already differ.
entiated and relatively modern American
Indian. This should not be taken as a
categorical denial Of the existence Of
early man in South America. however i'm.
probable such conclusion may now APP
pear: but the position is maintained that
the ANAL acceptance Of the evidence on
this subject cannot be justified until there
ir accumulated a mass OF strictly scien'
tihc observations, requisite IN kind and
volume. to establish a proposition Of 50
great Importance.
The expedition secured numerous geo
logical, archaeological and anthropologi'
cal specimens some of which throw ligM
on the question under Investigation. Al
these specimens have been deposited in the
United States National Mus>sm for fur
Their study and exhibition.
STILL TIME.