The state herald., 1913-07-18

spersed with larger. which suggest pieces OF
brick. overying this stratum was layer OF
sand with layer OF more recent brick earth
above 1t. then red loan. and finally the vegetable
top soil-altogether four strata. averaging about
six feet In total thickness.
The top Of the stratum In which the remains
were found appears to have been the land surface
OF the age In which the man lived. This Is shown
by the fortunate discovery, some 80 yards away.
OF the charred and blackened remains OF pre-
historic fire hearths. fragments Of burnt bones
and wood. worked hints and many animal bones
The worked nints have been submitted to expert
examination at the British museum. where tho
balance OF opinion appears to be In favor OF
assigning them to the paleolithic period, or, at
any rate. to the time Of transition between that
and the neothc age. which would place their
age at some $1,000 years. Geological evidence.
however dates them still further back. for the
corresponding deposits on the opposite side OF
the Medway have yielded fossils OF pleistocene
times. when the hairy mammoth. arctic fox, rein.
deer and woolly rhnoceros roamed the land. The
Inference. therefore is that we have here paieo-
lithic encampmcnt. and that the skeleton was
OF the party. who. judging from tho position
OF the remains. was Inferred n short distance
below the then surface while some religious sig.
nincanca is suggested by the body being buried
with tho head to the east.
How did tho human remains come to lie In
this stratum OF brick enrthY DIR. Edwards OBJ
scryed. from the position OF the bones which
remained fast In place. that the skeleton lay on
It's back. that all parts OF tho skeleton were fep-
resented. and that the whole did not occupy
more thnn extent OF three feet In length
evidence that the body was In the "contracted'
posture at death. A complete skeleton. much
weathered and fragmentary, and In contracted
posture, could only be explained by aupposing
that Il had been buried The solution OF the
problem became apparent later. AZ some dis.
tance from the site OF the skeleton there were
found extensive remains Of ancient firo hcartha.
These lay Immediately over the stratum
taining the skeleton. and under the oyorlying or
fourth stratum. This level represented nn old
land surface. and tho skeleton probably one
OF the mon who sat round the heartha on that
old land surface, That In the explanation Mr..
Cook suggested nt n recent meeting OF the Royal
AnthropoloTical Institute. when he gave mn nc.
count OF hin discoveries. Mr.. A. 4. Kennard.
who In our highest authority on the nsc OF val.
ley deposits. regards the strata over tho llalling
man M iato plostocenc In date. Mr.. Cook dc.
ncrbed tho nlnt implements found on tho old land
surface. but they belong TO type which
used by pnicolithio as we'll m ncoiithic men.
Tho remains Of ue skeleton were forwarded to
Professor Keith OF tho Royal College Of Surgeons.
for expert examination. and. aa he explained to
the writer close scrutiny revealed the uurpria.
ing fact that we have here type OF man who.
in every particular--brnin capacity conformation
OF ekuli long oval face. pointed projecting chin.
stature tnvc feot four inchos) and general build