The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-07-19

spersed with larger which suggest pieces of
brick. Overlying this stratum layer of
sand with layer OF more recent brick earth
above it. then red loam and finally the vegetable
top eoil--altogether four strata. averaging about
six feet In total thickness.
The top of the stratum in which the remains
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 fints and many animal bones
The worked fints have been submitted to expert
examination at the British museum, where the
balance OF opinion appears to be In favor Of
assigning them TO the paleolithc period, or at
any rate, to the time OF transition between that
and the neolithic age, which would place their
age at some 10000 years. Geological evidence
however, dates them still further back for the
corresponding deposits the opposite side OF
the Midway have yielded fossils of plestocene
times, when the hairy mammoth, arctic fox rein
deer and woolly rhinoceros roamed the land. The
Inference therefore, is that we have here paleo-
lithic encampment. and that the skeleton was
one of the party. who. judging from the position
OF the remains. was inferred a short distance
below the then surface. while some religious sig
nifcance Is suggested by the body being buried
with the head to the east.
How did the human remains come to lie In
this stratum Of brick earth? DR.. Edwards OBJ
served. from the position OF the bones which
remained fast in place. that the skeleton lay on
Its back. that all parts OF the skeleton were rep
resented and that the whole did not occupy
more than extent OF three feet in length
evidence that the body In the contracted"
posture at death. A complete skeleton, much
weathered and fragmentary, and In contracted
posture. could only be explained by supposing
that 1t had been buried. The solution OF the
problem became apparent later At some dis
tance from the site of the skeleton there were
found extensive remains Of ancient fire hearths
These lay Immediately the stratum con-
tanning the skeleton, and under the everything or
fourth stratum. This level represented an old
land surface, and the skeleton was probably one
OF the men who sat round the hearths on that
old land surface. That is the explanation Mr.
Cook suggested at a recent meeting of the Royal
Anthropological institute. when he gave an ac
count of his discoveries. Mr.. A. s. Kennard
who Is our highest authority the age of val
ley deposits, regards the strata the Halling
man late pleistocene in date. Mr.. Cook de-
scribed the flint implements found the old land
surface. but they belong to a type which was
used by paleothic well neolithic men
The remains Of the skeleton forwarded to
Professor Keith of the Royal College OF Surgeons
for expert examination, and, he explained to
the writer. close scrutiny revealed the surpris.
ing fact that have here type of man who
in every particular-brain capacity. conformatio
OF skull, long oval face. pointed projecting chin.
stature (nve feet four inches) and general build