El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-04-19

relics from which science has derived
a whole lot of information. They were
white, Of blond tyue, and their hair
Judging from few remnants un-
earthed), was more or less red. Tall
muscular, and athletic, they were fit
ted IN every way TO struggle against
the difficulties and perils Of primi-
tive life. This is proved by their bones,
which are remarkably thick and solid,
while IN all cases the places on them
where the muscles were attached are
very strongly marked In the case Of
one skeleton, called the odd Man of
-MaEnOn," the thigh bones are
thicker and broader than those Of any
human being known IN modern times.
These people were distinguished as
a type by well-develOped skull, q
large, narrow aquiline nose, and rath-
er small eyes.
That they knew the use Of fire is
proved by their hearths, which are
slabs Of slate or other hard rock bed
ded solidly in the ground. In some
of the caverns are aCcumulaUOns Of
ashes about the hearthS as much as 20
feet deep. and immense quantities OF
bones CT the animals which furnished
the food supply Conspicuous among
the latter were horses, which were not
dOmesticated, but killed for their meat.
Reindeer Furnish Meat and Raiment.
In one cave shelter. at Solutre, the
bones Of 10000 horses are heaped
around the space occupied by hearths-
But for food the principal dependence
Of these ancient folk was the reindeer,
which also furnished them with cloth
ing Reindeer bones and antlers sup
tools were used to saw and carve the
horns for harpOOns, barbed on one side.
The women of the cavern made the
reindeer skins supple by rubbing them
with marrow, cut them into simple
patterns for garments, and joined the
pieces by sewing with bone needles
and thread of reindeer tendOns. The
needles were not much bigger than
those in use today, and were pierced
with eyes.
At that period the climate of south
ern Europe was very cold. The large
carniVOres, such as the cave lion, the
saber-tOOthed tiger. and the cave bear
(half as big again as the grizzly were
fast becoming extinct, and reindeer had
an opportunity to multiply in great
numbers Thus il came about that the
earliest civilization was a reindeer civ
iliZatiOn. so to speak-reindeer horn
being all that iron is to US mOdernS
Many scraperS and smOOthers, en-
piOyed in preparing the hides, have
been found in the caves. and marks or
flint knives on reindeer leg, bones show
where the tendOns were detached for
the purpose above mentioned.
Such work. doubtless, was done by
the women. The men were warriors as
well as hunters Their chief attention
was paid to arms, ana their greatest
pride was in we'll and handsome
" finished weapons The art OF cut
ting flint was brought by them TO a
pcIAecL4Ol HOLltili5 sIOil u Ale. q -,
the heads of their lances and JaVelinS
being tapered off in the shape Of a
laurel leaf. fine pointed and symmeri-
cal, while the form, weight and angle
of their arrOWheads were calculated
for different distances Of flight
Monsters ROamed the Earth.
The mammoth at that period rOamed
all over Europe and was an animal 50
familiar to the people of the little val
ley of the Vezere as to be pictured fire.
Guently. and sometimes in color. on the
walls of their caves. They commonly
killed it and ate its flesh. But it is by
no means to be supposed that they
pursued il and slew il with lances and
iavelins Their method of overcoming
it was doubtless one of strataSem. by
digging great pits and covering them
over with brush and leaves, in order
that the huge pachyderm might fall in
to be subsequently, dispatched with
safety and at leisure. In the same way,