Gilpin observer., 1913-02-13

1.-The high plateau graves," as much as 700 feet
above sea level The oldest of all these gravels
is very possibly Of Pliocene age, and is not re-
lated to the Thames valley other existing
river valleys. which are of later date than they
are. The gravel at Uckfeld (Piltdown) in which
the human jaw was found, Is only 12O feet above
sea level and not far from the River Ouse,
which flows past Lewes Probably a high pIa-
teau gravel existed the top of the chalk
which once stretched across the Sussex Weald
and the gravels deposited much later at low
levels after the wearing away of the great mass
OF chalk lying over the Wealden beds contain
some material derived from these Oldest and
highest gravels and also some of the gravel de-
posted in every successive age as the erosion
continued. So that this bottom gravel on the
Sussex plain. only 120 feet above sea level is
likely to contain a mixture and assortment of all
the preceding gravels.
Hence 1t is very difficult to assign the bones
and the worked fiints (shaped by mani found
in 1t to definite age. Any fragment we pick
up may be as old as the plateau gravels which
lay on the top of the chalk in the very early
lPlestocene or late Pliocene age or may belong
to as late period that of the actual deposit
of the gravel bed in which we now find 1t i'm
bedded.
The gravel about Piltdown is SO thin layer
that 1t escaped attention from the officers of the
Geological Survey. 1t became known to Mr.
Dawson by the fact that local farmers were dig
ging 1t and sitting 1t for mending roads, 1t
only exists on slightly raised parts Of the valley
u the ouse, ana lts makeup Is very peculiar.
1t contains ron-stone and deeply stained iron-sand
from the Wealden strata on which 1t rests and
peculiar ruddy-brown broken fints not very
numerous. which nearly all bits of "tabu-
lar flint. recalling those of the high plateau
gravel at Ightham. in Kent.
Many of the fnts In this Piltdown gravel have
been worked by early man into rough imple-
ments They are of fiat shape often triangular
In area, and show a coarse but unmistakable
"fakng" of human workmanship. I and my COM
panions picked up four from the surface of a
plowed field when visited Piltdown. They are
rougher In workmanship than the Acheuan. or
even Chellean, implements OF our better known
river terrace gravels. It is impossible to asso-
ciate them with those from any other locality
known to me; and should merely say to them
that they seem to be earlier than any flint i'm
plements which can be rightly called Chellean.
Later and more finely worked flint Implements
have not been found In this gravel
But the most remarkable thing about this
gravel is the discovery in It. by Dr. Smith Wood.
OF mastodon and Of fragments of teeth of the
Elephas meridionals-specimens which were ex-
hibited to the Geological society
These two animals known to occur In PHO
Gene strata-and are not found as late as the
Pleisocene Tin this part of the world) The
teeth OF the elephant in question are very differ
ent from those of the mammoth. They are found
also In the Norfolk forestbed and in one or two
assures" In the South Downs filed in by an.
Client sands The remains of this elephant
abound in the Pliocene Of France and Italy
few fragmentary teeth OF hippopotamus a
beaver. and horse, a bit Of large deer's antler
and the human jaw and skull fragment complete
the list of animal remains. It is owing to the