The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-02-17
!. ANCIENT II. RACE nee. ~.
DUG FROM ICE
fF vUUUv0 FnUU -
Hidden for Centuries Under the
ceFieIds North Of
Alaska.
WIPED OUT BY CATASTROPHE

village OF ON SSsVVo 0'oSVvS'0O -
Northern Tip Of Alaska by Van
valin Expedition-Not Like
the Eskimos.
Philadelphia.-Hidden for centuries
under the ice fields north Of Alaska, a
scientific expedition, headed by Will
Ham Van valin Of the University Of
Pennsylvania has discovered the re-
mains of prehistoric arctic race.
This remarkable find includes the
fully clothed remains Of no fewer
than 100 individuals who apparently
met sudden death In village OF SIX
igloos, afterward covered by ice and
snow, where they remained sealed I'M
til the present time.
The life, habits and physical ap-
pearance Of this remarkable people
bore little resemblance to the Eski-
mo. They were seemingly more near
~ related to the natives Of Siberia.
and the scientists are proceeding On
the theory that they constitute the
. ng-sought link between Asia and
America.
.z.. Northernmost Tip.
: The discovery was made near
Point Barrow, the northernmost tip
of Alaska. Mr.. Van Valin, head Of
the expedition, was sent out two and
a half years ago by the University
Of Pennsylvania to make an exhaus-
tive study Of the Eskimos.
He was investigating shallow
swail In search Of Eskimo relics when
his attention was attracted BY the
peculiar character OF some debris.
This led to. still further examine
ton. Buried beneath four feet Of ice,
snow and tundra were uncovered
what was recognized at once as the
wreckage of a collection Of ancient
huts, or igloos. They had been con-
structed of drift woods Of various
kinds, covered with dome-shaped
roofs cut from the tundra. The roofs
had long since fallen in, while little
remains even of the sides Of the nuts.
The great discovery, however, was
made when the explorers came upon
the first of the frozen bodies. In
many instances tie positions of the
bodies. all in perfect state Of preser-
walton, frozen in solid blocks of ice,
suggested that death had overtaken
them unexpectedly. Some had died
in the act of drinking, at least that
is the superstition from the presence
In their hands of what appeared to
be long tubes, one end Of which was
held between the lips.
OF the hundred or more bodies.
nearly all were fully attired. Many
were lying on beds Of musk, often
under polar bear skins. The apparel
worn by some showed that the race
had learned to fabricate clothing from
the skins Of birds and that they also
understood the art of tanning or cur
ing skins of animals.
One thing seems certain. The COM
munity was overtaken by some sud-
denly developing catastrophe
Included among the bodies found in
a perfect state Of preservation were
men. women and children Of all ages.
The clothing, furs and skins were In
perfect condition. Exposure to the
air, however. quickly caused much Of
It to disintegrnte. AS result but
few specimens Of the clothing are in
GUIDED in the collection brought back
by Mr.. Van Valn.
No Means Of Preserving.
Unfortunately the fate which befell
the skins and furs and birdskin suits
awaited the wearers as well. AL
though when discovered many Of the
bodies still retained their flesh there
was no means ut the command Of
Mr.. Van Valin for preserving them.
But n few hours exposure to warmer
air was required to cause the fleshy
portions to stuff away. Fortunately,
however. the skeletons remain intact.
perfectly articulatetI. and within Il
very short time will be in the Uni
versity museum.
Many interesting and valuable
relics we're discovered in the ruins Of
the six iglooS. Some idea Of the
anomalous relationship between the
inhabitants and the Eskimo is sug-
gestpd by pieces of pottery found
amid the ruins. The Eskimo of to-
day uses soapstone utensils. No
trace of such utensils could be found
in the igloos.
Among the implements used by the
ancient race some are Of similar con-
struction and shape as those used by
the Eskimos. Of particular interest
is the fact that jade was used by the
lost race 1t must have been secured
from points as far as 500 miles away.
Inquiries by Mr.. Van Valin among
the Eskimos proved that the latter
race had no traditions connected with
the inhabitants whose remains he had
discovered. This is taken to iNi'
cate that the race must have dis
appeared centuries ago, for the EsKi'
mos "ancient story" goes far back.
Fox Hunter Gets Wolf.
Lafayette, Ind.-A fine specimen o.
gray timber wolf was shown here re