The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-24
EXPERTS PUZZLED
OVER OZARK SKULL
Specimen of Ancient Race
Discovered Near Noel
Last October
OF AN ANCIENT RACE
Anthropologists Say Bones
That of People Who Lived
Here in Many Years Past

Whars In 81 namo2 Onco again
the old question arises following an
opinion from Dr. CLARK NlsalcG
curator OF the department uf an
thropology the American Musoum
OF Natural History. New York
Doctor Wissior's opinion has been
given ON the matter OF ~ skull and
several bones dug ont of tho OHrk
mountains last October hy Ben J..
Squior OF san Diego Cal, ana r.
s.. Enowlton, Kansas cay out oi
the excavation iu which the bones
were found, there also We're taken
about $50 pieces of Indian haudl-
work. including arruwhoads hutch
cts ana bone avis ana other implo-
mcnts
The relies were found within one
hundred yards OF the famous over
hanging cliffs ut Noel. NO AS a
matter Of fact the burial place OF
the person whose bones were found
was also under am ONrrh1nElug
rook but not go massive or cNtcn.
siye Hs the ozark landmarks known
as the ovcrhaugng cliffs of Noel.
Tho skeleton waa found ot "a depth
Of about five feet Squior and
knowlton had found a few arrow
heads after they had reached O
depth OF hardly twelve inches ana
continued to find them, along with
thousands Of flint chips. as they dug
downward. Mono pf the implements
had been buried with the person
whose bones were found I'm the eX-
Cdvatton, although three bone beads
were uncovered with the skull
Presumably, the bones wcro those
OF comparatively ancient resident
OF the O2arks who might, perhaps
L. a Z 1....
some other uld-timc dwCllcr he
meath an DZHrk ovcrhauEnE rock
The excavation work was carried
on until a hole eight tcct deep had
been dug down intuthC very floor
OF tho rocks ledge. At the rear of
the rock Ovcrhaug, even before the
digging NaS commenced. small
hole formed the entrance to single
room cave covering hardly more
than one hundred square feet when
the floor OF the ledge outside The
entrance To the cave was reached, II
was found that the caves mouth
had been about nine feet high in the
days when the ledge was free OF
soil.
In the cave, with the ledge and
oVerhanging rock above forming
rooted porch TO this natural dwell
ing, Indians had lived even before
the owner OF the bones that had been
dug up. For on the rock floor, three
feet beneath tIe burial place OF the
bones. was n perfect rock fireplace
filled with charcoal and animal
bones. What may have been within
the cave at that depth was never
ascertained for time was short and
the dir, within the cave was hardly
touched.
For convenience sake. the bones
of the skeleton OF the Indian were
duly Christcned John" And as
John they were known an hour
after they were found by every man, |
woman and child Ia N0ci aud Vi
vinity.
Carefully wrapped in cotton, the
bones were taken 10 Kansas City
with the Indian implements ana
placed on exhibition.
Later they were shipped TO Doc .
tor Nissler I'm New York John" I
was believed To have been rather an
unusual person In life, because of |
the extreme lack of forehead. The I
top OF his head commenced az the |
tops OF his cyesockets, much ns do .
the heads of many types of sim
ians. SO IL was decided to consult /
Doctor Wisslcr
Yesterday Doctor Wisslcrs verdict
was made in letter, part OF which (
says;
The sex of the Individual seems I
TO be female, and though ] am not
sure, relatively young, since tho /
teeth are not badly worn"
All of which would indicate that. /
although officially named John" in /
1929, the owner Of the bones In life /
might more appropriately have been /
called Mary. Agnes or tocuhontas /
But then, what's in a name2
As for the young woman's CD .
lack Of forehead, that was due, Doc /
Tor Wtssler explained, 20 tko fact
that when she was very young, her
parents had depressed the skull 10y
binding board over Il, so that the
skulls growth was forced backward
rather than outward and upward.