The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-05-18
ACE OF MANKIND
Wide Divergence Of Opinion Over
the Matter.
Estimates Vary as Much as Ten Thou
sand to One Millics, Years
impossible to Fix Date.


Much speculation as to the age Of
man has arisen as result of the re-
cent discoveries of fossil human skulls
in South America, Patagonia and the
island of Jersey. The estimates as to
the antiquity of the human race range
all the way from 10000 to 100000
years.
Doctor VOLTS reported discovery in
Patagonia Of a fossilized human skull
of the tertiary period, however, may
nuliify all previous scientific calcula-
tions on this subject, and the public
is now getting little chary about ac-
cepting even scientists estimates re-
garding the date of the origin of the
human race.
Ever since the unearthing of the re-
mains of King Tut-Ankh-Amen who, in
the view of anthropologists, is to be
reckoned only as an infant" as the
age of man goes, startling discoveries
have been made all over the world
which upset all well-established an
thropological foundations.
DIR. A. Smith Woodward, director Of
the geological department Of the Brit
isll museum, makes some interesting
commentaries on the latest discoveries
In skulls and bones.
"FOr moment" says he, 'the pub
lie seemed to assume that we had
found at last the first man who lived
on earth. fear, however, that these
| e0n inc
interesting. Since the skull from Jer-
sey is said to have been found near a
neolithic burial chamber, it Is probably
much nearer our period than any of
the skulls of fossil men which show re-
semblance to their ape-like ancestors.
And since the specimen from Pata-
gonia comes from country which has
furnished more mares nests in the
study of prehistoric and ancestral man
than any other part of the world, it
will not excite interest among an
thropologists until some geologist adj
mittedly skilled in such matters has
satisfied himself that this is true fOs-
sill, definitely associated with the re-
mains of extinct animals
Who, then, Doctor Woodward asks,
was the first man on earth? ITO be
strictly accurate" he replies, 1--WE have
not yet found him, although we have
some reason to think we know where
to look. in the dim borderland of
time which separates man from mon
key there roamed, somewhere in cen
trail Asia, form of large-brained ape
destined to be the precursor of man.
It is impossible to fix a date for his
appearance but we do know that
when he came into being the Hima-
layan mountains had not yet reared
their peaks
1t was in the Neanderthal, near
Dusseldorf Germany, writes Doctor
Woodward, that the remains of the
earliest man of whom anything ID
really known We're discovered.
Compared with our knowledge of
his ancestors" he says. "he is an in.
innate acquaintance. But it is impos-
sible to assign him a date in years.
Swedish biologists reckon his age as
about 1900 years."
NSdHucftHdl HidH, cOHtlhueS Ile
British scientist, "was definitely
man. He lived in caves from which,
he sailed forth to hunt the animals,
such as mammoth, rhinoceros, rein
deer and bison, which then roamed
over Europe.
1--WE have found his tools, flint and
bone pins with which possibly the
early women fastened the rough skins
which served them for petticoats. We
have also found remains of paint and
rouge which seem to signify the dawn
of vanity"
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