Evening star., 1941-10-28
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory. Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

Mankind in North America is pushed
back another millennium OF so into the
Ice Age.
Earliest traces of human beings on this
continent-found in deposits in the floor
of a New Mexico cave which geologists
date at more than $4,000 years ago-are
described by DR.. Frank G. Hibben of
the University of New Mexico in a bull
letin just issued by the Smithsonian
Institution.
They consist primarily of projectile
points-probably spearheads, which are
very similar in general design to those
attributed to so-called Solutrean man in
France. He also dates back about 5000
years to the last Ice Age. 1t is not con-
tended that the American artisans were
"Solutreans," but it is possible that a
general pattern of workmanship spread
over much of Europe and Asia at the
time and was brought to North America
by the earliest migrants.
Hitherto the earliest known human in
habitants of this continent were the So
called Folsom men," makers of pecu-
liar type of prQjectile point found in
several places associated with the bones
of late Ice Age animals. The most ex-
tensive Folsom site in Colorado has been
excavated during the past six summers
by DR.. Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr, of the
Smithsonian staff. 1t apparently was
summer hunting camp behind a retreat
ing glacier.
But in the New Mexico cave, some dis
tance above the level of the Solutrean-
like material and separated from it by
layer of yellow ocher of varying thick
ness, is strata containing unquestion-
able Folsom artifacts. The yellow ocher
deposit, it is believed, required long,
wet period, probably signifying major
change in climate. During this wet era
it was impossible for human beings to
live in the cave. One theory of the
formation of the yellow ocher stratum is
that for a long time the floor was COW
cred with water which trapped dust
particles blown in from the outside so
that thick muck gradually was formed.
Another is that the deposit is the re-
mains of dissolved limestone. This also
would have required constant dampness.
Only after the cave became habitable
again-perhaps a lapse of centuries-did
Folsom man take up his abode there.
Thus, the maker Of Solutrean-like arti-
facts undoubtedly was an earlier dweller
In the region.
The projectile points made by this
"Scandia man"-as he will probably be
called after the name of the cave in
which his artifacts have been found
show fair workmanship, but the chip
ping is considerably less artistic than
that found on Folsom points
There is some evidence that Scandia
man himself may have occupied the cave
in two periods and that in the interval
between the first and second occupation
he changed and improved his technique.
When it is considered that primitive
techniques change very slowly. this may
mean very long period. Solutrean man
in France also varied his technique. and
projectile points from the late Solutrean
period are quite similar to those from
the late Scandia level.
The late Scandia points have some
vague llhcIleSS 10 lHe widely
Yuma points" These also have been
found with bones of extinct animals, but
evidence Is accommodating that they were
later in time than the Folsom points 1t
is suggested in the Smithsonian report
that the Yuma may have developed out
of the late Scandia, rather than out of
the Folsom. The latter then would mark
the end of line of craftsmanship.
DR.. Hibben found several stone imple-
ments known as ''snub-nosed scrapers."
These also are found in paleoIithic de-
posits in Europe. They were used for
scraping the skins of slain animals. One
deduction from this is that the earliest
known North Americans wore clothes.
There are crudely formed flakes Of stone
which may have been used as knives, but
they are quite primitive compared with
later Folsom knives.
Two projectile heads were found made
from the bones of animals-probably
those of an extinct variety of camel
DR.. Hibben found two sites of ancient
hearths. Scandia man knew how to
make fire and probably cooked his food.
The cave deposits in which the human
remains were found are dated by DR..
Kirk Bryan. professor of geology at Har-
ward University, as probably somewhat
more than IS 900 years old