NEANDERTHAL PHASE OF MAN — HEDLI^KA 595 



PiOt he left any progeny. Besides which there are still but more or 

 less vague notions regarding the exact length of his period, his aver- 

 age physique, his variations and subraces, the reasons for his rela- 

 tively large brain, his changes in evolutionary direction. And there 

 are other uncertainties. It thus appears that, notwithstanding his 

 already numerous collected remains. Neanderthal man is still far 

 from being satisfactorily known to us taxonomically, chronologically, 

 and anthropologically. 



This state of uncertainties, and of paralyzing notions, concerning 

 one of the main early phases of humanity, is a serious obstacle to 

 further progress and deserves all possible attention, even if, with- 

 out further material, it may be possible to do little more than 

 bring into the subject a greater degree of order and comprehensive- 

 ness ; to point out here and there facts that have not been sufficiently 

 weighed; and to call attention to some of the inconsistencies in the 

 prevalent assumptions. 



The presentation will be as far as possible impersonal ; and I wish 

 to acknowledge my deep indebtedness for many of the data to the 

 authors given in the references, as well as to those who in the past, 

 and again during the weeks just passed, have facilitated for me the 

 study of original sites and materials. 



II. NEANDERTHAL MAN 



DEFINITION 



The only workable definition of Neanderthal man and period 

 seems to be, for the time being, the man and period of the Mousterian 

 culture. An approach to a somatological definition would be feasible, 

 but might for the present be rather prejudicial. 



GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT 



The territory already known to have been occupied by Neanderthal 

 man was collectively a very large one. It includes, roughl}'^, all 

 Europe south of a line drawn from southern England to the north- 

 ern limits of Belgium and thence, with a moderate curve northward 

 over Germany and Poland, to Crimea and possibly the Caucasus, with 

 parts (at least) of northern Africa and of Asia Minor. Whether 

 he reached farther east, southeast, or south must, notwithstanding 

 some claims, be regarded as still uncertain. 



The whole great territory over which his remains have been dis- 

 covered was doubtless not occupied by Neanderthal man synchro- 

 nously, or continually, or with equal density. He was evidently not 

 a nomad, though probably more or less of a rover who stayed in a 

 place for a time and then moved away. Some of the deposits he left 



