﻿8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 59 



factorily in Naples and Potsdam, but clouds prevented them in 

 London and Paris. 



INVESTIGATION OF THE ANTIQUITY OF MAN IN SOUTH 



AMERICA 



In March, 1910, Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, Curator of the Division of 

 Physical Anthropology in the National Museum, went to Argentina 

 on behalf of the Institution for the purpose of making an investigation 

 into the question of man's antiquity in that part of the world. A 

 grant was also made to enable Mr. Bailev Willis, of the United States 

 Geological Survey, then proceeding to South America in the interest 

 of the world's topographical map, to cooperate with Doctor Hrdlicka, 

 as it was appreciated that the problems to be met with were, to an 

 important degree, of a geological nature. The undertaking was 

 suggested by Mr. William H. Holmes, whose observations during a 

 visit to Argentina in 1908 made apparent the far-reaching importance 

 of the data bearing on human antiquity in South America then being 

 assembled. 



The inquiry into man's antiquity in South America dates from the 

 meager reports concerning the scattered remains in the Lagoa Santa 

 caves in Brazil, the casual Seguin finds in the province of Santa Fe, 

 Argentina, and the Moreno collection of old Patagonian material 

 from the valley of the Rio Negro. It has assumed a special impor- 

 tance during the last decade, through a relatively large number of 

 reports by Argentinian investigators (particularly by the late Flor- 

 entino Ameghino) of new finds of remains of ancient man and of 

 traces of his activities. Some of the more recent finds were so 

 interpreted that, if corroborated, they would have a most important 

 bearing not merely on man's early presence in the South American 

 continent, but on the evolution and the dispersal of mankind in 

 general. 



The Smithsonian representatives received from the Argentine 

 government and from scientific men of that country all necessary 

 facilities for the examination of the specimens preserved in various 

 institutions and for the prosecution of their field-work. The late Prof. 

 Florentino Ameghino and his brother, Carlos, gave special aid to the 

 undertaking, accompanying Dr. Hrdlicka and Mr. Willis personally 

 for over three weeks along the coast from place to place where the 

 supposedly ancient remains were discovered. 



The researches occupied nearly two months. Every specimen 

 relating to ancient man that could still be found was examined and 

 every locality of importance where the finds were made was visited 



