518 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1913. 



lar to 6, figure 3, and on a level corresponding with that of the human skeleton. 

 This tusk, shown us by the proprietor of the cave, was 2i inches long and 

 quite perfect; but whether it was referable to a recent or extinct species of 

 bear, I could not determine. 



Following the early notices concerning the Neanderthal cranium, 

 and before other specimens of similar nature, such as the Spy, 

 Gibraltar and others became known, an extensive controversy 

 arose as to the real significance of the find. VirchoAv,^ and after him 

 others, were at first inclined to look upon the skull as pathological; 

 to Barnard Davis - its sutures appeared to show premature synosto- 

 sis ; while Blake ^ and his followers regarded the specimen as prob- 

 ably proceeding from an idiot. But there were also those, such as 

 Schaaffhausen, Broca, and others, who from the beginning saw in the 

 cranium (the other bones received at first but little attention) not 

 any pathological or accidental monstrosity, but a peculiar, thereto 

 unknown type of ancient humanity. Then gradually ncAv examples 

 of this same early type appeared in different parts of Europe, under 

 circumstances which steadily strengthened the claim of the whole 

 class to geological antiquity; and when eventually a thorough com- 

 parative stud}'^ of the Neanderthal remains was carried out by mod- 

 ern methods and in view of new knowledge, the cranium and bones 

 were definitely recognized as representing, in a normal and most char- 

 acteristic way, a most interesting earlier phase or variety of mankind, 

 our mid-quarternary predecessor or close relative Homo neander- 

 thalensis. The credit for deserving work in this field is due especially 

 to Prof. G. Schwalbe, of Strassburg, whose numerous publications 

 on the early forms of human remains in Europe are well known to 

 every anthropologist.* 



Notes on the specimens. — The remains of the Neanderthal skeleton 

 are preserved in the Provincial Museum at Bonn, where, due to the 

 courtesy of the director, Prof. Hans Lehner, the writer was enabled 

 to examine the originals and later have them photographed. 



The skull (pis. 14-16) is gray in color, w^ith large mud-brownish 

 patches on the outside, and whitish gray to whitish brown on the 

 inside. It is decidedly heavy and mineralized. It is plainly non- 

 pathological. The sagittal suture has evidently closed earlier than 

 it ordinarily does in the modern man, but this must have taken place 

 after the brain ceased to influence the cranial vault, for it resulted 

 in no deformation. The coronal suture is obliterated up to the 



1 Virchow, R. Untersuchung des Neanderthal-Schadels. Zeit. f. Ethnol., vol. 4, 1872, 

 Verhandl. Berl. Ges. f. Antlir., etc., pp. 157-165. 



- Davis, J. Barnard. The Neanderthal skull, etc., London, 1864. 



3 Blake, C. Carter. On the alleged peculiar chai-acters and assumed antiquity of the 

 human cranium from the Neanderthal. (Journ. Anthrop. Soc, London, vol. 2, 1864, pp. 

 139-157; also Mem. Anthrop. Soc, London, vol. 2, 1866, p. 74.) 



* Those especially worthy of mention in this connection are : Uber die Schudolformou 

 der iiltesten Menschenrassen, mit besonderer Beriicksichtigung des Schadels von Egisheim. 

 Mitteilungen der philomathischen Gesellsehaft in Elsas-Lothringen. 5, Jahrg., vol. 8, 1897. 

 Derselhe : Der Neandertalschadel. Bonner Jahrbiicher, Heft lOG ; 72 Stn. 1 Tafel, 1901. 



