VI 

 HUMAN HISTORY 



1. As a further preliminary to the separate inquiries into the 

 two parts of the problem, we have to sketch the main outlines of 

 history in its broadest aspect. The facts will in themselves form 

 an important element in the subject-matter when we come in the 

 second part of the book to discuss the qualitative problem. They 

 also form, as explained in the third chapter, a framework into 

 which such knowledge as we have of primitive races may be 

 fitted with all the necessary qualifications and safeguards. The 

 procedure will be in the first place to glance at the main sub- 

 divisions of the sedimentary deposits, and to ask how far they 

 can be dated. In this fashion alone can we arrive at any chrono- 

 logical basis with regard to human evolution. We have then to 

 refer to the evolution of the Primate branch of the mammals to 

 which man belongs, and afterwards to the evolution of the bodily 

 form of man. As the fossils upon which the evidence is based 

 are connected with certain geological strata, some vague indication 

 of their date, or at least of their relative appearance in time, can 

 be arrived at, in any case with regard to the later forms. We can 

 then refer to the evidence of the cultural remains of man and 

 correlate this evidence with that derived from the fossil remains. 

 In this fashion some indication can be obtained of the evolution 

 of culture and of the physical form of man anterior to the last 

 three or four thousand years. For the last period written records 

 are available, and supplement the evidence derived from cultural 

 remains. Finally we have to discuss the manner in which we 

 can use the evidence derived from primitive races to fill in the 

 gaps in our knowledge. 



2. The deposition of the sedimentary strata is usually divided 

 into four main periods, each of which is subdivided into smaller 

 eras. The following table shows the divisions most commonly 

 adopted. 



