VII. THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF EARLY I^IAN IN SOUTH 



AMERICA 



By Ale§ Hrdlicka 



The Quaternary Man^ 



In entering on the investigation of the skeletal remains relating 

 to early man in South America the writer approaches a field of 

 exceptional difficulties, where a clear and satisfactory report may 

 not always be possible. The material for examination is widely 

 scattered, it is for the most part in a very defective state, and fur- 

 ther, much of it has suffered through imperfect restoration. The 

 essential data concerning the most important circumstances of the 

 finds will be seen in many instances to be extremely defective; the 

 descriptions of the human remains run often into unnecessary minu- 

 tiae on one hand and fail in the essentials; and descriptions with 

 measurements by different observers show a lack of agreement. 

 Under these conditions the records to be given, and of necessity also 

 the comparisons, are somewhat limited. Notwithstanding this, 

 however, it will be fouild that there runs throughout, like an unin- 

 terrupted red line, evidence pointing in one direction only, which is 

 that of a more simple explanation, with more moderate dating, of 

 the numerous finds — thus harmonizing with the conclusions arrived 

 at through the study of other material in the preceding sections of 

 this work. 



THE LAGOA SANTA DISCOVERIES (bRAZIL) 



The Lagoa Santa remains are by far the earliest finds in South 

 America that bear on the question of ancient man; these, wliich 

 were discovered by P. W. Lund, a Danish explorer of note, between 

 the yearsl835 and 1844, in certain caves in the district of Lagoa Santa, 

 Brazil, along with the bones of fossil as well as of recent animals, con- 

 sist of a large series of more or less fully mmeralized human bones. 



1 Exact chronologic classification of the subject dealt with in this report is not possible. Ameghino 

 regai'ds some of the specimens reported liere as Tertiary. The only criterion that could be employed in 

 arranging the separate reports was the seemingly prevalent opinion as to the geologic age of the various 

 remains. The sections relating to " Quaternary " man will be given in the order of the dates of discovery, 

 and those which relate to " Tertiary " remains will be arranged on the basis of the reputed antiquity of the 

 specimens, beginning with the most recent. 



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