hrdlic'Ka] skeletal remains OF EARLY MAN' 18 1 



bones were irregular in both position and distribution, being mingled 

 indiscriminately with human and with recent animal bones. These 

 facts show that the period of deposition of the fossil bones them- 

 selves in this cave, which is provided with both vertical and lateral 

 entrances and is periodically inundated, is entirely problematic; 

 and from such facts it follows that the assumption of equal antiquity 

 for the human and the fossil animal remains of the Sumidouro cave, 

 on the basis of their association, is unwarranted. 



Wliile the presence in this cave of great quantities of shells and of 

 bones of animals of species still existing, which were not inhabitants 

 of the cave, would not ipso facto disprove the age of any other remains 

 therein, it indicates the possibility of a casual, though not necessarily 

 very recent, introduction by the elements of the fossil animal bones. 

 And the distribution of the modern bones over the floor of the cave 

 and at all depths in the deposits affords ample proof of the extensive 

 disturbances which have taken place in these deposits through the 

 periodic invasion of floods. 



The strong point in the claim to antiquity of the human bones in 

 this cave, as in so many similar cases in South America, is their more 

 or less advanced alteration in color and composition, their state of 

 partial petrifaction, and, furthermore, their similarity in these respects 

 to the associated bones of extinct animals. This question of fossiliza- 

 tion has often proved embarrassing to anthropologists. It is so 

 fraught with uncertainties that probably no responsible paleontol- 

 ogist would risk maintaining that two animal bones, because of 

 their similar color, weight, and other evidences of mineralization, 

 ,are therefore of the same age, or even that either, by reason of these 

 conditions, is necessarily geologically ancient. But let a human 

 bone take the place of one of the animal bones and the case seems 

 to assume a totally different aspect. Its "fossilization" brands it at 

 once with the majority of observers as of great age. However, in the 

 present case the facts in respect to this point are so readily inter- 

 preted that a safe conclusion regarding the relative age of the human 

 remains should not be difficult. 



The human bones from the vSumidouro cave present various grades 

 of discoloration and progress of petrifaction. This is stated clearly 

 by Lund and also by Hansen, and indicated by Blake, but it is not 

 true, so far as shown, of the bones of the extinct animals. This fact 

 led Lund at one time (see p. 157) to regard the human bones as 

 derived from several periods. In this connection we have to consider 

 the important and oft-repeated statements of Lund that the skeletal 

 remains of the recent animals also showed changes in varying degrees 

 (see p. 157), ranging from relative freshness to a state of mineraliza- 

 tion corresponding to that of the fossil bones of extinct species. Some 

 of the relatively modern species were apparently as fuUy petrified as 



