HRDLK-KA] SKELETAL REMAINS OP EARLY MAN 277 



where the human bones were found, the earth for about 8 inches 

 from the top was bhickish, evidently a remnant of a former vegetal 

 surface. 



On closer inspection there were still found scattered over the sur- 

 face of the terminal part of the playa and even close to the spot where 

 the human skeletons were chscovered, black as well as wliite cliipped 

 stones. As previously mentioned, the Amegliinos collected during 

 their former visit many examples of the black variety.^ Pieces of a 

 quartzite grinding-stone and a few anvil-stones were also found by 

 the writer on the ' 'skeleton playa," and chipped stones of both the 

 ''black" and the "white" variety were numerous over some of the 

 black playas in the neighborhood. 



In a portion of the "skeleton playa" were seen in several localities 

 protruding bones of the glyptodon and other fossil species; all these 

 lay clearly in the undisturbed deposits. 



A narrow part of the playa, connecting the inland portion of the 

 flat with that extending toward the sea, where remnants of human 

 bones were previously found on the surface by the Ameghinos, was 

 examined. It differed in no way from the rest of the playa and was 

 not more deeply denuded. It yielded some stone cliips but no other 

 specimens. 



Careful attention was given to the site that contained the principal 

 human remains. The cavity from which the two "fossil" skeletons 

 came was found to be filled with loess and sand blown in since the 

 bones were removed. As to its original contents, the gardener as 

 well as the sailor and his son said that it held the remains of two 

 bodies. These lay with the heads at the opposite sides of the hole, 

 the feet nearly touching. Both were in a contracted, somewhat crouch- 

 ing position, which the two men later demonstrated most vividly 

 (pi. 29). A narrow line of tosca, not very hard, ran tlirough the soil 

 that covered one of the skeletons, in a direction transverse to its axis; 

 the earth itself was not hard. Some of the bones were fragmentary 

 or in poor condition and some became broken at or after the excava- 

 tion. With one of the skeletons was found a quantity of red and 

 some white mineral pigment, in the form of small concretions. 

 There were no animal bones with those from the human subjects, nor 

 in close vicinity. 



The second day of the stay of the party at the chata, the force that 

 made the first excavation was engaged to help clear out the cavity 

 they had previously made, and to extend the digging in several 

 directions. This work, in which the writer took part, resulted in 

 gaining some interesting information, which was recorded on the spot 

 as follows. 



1 Formeaningof the term "black" and "white" and further details, see the archeologic sections of this 

 report. 



