544 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1085 



As a field for investigation of geologically an- 

 cient types of the human race. North America 

 has been notably barren. Even those who have 

 been convinced that man was present on this con- 

 tinent before the beginning of the present geo- 

 logical period must concede that the evidences of 

 his existence are much less common here than in 

 most parts of the Old World. 



Of the several widely known discoveries of hu- 

 man remains and relics reputed to represent a 

 geologically ancient type of man on this conti- 

 nent, some of the occurrences reported from Cali- 

 fornia have most persistently forced themselves 

 on the attention of the investigator, though not al- 

 ways receiving general recognition as of scientific 

 value. 



It has been realized at the outset that any sat- 

 isfactory conclusions in a work of this character 

 are not to be arrived at within narrow time lim- 

 its, and that no single mode of attack may be con- 

 sidered sufiicient in itself. At the outset four 

 lines of investigation were laid down: (1) Trac- 

 ing man back from the known type to the un- 

 known, through an investigation of the great shell 

 mounds of the coast region, the most critical 

 study being given to the lowest or earliest de- 

 posits. In this work we go from the known cul- 

 ture of the uppermost layers of the mounds back 

 to a period in which conditions were quite difiier- 

 ent from those under which the recent Indians 

 appear to have lived. (2) The thorough investi- 

 gation of all cave deposits, whether recent or 

 Quaternary, with particular reference to possible 

 human occupation. (3) A careful study of these 

 Quaternary or recent alluvial formations in which 

 the occurrence of human remains or relies appears 

 to be possible. This comprised a study of many 

 Quaternary formations and the collection in them 

 of all obtainable fossil remains. (4) A careful 

 review of all the evidence relating to the reputed 

 occurrence of implements or human remains in 

 the Auriferous gravels, or other ancient deposits 

 of a similar nature in California. 



The result of investigations along the various 

 lines followed in the original plan for the depart- 

 ment of anthropology has shown that in a consid- 

 erable number of cases fragmentary human re- 

 mains or fragments of stone and bone worked by 

 man have been found in association with Pleisto- 

 cene deposits in California, but that in every case 

 a very considerable doubt attaches to the occur- 

 rence, so that in no instance do we have in Cali- 

 fornia an undoubted occurrence either of human 



bones or of implements made by man in such as- 

 sociation with Pleistocene deposits as to prove 

 the Pleistocene age of the human relies. While 

 remains of man are known in many localities of 

 undoubted Pleistocene age in the Old World, and 

 while an age in years amounting to many tens of 

 thousands and perhaps many himdreds of thoii- 

 sand years can be ascribed to these remains, we 

 have yet to show in California the relics of man's 

 occupation dating back to more than ten or 

 twenty thousand years. 



It is possible that man coming from the Old 

 World, the place of origin of the human race, 

 has at various times colonized the North Ameri- 

 can continent, but was unable to secure a perma- 

 nent foot-hold, and because of the brief period 

 of his occupancy has left no ancient relics. Hu- 

 man history may have waited until a compara- 

 tively recent time for the occupation of the west- 

 ern hemisphere by man in such force as to make 

 his conquest of the region permanent. 



Time Perspective m American Culture, a Sturdy 



in Methods: Edwaed Sapib. 



A historical science, such as cultural anthropol- 

 ogy is, must have chronological perspective. The 

 methods available for the determination of this 

 perspective in aboriginal American culture are 

 partly direct, partly inferential. The simplest 

 type of direct evidence is that contained in the 

 statements of early travelers and noted writers. 

 A second type is embraced in the statements of 

 the natives themselves. The third and most val- 

 uable type of direct chronological evidence is ob- 

 tained by studying the stratigraphy of archeolog- 

 ical remains. 



The inferential evidence may be derived from 

 the data of physical anthropology, ethnology or 

 linguistics. Conclusions of historical value may 

 be drawn from the persistence of a type in a cer- 

 tain area, and from the denseness of population. 

 Ethnology yields a considerable number of meth- 

 ods for the inferring of time sequences. These 

 may be classed into three groups as the seriation 

 method (e. g., inferences based on the relative 

 degree of development of elements forming a 

 natural sequence) ; the association method, which 

 can be employed in a considerable number of 

 ways (e. g., by inferring chronological priority 

 of one of two cultural elements because of its 

 entering into a greater number of associations 

 with other elements) ; and the distribution 

 method. Linguistic evidence may be utilized for 

 the chronology of culture partly by the study of 

 native terms for various culture concepts, partly 



