324: Bowman — Geologic Relations of the Cuzco Remains. 



stratigraphy. It follows, that without a recognition of the 

 physiographic evidence, no determinations of the geologic age 

 of the deposits could be made. Indeed, archaeology in general 

 deals so constantly with surface deposits, their thickness, rate 

 of formation, geologic relations and probable age, that archseo- 

 logic collections can not be properly made if related physio- 

 graphic facts are ignored. 



The original plan of the Expedition did not include excava- 

 tion or detailed archseologic work, nor was any effort made to 

 do highly detailed geologic work. It was essentially an explo- 

 ratory expedition. Furthermore, I came to the study of the 

 bones, and the gravels in which they were embedded, with 

 grave doubts as to the value of the find. A rather extended 

 reading of anthropologic literature bearing on the antiquity of 

 man convinced me, some years ago, that almost all of our 

 reported cases of buried human remains in North America are 

 not authentic, or the arguments are not sound. I expected to 

 find some doubtful evidence that would entirely destroy any 

 supposed value the Cuzco material might have. Upon exami- 

 nation the geologic evidence appeared very convincing and 

 the proof clear. At the least a detailed study of the physio- 

 graphic geology of the head of the Cuzco basin was demanded. 

 When this study had been completed, I again returned to the 

 bone locality, in a skeptical frame of mind, prepared to find 

 some fact that would destroy my former arguments. 



There is not the slightest thread on which I am able to hang 

 any positive doubt, save the arch of material over the bones. 

 It was at first thought to be either the natural arch of the top 

 of a grave or a dividing plane between an earlier and a later 

 deposit, and that the bones lay in the outer, later deposit, made 

 long after the glacial period. The former hypothesis proved 

 to be untenable, because the gravel became firm before the 

 bones were reached, while excavating downward from the 

 crack. In testing the latter hypothesis, a similar difficulty 

 arose. No break could be found between the stratified gravel 

 of fig. 5 and the stratified gravel in the steepest part of the 

 bluff. Although a search was made for signs of a break, show- 

 ing that erosion was followed by alluviation, and for facts 

 showing that the fill material contained the bones, nothing con- 

 clusive or even suggestive could be found. 



If, upon excavation, material should be found which clearly 

 indicates the burial of remains belonging to species introduced 

 by the Spaniards, it will have to be concluded that a break 

 exists between the gravels on the face of the bluff and the 

 gravels in the main mass of the spur. It will then be neces- 

 sary, even if not before, to excavate until the position and 

 character of the break are definitely determined. Should such 



