JUL 2 1907 



PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE PRIMITIVE MAN 

 OF NEBRASKA 



BY ERWIX H. BARBOUR AXD HEXRY B. WARD 



About ten miles north of Omaha, or three miles north of Florence, 

 Nebraska, on a hill weathered out of the Loess formation, a circular 

 burial mound was recently observed and explored by Mr. Robert 

 F. Gilder. 



Many skeletal parts and eight skulls have already been exposed 

 and as the work of excavating progresses other remains will doubt- 

 less be added to the list. 



The bones were unearthed early in October, the entire collection 

 donated at once to the State Musuem, and the skulls were figured 

 and described by the discoverer in the World-Herald, October 21. 



Five of the skulls were found at a depth of four to five feet, in a 

 layer of "packed clay" or loess. These seem to be of such a primitive 

 order that they are worthy of special study, and it is possible that 

 they may prove to be the earliest type of man known as yet in 

 America. Above this layer three skulls and many bones of a more 

 advanced race have been found, and it is certain they were 

 buried intrusively. It is not an uncommon thing for one tribe to 

 bury its dead in or about the mounds of predecessors. 



It is not improbable then that the three skulls in the upper 

 layer are those of mound builders while those below are their 

 progenitors. 



This paper will concern itself with the remains found in the 

 lower layer. 



It is plain that burial of the dead was not immediate, for the 

 bones seem to have been weathered, scattered, and gnawed prior 

 to final interment. The relative scarcity of ribs and of bones of 

 the foot and hand, and the position of parts go to indicate the same 

 thing. 



The fine state of preservation of these bones, which at the least 

 must be very old. is due to the fact that the rainfall of the region 

 is light, and most of the storm water would flow immediately from 

 the knob of the hill, and the little thai soaked in would percolate 



