The Supposed Birthplace of Civilization 503 



The thickness of made earth in the met with — the earth itself, the charac- 



abandoned sites of Turkestan is suffi- ter, the position, and association of f rag- 



cient to give reason for expecting evi- ments — is part of history cannot fail to 



dences of very long-continued occupa- be most fruitful in results. 



From Ellsworth Huntington, Carnegie Institution 



Limestone Gorge of the Western Kichik Alai 



Where it enters the Ispairan River on the north side of the Alai Mountains. Probably 

 the upper portion of the gorge was widened by a glacier, and the narrow slit at the bottom 

 represents post-Glacial cutting. The main valley, from the side of which the photograph was 

 taken, is clearly of glacial origin, and the side valley must have borne a hanging relation to 

 that of the master stream. 



pation. The dryness of the climate 

 makes possible the preservation of any 

 traces of written or incised documents 

 that may have existed. Excavation con- 

 ducted with the idea that everything 



We have shown that the recent phys- 

 ical history of the region is legibly re- 

 corded in glacial sculpture and moraines, 

 in orogenic movements, in valley-cutting 

 and terracing, in lake expansions, and 



