Dr J. W. Dawson on the Antiquity of Man. 53 



" If they were not all of contemporary date, it is clear 

 from this case, and from the humerus of the Ursus spelceus^ 

 before cited as found in a floor of stalagmite, that the bear 

 lived after the flint tools were manufactured, or in other 

 words, that man in this district preceded the cave-bear." 



Multitudes of questions arise out of these observations, 

 and many of them will probably long remain unanswered ; 

 but we may, in the remainder of this article, profitably re- 

 strict ourselves to three of them. 



1. What style of men were these contemporaries of the 

 mammoth, as compared with those who now walk the 

 earth ? 



2. How great is their antiquity ? 



3. What bearing have the conclusions which we must 

 form on these points, on the facts known to us on other 

 evidence than that of geology, as to the origin and early 

 history of man ? 



The writer of these pages, on a former occasion, ventured 

 to predict that if any osseous remains of antediluvian man 

 should be discovered, they would probably present charac- 

 ters so different from those of modern races that they might 

 be regarded as belonging to a distinct species.* With per- 

 haps one exception, tliis anticipation has not yet been 

 realized. The skull from the cave of Engis, in Belgium, 

 supposed to be the oldest known, is in the judgment of 

 Professor Huxley, not by any means abnormal, but on the 

 contrary, not unlike some European skulls. Another skull, 

 that of Neanderthal, not found with remains of extinct 

 animals, and therefore of uncertain geological antiquity, 

 has, however, excited more attention than the Engis skull. 

 Its prehistoric antiquity has been assumed by many writers, 

 and its low forehead, prominent superciliary ridges, and 

 general flatness, giving a more ape-like air than that of the 

 heads of any modern tribes, together with the great stout- 

 ness and strong muscular impressions of the bones found 

 with it, have been regarded as confirmatory evidence of 

 this supposition. It is quite certain, however, that the 

 characters for which this skeleton is eminent, are found, 

 though perhaps in a less degree, in the rude tribes of 



* Arcliaia, p. 237. 



