20 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 66 
animals trapped at that time sank to the position in which they were found in 
the excavations ; and that after the removal of the upper deposits by erosion 
the later or younger fauna was trapped and mingled w 7 ith the few bones of 
earlier date. 
The human bones were all found in the north chinmey, where the history of 
accumulation is more complicated than in the south vent. The pit containing 
the human remains also contains all of the presumably associated specimens 
representing extinct animals. 
The human remains were found rather widely scattered between a depth 
of about 6 feet and 9 feet. The whole collection of human bones seems to 
represent one individual. The bones are generally very much worn. The 
wear in some cases suggests movement within the pit in such a manner that 
sand in the tar, or resting against the wall of the chimney, has cut away the 
bone by long-continued rubbing. 
Enough of the human skeleton was found in the pit to give a fairly satisfac 
tory idea as to the characteristics of the individual it represents. The skull 
is that of a small person of middle age, possibly a woman. The brain case is 
relatively as large as that in some of the living native races of America. Ac 
cording to Dr. A. L. Kroeber the racial characteristics do not differ decidedly 
from those of people whose remains have been excavated in mounds on Santa 
Rosa Island off the coast of southern California. So far as the characteristics 
of the skeleton are concerned, it is not necessary to suppose that we have here 
an individual who lived at a remote time when the human family was in a 
relatively low stage of evolution. This skull is not comparable to those of 
ancient races of the Neanderthal or. earlier types. On the other hand, one 
must not forget that people of a fairly advanced stage of brain development 
were already in existence at the beginning of the present or Recent geological 
period. 
The characters of the human remains taken by themselves indicate that this 
person lived either within the present or Recent period, or at a time not earlier 
than the end of the Pleistocene period immediately preceding it. 
A summary of available information regarding the age of the human skele 
ton found in pit 10 at Rancho La Brea is as follows : 
1. The evidence of geologic occurrence in the asphalt chimney, taken by itself, 
counts for relatively little owing to the peculiar conditions under which these 
deposits are formed. In so far as this is of value it suggests an age later than 
that of the tar pits containing the typical Rancho La Brea fauna. 
2. The fauna associated with the human remains in pit 10 is quite different 
from the typical Pleistocene Rancho La Brea fauna, and must have inhabited 
this region at a different period. The fauna in pit 10 is closely related to that 
of the present or Recent period. It is distinctly later in age than the typical 
Rancho La Brea fauna. 
3. The characters of the human remains, taken by themselves, show a stage 
of development similar to that of man of the present day and not earlier than 
man of the latest Pleistocene time. 
4. The evidence as a whole indicates that the human skeleton from pit 10 
is of a period much later than that of the typical Rancho La Brea fauna, the 
time being either within the Recent period or not earlier than the very latest 
portion of Pleistocene time. The possible association of the human remains 
with extinct forms, such as the giant Teratornis, may indicate some antiquity 
for the human being or may indicate comparatively late persistence of birds 
or mammals now extinct in this region. 
5. Measured in terms of years, it is not possible to give a definite estimate 
of the age of the skeleton from pit 10. It may suffice to state that this person 
