A Manual of the Antiquity of ManMacLean, J. P. (John Patterson)
History
A Manual of the Antiquity of Man
MacLean, J. P. (John Patterson)
Human beings -- Origin
The remains of the ancient Lake Dwellings of Switzerland were discovered
in the winter of 1853-1854. That winter was so dry and cold that the
water of the lakes fell far below its ordinary level. On account of
this, a large tract of ground of Lake Zurich was gained by the people
throwing up embankments. In the process of the work, the piles on which
stood the dwellings, fragments of pottery, bone and stone implements,
and various other relics, were discovered.[5] Dr. Keller, of Zurich,
examined the objects, and at once came to a right understanding as to
their signification. He carefully examined the remains, and described
these lake habitations in six memoirs presented to the Antiquarian
Society of Zurich, in 1854, 1858, 1860, 1863, and 1866. In 1866 these
memoirs were translated into English by J. E. Lee, together with
articles from other antiquaries, under the title of "The Lake Dwellings
of Switzerland, and other parts of Europe." This work contains
ninety-seven plates, besides many wood-cuts.
Memoirs of the Dwellers of different lakes have, from time to time, been
published, but they are included in the translated work of Dr. Keller.
The far-famed Neanderthal skull was discovered by Dr. Fuhlrott, in the
year 1857, in a limestone cavern, near Düsseldorf, in a deep ravine
known by the name of Neanderthal. This skull, with parts of the skeleton
to which it belonged, was found under a layer of mud, about five feet in
thickness. It is now in the cabinet of Dr. Fuhlrott, Elberfeld, Rhenish
Prussia.
In 1858, a bone-cavern was found near Torquay, not far from Kent's Hole.
This cave was examined by a scientific commission. At first it was
undertaken by the Royal Society, but when its grants had failed, Miss
Burdett-Coutts paid the expenses of completing the work. In this cave,
under a layer of stalagmite, were found many flint knives, associated
with the bones of extinct mammals.
M. A. Fontan found in the cave of Massat (Department of Ariége), in
1859, human teeth and utensils associated with the remains of the
cave-bear, the fossil hyena, and the cave-lion (_Felis speloea_).
In 1861, M. A. Milne Edwards found certain relics of human industry
mingled with the fossil bones of animals, in the cave of Lourdes,
France.
In 1862, Dr. Garrigou published the result of the researches which he,
in conjunction with Rames and Filhol, had made in the caverns of Ariége.
These explorers found the jaw-bones of the cave-bear and cave-lion,
which had been wrought by the hands of man.
In the upper strata of the tertiary beds (pliocene) at St. Prest
(Department of Eure), in the year 1863, M. Desnoyers found the bones of
extinct animals which were cut or notched by flint instruments. In the
same strata Abbé Bourgeois discovered implements of stone. He
communicated his discoveries to the International Congress held at Paris
in 1867.
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