Prehistoric manDuckworth, W. L. H. (Wynfrid Laurence Henry)
History
Prehistoric man
Duckworth, W. L. H. (Wynfrid Laurence Henry)
Prehistoric peoples
The same sequence is shewn by a series of tracings representative of the
cranial arc in the middle line of the head (Fig. 1). And the results of
many tests of this kind, applied not only by Professor Dubois but also
by Professor Schwalbe, are confirmatory of the 'intermediate' position
claimed for _Pithecanthropus erectus_. The molar teeth are of inadequate
size if the skull-cap is that of an ape, whereas they are slightly larger
than the corresponding teeth furnished by primitive existing human types.
And now some of the objections to this account may be taken.
In the first place, the claim to Pliocene antiquity is contested. So keen
an interest was excited by Professor Dubois' discovery that more than one
expedition has been dispatched to survey and review the ground. It is now
declared in certain quarters that the horizon is lower Quaternary: I do
not know that any attempt has been made to reduce the age of the strata
further. As the matter stands, the difference is not very material, but
Professor Dubois refuses to accept the revised estimate and still adheres
to his own determination. Incidentally the more recent work
(Blanckenhorn[2], 1910) has resulted in the discovery of a tooth claimed
as definitely human (this is not the case with the teeth of
_Pithecanthropus erectus_), and yet of an antiquity surpassing that of
the remains found by Professor Dubois. The latter appears unconvinced as
to the genuineness of the find, but no doubt the case will be fully
discussed in publications now in the course of preparation.
[Illustration: Fig. 1. Outline tracings of skulls reduced in size to a
common dimension, viz. the line _Gl--Op_, representing a
base-line of the brain-case. _Pe_, Pithecanthropus.
_Papua_, a New Guinea native. _Hl_, _Sm_, _At_ are from
skulls of monkeys. (After Dubois.)]
Professor Dubois assigned the bones to one and the same skeleton, and for
this he has been severely criticised. Apart from arguments affecting the
geological age of the specimens, the question of their forming part of a
single individual is very momentous. For if two skeletons are
represented, one may be human, while the other is that of an ape. It is
admitted that the larger bones were separated by a distance of forty-six
feet. By way of meeting this criticism, it is submitted that the distance
is by no means so great as to preclude the possibility of the common and
identical origin of the various bones. Moreover it is at least curious
that if two skeletons are here represented, no further remains should
have been detected in the immediate vicinity.
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