Chapter I: Preface

This book deals with the earliest phases in the past history of Mankind: the selected period ends at the Aurignacian division of the Palaeolithic Age. I regret to be unable to affix definite dates in years to the several divisions of time now recognised. To illustrate the difficulty of forming conclusions on this subject, it should be noted that in 1904 Professor Rutot (p. 103) assigned a duration of 139,000 years to the Pleistocene period, while in 1909 Dr Sturge claimed 700,000 years for a portion only of the same period. Evidently the present tendency is to increase enormously the drafts on geological time, and to measure in millions the years that have elapsed since the first traces of human existence were deposited.

But in the face of estimates which differ so widely, it seemed preferable to distinguish subdivisions of time by reference to animal-types or the forms of stone-implements, rather than by the lapse of years.

In the attempt to summarise a considerable amount of evidence, I have tried to select the facts most relevant to the subject in hand. And where an opinion is expressed I have endeavoured to indicate the reasons for the decision that is adopted.

Additional evidence is pouring in at the present time, and there is no doubt but that the next few years will witness great extensions of knowledge. In this connection, I take the opportunity of mentioning the discovery made a few weeks ago by M. Henri Martin at La Quina, of a human skeleton resembling the Neanderthal type but presenting (it is said) definite features of inferiority to that type. Another subject of vast importance is Mr Moir's recent demonstration (p. 106) of elaborately worked implements resting beneath strata referred to the Pliocene period.

For the loan of blocks, or for permission to reproduce illustrations, my cordial thanks are due to the editors and publishers of the journals mentioned in the following list. The authors' names are appended to the several illustrations.

Anatomischer Anzeiger,
Archiv für Anthropologie,
Archivio per l'Antropologia e la Etnologia,
Beiträge zur Urgeschichte Bayerns,
Korrespondenzblatt der deutschen anthropologischen Gesellschaft,
L'Anthropologie,
Royal Dublin Society,
Royal Society of Edinburgh,
Zeitschrift für Ethnologie.

W. L. H. DUCKWORTH

_December_ 11, 1911

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. The Precursors of Palaeolithic Man 1

II. Palaeolithic Man 17

III. Alluvial Deposits and Caves 63

IV. Associated Animals and Implements 85

V. Human Fossils and Geological Chronology 112

VI. Human Evolution in the light of recent research 127

Table A _to face p._ 85

" B _to " "_ 118

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE

1. Outline tracings of skulls of Pithecanthropus etc.
(From Dubois) 5

2. Outline tracings of Jawbones, (A) Mauer (B) ancient Briton 11

3. Tooth from Taubach: surface of crown. (From Nehring) 22

4. Tooth of Chimpanzee. (From Nehring) 22

5, 6. Tooth from Taubach: inner and outer sides. (From Nehring) 23

7. Human skull from Krapina. (From Birkner) 25

8. Tracings of teeth from Krapina and Mauer. (From Kramberger) 29

9. Human skull from La Chapelle-aux-Saints. (From Birkner) 33

10. Outline tracings of skull from La Chapelle-aux-Saints etc.
(From Boule) 35

11. Contours of skulls, (A) New Guinea man (B) European woman 36

12. Outline tracing of human skull from Le Moustier 40

13. Outline tracings of jawbones from Mauer and Le Moustier 41

14. Outline tracings of jawbones from Mauer, La Naulette, etc.
(From Frizzi) 42

15. Outline tracings of jawbones, (A) ancient Briton (B) Le
Moustier (C) Mauer 43

16. Outline tracings of the Forbes Quarry (Gibraltar) skull.
(From Sera) 48

17. Human skull of the Grimaldi-type. (From Birkner) 51

18. Outline tracings of skulls from Galley Hill etc. (From
Klaatsch) 58

19. Section of the strata at Trinil in Java. (From Dubois) 64

20. View of the Mauer sand-pit. (From Birkner) 65

21. Section of the Krapina rock-shelter. (From Birkner) 69

22. Plan of the cave at La Chapelle-aux-Saints. (From Boule) 72

23. Two sections of the Grotte des Enfants, Mentone. (From Boule) 77

24. Chart of the relative duration of Miocene, Pliocene, and
Pleistocene time. (From Penck) 107

25. Chart of oscillations of snow-level in the Glacial period.
(From Penck) 119

26. Outline tracings of skulls of Pithecanthropus etc.
(From Dubois) 129

27. Position of Palaeolithic Man in the scale of evolution.
(From Cross) 131

28. Thigh-bones arranged to illustrate Klaatsch's theory. 136

29. The human skeleton found beneath the Boulder-clay at Ipswich.
(From a drawing by Dr Keith, reproduced with permission) 153