ANCIENT MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 16, 11 September 1931, Page 4

ANCIENT MAN

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER TRACES EXTINCT RACE SKELETON DISCOYERED ADELAIDE, Saturday. When Dr. Herbert Basedow, the noted S. A. explorer, leaves on a business trip to England next month, he will take with him, in addition to a cast of the Jervois skull, a piece of another slculi which he says gives man antiquity of 750,000 years in Australia. The skull and the piece will be exhibited to British scientists. Dr. Basedow said the piece of skull was found north of the Jervois range in an ancient riverbed, associated with the bones of creatures long since extinct. It is completely fossilised, and if struck by the knuckle of the hand, rings like bell metal. "The geological antiquity of the Australian aborigine is clearly proved by the discovery," said Br. Basedow. "It shows that man came to Australia during the Pleistocene age at the latest, and probably during the Pliocene age which immediately preceded it.*' During exploration in various parts of Australia Dr. Basedow adduced much evidence to show that man probably migrated south-east into Australia wfch a dog or dingo. Skeleton remains of the latter animals have been found under volcanic ash in the Mount Gambier district. ( Carvings on rocks in Central Australia made by a race of beings not even lcnown to tribes now inhabiting those areas algo have been found by tne doctor, who has seen footprints of the Diprotodon. Dr. Basedow expects to returh early next year.