ANCIENT BONES

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 302, 5 December 1936, Page 7

ANCIENT BONES

CAPETOWN CONTROVERSY SKELETON DUC UP IN STREET. SCIENTISTS’ DISAGREEMENT. What may prove one of the most sensational finds in South African scientific history is involved in the discovery of a complete skeleton during excavation work in Riebeek Street, Capetown (says the Cape Times of March 14). The skeleton is apparently that of a man. If is in amazingly good order, with every bone in good condition and a skull containing a full and perfect set of teeth. The man may have lived 500 years ago. or he may belong to an age in the remote part of 50,000 years ago. He is at present a mystery man. The skeleton is not that of a Bushman or strand-looper, not that of a European, not that of a Hottentot or Bantu. It is said to resemble the modern Australian aboriginal is much as any of these.

At any rate, he has caused a furore in Capetown’s scientific circles. Dr. Leolard Gill, of the South African Museum, Mr. A. J H. Goodwin, of the Departnent of Anthropology in the University of Canetown, Professor Max Drentan, of the Department of Anatomy, and Professor Raymond Dart (the Taungs skull man), of the University of Witvatersrand, and Professor Andrew foung, of the Department of Geology, vere all on the spot to watch the disinerment. DIGGING FOR FOUNDATIONS. The discovery was made by a coloured lan m the course of digging for founda,ions f or a new garage. He was seen o stop work He told the foreman that ihere was “spooks” in the hole. He had leard tnem speaking to him. Further investigation revealed the leg Tone of a skeleton peeping through the ide of the eight-foot pit. Mr. Moolenscot, of Moolenschot and Schep, building contractors, informed Mr. Abrahams, the engineer, of the discovery, and Mr. Abrahams told Professor Dart, a friend of his. Late on Thursday afternoon, March 12, m impromptu consultation was held, as j result* of which it was decided to excavate further. The skeleton was lying about seven feet from the surface in a two-foot layer >f fine, loose sand—the original sand lunes that lined the edge of Table Bay. Incidentally, the excavation work at jther levels had resulted in some minor, out interesting finds, including a holed stone, several fragments of old china, md portion of the stem of a churchwarden pipe. The next morning further excavation ;ook place, and the skull was removed. Fhe scientists were delighted at its condition. Professor Dart told a representative of the Cape Times that the skull did not conform to the type classified as Bushman. “There are features in which it resembles the Cape Flats skull discovered by Professor Drennan several years ago,” he said. “I think this skull should be handed over to Professor Drennan for examination in conjunction with his previous discovery—an extremely important one in that for the first time an individual almost identical with the modern Australian aboriginal was discovered in a sandpit on the Cape Flats.

ISSUES RAISED. “That discovery raised a number of important anthropological issues. lam not prepared to say on a superficial examination the exact affinity of the present find either to the Cape Flats skull or to the Australian aboriginal. But I am definitely of the opinion that the present discovery—especially if followed up from the points of view of the accompanying culture and stratigraphy —will add important information to our knowledge of the pre-history of Capetown. “The Autraloid man belongs to a very remote age, but it must also be remembered that the Australoid type persists among some members of our coloured people. “Without geological knowledge of this area it is difficult to give a precise opinion on this skull. I think it is definitely worth getting a geologist on to one of these pits were the skeleton has been discovered for such knowledge will be nost important in connection with any >f the subsequent finds that are almost certain to be made in this area."

Professor Dart concluded by paying a tribute to the spirit of the building contractors, who had not only at once notified an authority but were perfectly willing to suspend their building operations m the interests of science. The Cape Flats skull, discovered by Professor Drennan, and referred to above by Professor Dart, was found in 1929 at Philippi. In that instance the skeleton was in fragments and had to be laboriously pieced together. It was described as “the first genuine and unmistakable Australoid skull found in South Africa -almost an exact middle term between he Rhodesian Man and the Bushman.” The find caused great interest and was <aid to show that South Africa was inhabited at one time by a race indistinguishable from the modern Australian aboriginal. It was further claimed as ■lighly likely that Australia received her Australoid population from South Africa. ’ The present skull and skeleton are in perfect order compared with the earlier discovery, so that if it is decided that the two finds are co-related another anthropological link has been forged in the chain between the Neanderthal man and the modern man, and another link between Europe and Australia.

“NOT A MAN.” Professor Max Drennan, of the University of Capetown, says that the mystery man is not a man, but a woman. Professor Drennan is also not so confident that the skeleton represents a great find. “The fact that it is known that there was a graveyard in that vicinity is a vitiating factor,” he said. “There were cases where burials took place outside the boundaries of the graveyard. “This was definitely not a bushman burial. The flat, supine position, with the crossed arms, is more like a modern ourial. "The skeleton is not that of a European. It may have been a Malay; but against that there is the fact that it appears to have been resting in an undisturbed layer of sand, though that has not been shown geologically.