PRIMITIVE MAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1938, Page 9

PRIMITIVE MAN

INTERESTING RELICS FOUND IN SOUTH AFRICA. SOME ANCIENT ANIMAL TYPES. Scientists are scraping away successive layers of prehistoric ash and kitchen refuse in Makapan’s Caves, near Potgietersrust, South Africa, in an attempt to find further traces of mankind’s ape-like forbears. Recently Dr Robert Broom found bones deeply .embedded in the limestone walls of Sterkfontein Caves, which have since been described as supplying the missing link in the chain of man’s evolution. The expedition to Makapan’s Caves, is being undertaken by Dr Broom and Professor C. van Riet Lowe. Probably the most interesting discoveries in the Makapan Caves are the bones of a giant horse and the bones of a 3ft dwarf buffalo that n-oamed the great African plains countless centuries ago. It is believed that the primitive men who made their homes in the caves lived tens of thousands of years ago. During digging operations some time ago the cave was opened up and Professor van Riet Lowe later discovered the archaelogical wealth buried in them. The original floor of the cave was of limestone, and on this primitive man had made his fires, leaving layers of ash two feet thick. Above this is a layer of breccia many feet thick. Much of the cave has fallen in, and in what

is now the roof are seen a couple of other hearths with stone implements and fossil bones. Professor van Riet Lowe believes that the layer covering the first hearth accumulated during a period when the cave was not inhabited. This period probably coincided with the age in Europe when it was very wet and stormy. The accumulation of solid stones and other matter was driven out of the cave by storms and some probably fell from the roof. Many of the bones Dr Broom believes to be remains of the meals of the early men who lived in the caves. They probably sat about their fires manufacturing their stone implements. In addition to completed arrow heads and other implements, the floor is littered with flakes chipped off during the manufacturing process.