Primitive Man in the U.S.

[admin]

Discovery of an early type of man in Nebraska
Barbour, E.H., and Ward, H.B. ; Science, 24:628, 1906

In a circular mound recently opened on a Loess hill north of Florence, near Omaha, Nebraska, various skeletal parts, and eight human skulls of a primitive type were exposed. The credit of the discovery blongs to Mr. Robert F. Gilder, of Omaha, who described and figured the skulls in the World Herald, October 21.

That there was intrusive burial in this mound is apparent from the fact taht the skulls found below a layer of burned clay are of a much more primitive type than those found above it. Already five skulls have been taken from the lower level, and three from the upper, and others are in evidence and will be dug out later. Those of the upper layer probably belonged to Indians of a later period, and may be left out of account for the present. The skulls of the lower layer are low-browed and inferior, the supercialiary ridges being thick and protruding, the distance through the temples narrow, and the frontal emiences being as feebly developed as in Neanderthal man. The low arch of the skull is not the result of head-binding, but is normal and characteristic as is evidenced by five crania, two of which are fairly complete (...)

The skulls are brachycephalic, and extremely narrow in transverse diameter through the temples, expanding rapidly at the parietals. Length of skull 182 mm ; minimum breadth 93 mm ; maximum breadth 160 mm.

In shape and size the mandible agrees well with that of modern man, although the following marked differences are to be noted ; the bone, particularly in the region of the symphysis, is far heavier, the muscular scars more prominents, and the third molar in each case is ground to the very gum, while the second and third are ground in a diminishing ratio. The canines are weak and scarcely distinguishable from the incisors, and the space between the molars and the base of the coronoid is wide.

(...) The femora, which are massive, manifest an interior curvature more prononced than ordinary, and in cross section they appear triangular through the great development of the linea aspera, all muscular scars and tuberosities are noticeably prominent (...)

the skulls of the Nebraska man seem to be inferior to those of the mound builder, but for the present at least will be viewed as early representatives of the tribe.

(my emphasies)

Comments : the two obviously different populations were burried in the same structure, most probably by the same people (presumably the higher, "modern" one) at, roughly, the same period. The "lower people" could be slaves or any kind of associates of the "higher people".

[admin]

A photo of the skull cap of one of the Nebraska Loess Skulls