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On Some Fossil Remains of Man
by Thomas H。 Huxley
I HAVE endeavoured to show； in the preceding Essay； that the ANTHROPINI；
or Man Family； form a very well defined group of the Primates； between
which and the immediately following Family； the CATARHINI； there is； in
the existing world； the same entire absence of any transitional form or
connecting link； as between the CATARHINI and PLATYRHINI。
It is a commonly received doctrine； however； that the structural
intervals between the various existing modifications of organic beings
may be diminished； or even obliterated； if we take into account the
long and varied succession of animals and plants which have preceded
those now living and which are known to us only by their fossilized
remains。 How far this doctrine is well based； how far； on the other
hand； as our knowledge at present stands； it is an overstatement of the
real facts of the case； and an exaggeration of the conclusions fairly
deducible from them； are points of grave importance； but into the
discussion of which I do not； at present； propose to enter。 It is
enough that such a view of the relations of extinct to living beings
has been propounded； to lead us to inquire； with anxiety； how far the
recent discoveries of human remains in a fossil state bear out； or
oppose； that view。
I shall confine myself； in discussing this question； to those
fragmentary Human skulls from the caves of Engis in the valley of the
Meuse； in Belgium； and of the Neanderthal near Dusseldorf； the
geological relations of which have been examined with so much care by
Sir Charles Lyell； upon whose high authority I shall take it for
granted； that the Engis skull belonged to a contemporary of the Mammoth
（'Elephas primigenius'） and of the woolly Rhinoceros （'Rhinoceros
tichorhinus'）； with the bones of which it was found associated； and that
the Neanderthal skull is of great； though uncertain； antiquity。
Whatever be the geological age of the latter skull； I conceive it is
quite safe （on the ordinary principles of paleontological reasoning） to
assume that the former takes us to； at least； the further side of the
vague biological limit； which separates the present geological epoch
from that which immediately preceded it。 And there can be no doubt
that the physical geography of Europe has changed wonderfully； since
the bones of Men and Mammoths； Hyaenas and Rhinoceroses were washed
pell…mell into the cave of Engis。
The skull from the cave of Engis was originally discovered by Professor
Schmerling； and was described by him； together with other human remains
disinterred at the same time； in his valuable work； 'Recherches sur les
ossemens fossiles decouverts dans les cavernes de la Province de
Liege'； published in 1833 （p。 59； 'et seq。'）； from which the following
paragraphs are extracted； the precise expressions of the author being；
as far as possible； preserved。
〃In the first place； I must remark that these human remains； which are
in my possession； are characterized like thousands of bones which I
have lately been disinterring； by the extent of the decomposition which
they have undergone； which is precisely the same as that of the extinct
species： all； with a few exceptions； are broken； some few are rounded；
as is frequently found to be the case in fossil remains of other
species。 The fractures are vertical or oblique； none of them are
eroded； their colour does not differ from that of other fossil bones；
and varies from whitish yellow to blackish。 All are lighter than
recent bones； with the exception of those which have a calcareous
incrustation； and the cavities of which are filled with such matter。
〃The cranium which I have caused to be figured； Plate I。； Figs。 1； 2； is
that of an old person。 The sutures are beginning to be effaced： all the
facial bones are wanting； and of the temporal bones only a fragment of
that of the right side is preserved。
〃The face and the base of the cranium had been detached before the skull
was deposited in the cave； for we were unable to find those parts；
though the whole cavern was regularly searched。 The cranium was met
with at a depth of a metre and a half ＇five feet nearly＇； hidden under
an osseous breccia； composed of the remains of small animals； and
containing one rhinoceros tusk； with several teeth of horses and of
ruminants。 This breccia； which has been spoken of above （p。 30）； was a
metre ＇3 1/4 feet about＇ wide； and rose to the height of a metre and a
half above the floor of the cavern； to the walls of which it adhered
strongly。
〃The earth which contained this human skull exhibited no trace of
disturbance： teeth of rhinoceros； horse； hyaena； and bear； surrounded
it on all sides。
FIG。 22。The skull from the cave of Engisviewed from the right side。
'a' glabella； 'b' occipital protuberance； （'a' to 'b'
glabello…occipital line）； 'c' auditory foramen。
〃The famous Blumenbach* has directed attention to the differences
presented by the form and the dimensions of human crania of different
races。 This important work would have assisted us greatly； if the
face； a part essential for the determination of race； with more or less
accuracy； had not been wanting in our fossil cranium。
＇footnote＇ *Decas Collectionis suae craniorum diversarum
gentium illustrata。 Gottingae； 1790…1820。
〃We are convinced that even if the skull had been complete； it would not
have been possible to pronounce； with certainty； upon a single
specimen； for individual variations are so numerous in the crania of
one and the same race； that one cannot； without laying oneself open to
large chances of error； draw any inference from a single fragment of a
cranium to the general form of the head to which it belonged。
〃Nevertheless； in order to neglect no point respecting the form of this
fossil skull； we may observe that； from the first； the elongated and
narrow form of the forehead attracted our attention。
〃In fact； the slight elevation of the frontal； its narrowness； and the
form of the orbit； approximate it more nearly to the cranium of an
Ethiopian than to that of an European： the elongated form and the
produced occiput are also characters which we believe to be observable
in our fossil cranium； but to remove all doubt upon that subject I have
caused the contours of the cranium of an European and of an Ethiopian
to be drawn and the foreheads represented。 Plate II。； Figs。 1 and 2；
and； in the same plate； Figs。 3 and 4； will render the differences
easily distinguishable； and a single glance at the figures will be more
instructive than a long and wearisome description。
〃At whatever conclusion we may arrive as to the origin of the man from
whence this fossil skull proceeded； we may express an opinion without
exposing ourselves to a fruitless controversy。 Each may adopt the
hypothesis which seems to him most probable： for my own part； I hold it
to be demonstrated that this cranium has belonged to a person of
limited intellectual faculties； and we conclude thence that it belonged
to a man of a low degree of civilization： a deduction which is borne
out by contrasting the capacity of the frontal with that of the
occipital region。
〃Another cranium of a young individual was discovered in the floor of
the cavern beside the tooth of an elephant； the skull was entire when
found； but the moment it was lifted it fell into pieces； which I have
not； as yet； been able to put together again。 But I have represented
the bones of the upper jaw； Plate I。； Fig。 5。 The state of the alveoli
and the teeth； shows that the molars had not yet pierced the gum。
Detached milk molars and some fragments of a human skull proceed from
this same place。 The Figure 3 represents a human superior incisor
tooth； the size of which is truly remarkable。*
＇footnote＇ *In a subsequent passage； Schmerling remarks upon
the occurrence of an incisor tooth 'of enormous size' from
the caverns of Engihoul。 The tooth figured is somewhat
long； but its dimensions do not appear to me to be
otherwise remarkable。
〃Figure 4 is a fragment of a superior maxillary bone； the molar teeth of
which are worn down to the roots。
〃I possess two vertebrae； a first and last dorsal。
〃A clavicle of the left side （see Plate III。； Fig。 1）； although it
belonged to a young individual； this bone shows that he must have been
of great stature。*
＇footnote＇ *The figure of this clavicle measures 5 inches
from end to end in a straight lineso that the bone is
rather a small than a large one。
〃Two fragments of the radius； badly preserved； do not indicate that the
height of the man； to whom they belonged； exceeded five feet and a
half。
〃As to the remains of the upper extremities； those which are in my
possession consist merely of a fragment of an ulna and of a radius
（Plate III。； Figs。 5 and 6）。
〃Figure 2； Plate IV。； represents a metacarpal bone； contained in the
breccia； of which we have spoken； it was found in the lower part above
the cranium： add to this some metacarpal bones； found at very different
distances； half…a…dozen metatarsals； three phalanges of the hand； and
one of the foot。
〃This is a bri