Page:Palæolithic Man and Terramara Settlements in Europe.djvu/215

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FOSSIL MAN (FRANCE)
157

Neanderthal-Spy race of Europe, until the skeleton is completely disinterred from its matrix and carefully examined.

Dr Martin described the skeleton and its position in the La Quina station, together with the ingenious method by which he transported a solid mass measuring 43 x 25 x 23 inches, containing the human bones, into his laboratory, at a meeting of the Société Préhistorique Française, on 26th October 1911. This communication was accompanied by photographic illustrations, one of which, showing the skull while only partially cleared of the surrounding earth, I am enabled, with the author's kind permission, to print as Plate XIV.

figure(s): 47

FIG. 47.- An idea of the site of La Quina during the Moustérien epoch.

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The station of La Quina is well known to anthropologists, having been described by its discoverer, M. Chauvet, as early as 1896 (Bull. Soc. Arch. de la Charente and by others since. But Dr Martin's labours in the excavation of La Quina, even before the present very important discovery, had the foremost place, as shown by his valuable work, Evolution du Moustérien dans la Station de la Quina, published in 1907. Previous to this, Dr Martin discovered that certain large bones, found in the Moustérien deposits of La Quina, had been utilised as implements (Soc. Préhist. Française, 1906, pp. 155, 189). In the following year he published sections of the station showing the true stratigraphical position of its successive archæological strata. A careful study of these sections will give more precise information as to the position of the skeleton