Man before metals

by Nicolas Joly

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 ...for weapons and tools. The author of this communication believed he might conclude, from the facts he had observed, if not with certainty, at least with a great appearance of probabilit', that'man lived upon the soil of France at the same time as the Elephas meridionalis and the other pleiocene species which characterise the valley of the Arno in Tuscany; that he strove for existence with those great 1 Palaeontologists distinguish three principal species of 1st, tlie Elephas meridionalis, which hat been found at Chartres, and ia therefore in no sense southern; 2nd, the Elephas antiquus, which, in spite of the name it bears, is less ancient than the preceding j 3rd, the Elephas primioenius, the most recent of the three. We have here a striking example of the inconvenience of too significant names in natural history. MIOCENE FLINTS. 177 animals prior to the elephas primigenius, and to the other mammalia whose remains are found in company with the vestiges of man in the transported or quaternary beds of the great valleys or of the caves; lastly, that the deposit of Saint Prest is, as far as we yet know, the earliest example in the geological period at which man co-existed in Europe with extinct species.1 These bold but logical conclusions were received, as might have been expected, with considerable caution, even by the members of the Institute. An odious calumny, soon condemned by public opinion, attempted to annul or to destroy the importance of the discovery given to the world by M. Desnoyers. On the other hand, M. Ed. Lartet gave it the modest and loyal support of his testimony and authority. Sceptical men of science demanded, however, the production, if possible, of stronger proofs in support of so momentous an assertion as that of the contempo...

110 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2012