The thickness of the skulls is twice as great as those of Indians found in the burial grounds, known to be 1,000 years old or more. The average thickness of each skull is approximately three-quarters of an inch.
Dr. Jesse Walter Fewkes, chief curator of the Smithsonian Institution telegraphed Dr. Harrington today for a complete report of the discoveries made here. An authoritative and official statement has been dispatched to him.
Newark Daily Advocate, (Newark, Ohio) July 12, 1897
Ghastly Indian Relics
Bones of a Giant Race on San Nicolas Islands
After nearly three weeks’ sojourn on the barren island of San Nicolas a party of relic hunters reached Long Beach, Cal., loaded with skeletons, skulls and ancient implements and ornaments of stone and shells, the remains of Indian tribes which inhabited the now almost desert waste in bygone ages.
There were 11 in the party which left Long Beach in the gasoline schooner San Clemente for San Nicolas Island, which lies 65 miles off the coast from Santa Barbara. Four days were occupied in the journey to the island owing to the dense fogs, and after landing the party the schooner returned to Long Beach and the explorers were left to their work.
The party found 87 skulls buried in the sand of the island, but were only able to secure three entire. They made one excavation 20 feet square in which they found nine skeletons in a crouching attitude, as though men, women and children had been buried alive. In another place they found the remains of hundreds of bodies that had been burned, and some of the party believe that cremation was practiced by the ancient people of the island.
Positive evidence was found that the island was inhabited by two or more different races in the dim past, one of which was of great size, a peculiar characteristic being gigantic jawbones. Some of the specimens of the latter brought by the party are almost large enough to slip over the head of an ordinary man. Mr. Longfellow, one of the party, speaking of the trip, said:
“One of the most interesting relics brought back by us was part of a skeleton of a large man in whose bones a long bone spear point was sticking. In the shattered skull was a big round stone used as a war implement. The spear passed near the heart and entirely through the shoulder blade. I am sure that two different races fought and died on the island, as most of the bodies were of moderate size while some were almost giants. The latter were always in isolated graves. We found many implements and weapons of stone, but all are very crude and show almost no ornamentation-San Francisco Chronicle.
The Dubuque Herald, December 5, 1900
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
THEY HAVE LONG BEEN A MYSTERY
Rich Field for Anthropological and Archaeological Investigations
Lies Off Coast of Southern California
San Francisco, Dec. 4-An expedition of scientific students has been made up in Los Angelas and Pasadena to explore thoroughly the Channel islands off that part of the coast of California known as Santa Barbara and San Buenaventura counties during the next six months. It ss to be sustained by Stanford university largely, and to a less extent by several denominational colleges in southern California. Anthropological and archaeological students who have spent several weeks each on these islands, say they are one of the very richest fields for work in that department of knowledge on the pacific coast. The channel islands constitute California's only archipelago, with the possible exception of the rocky and scanty Farallone islands. They have been objects of romance, legends, curiosity and mystery for a generation or more.
St. Nicholas island lies eighty miles immediately opposite the little city of San Buenaventura and is the most interesting of all the Channel islands from the many points of view. As far back as the memory of any person in southern California runs hundreds of white skeletons have dotted the valleys and hillsides. Strange utensils of serpentine sandstone and steatite are found there among the human bones and the island and its erstwhile inhabitants have a history so curious that it is difficult of comprehension.
As far as the eye can trace there are barren levels with innumerable circular depressions, showing where primitive dwellings once stood. Not a vestige remains of the materials used in the construction of these rancherias. Hundreds of shell mounds are scattered about and are found to consist of astonishing numbers of mollusks, the bones of every species of fish found in the channels, skeletons of seals, sea elephants, whales, sea otter, the island fox and various aquatic birds. Without question these animals were used for food by the tribe that once thronged those boundrys.
An examination of some of the mounds discloses all sorts of curious utensils-stone cooking pots, mortars, pestles, drills, bone needles and fish hooks, shell beads, charm stones [plummets], pipes, cups and a few arrowheads, spear points and swords made of bone.
The most grewsome of all the sights on this strange island is to be seen on the broad plateau south of the Chinese camp at Coral harbor. Here acres of the naked sand are littered with hundreds of disjointed skeletons, and present the most reckless illustration of the “ground plan” of humanity that imagination can picture. Measurements have been made by several scientists of the thigh, leg and arm bones, and literally bushels of skulls and other parts of the human frame have been brought to Los Angeles from St. Nicholas islands for investigation. The general opinion is that the Indian race that swarmed over the islands was much larger than any civilized race of today and that some of the men must have been seven feet three inches high. The skull of this extinct tribe often measure several inches more than some of the other large skulls of today. Many skulls found lying about on the island show that their possessors must have suffered death from a club or blunt battle axe.
Woodland Daily Democrat, (Woodland Ca.) February 13, 1922
Bones of Giant Found in South
Best Preserved Skeleton of Extinct Tribe Hauled from Channel
San Francisco, June 10- Up to three hundred years ago, a giant race of Indians inhabited the coastal regions of California. Remains of these have been discovered in the islands of the Santa Barbara Channel. To William Altman, assistant curator of the Golden Gate Park Museum belongs the honor of discovering one of the tallest and best-preserved skeletons of this extinct tribe.
The giant skeleton found was ten feet from the surface, and around it were a large number of mortars and pestles, charm stones and obsidian arrow heads. One of the skeleton measured seven feet four inches.”
Artisans and Artifacts of Vanished Races , T. Dickerson, 1915
Bones Show Giant Man Many Years Ago
Remains Found In California Believed To Date Before The Mound Builders
Los Angeles-Men working under the personal direction of Frank S. Daggert, director of the Museum of History and Science and Art, are excavating on La Brea ranch and have discovered what they have been searching for-the bones of a man.
Several bones resembling those of a huge man, have been dug from the clay beds and are carefully guarded until all parts of the skeleton have been found. If, as if hoped, the find is genuine, it will startle scientist throughout the world and will prove that America, long regarded as a continent barren of humanity prior to the age of the Mound Builders, was peopled with a race of thousands of years before these builders appeared.
“There is little doubt,” said one man who is familiar with the work, “that the bones are those of a man. The question to be determined is how long ago he walked the earth. This must be disclosed by geologist. The formation of the bones indicates that they are not those of primitive man, and it is possible that he was one of a race who inhabited this land in the Pliocene Age.”
Anthropologist of the University of California will, it is believed, regard the discovery as further proof of their contention that North America and Europe were once joined together and that the back bone of this peninsular is the Aleutian Islands. Scientist believe that the two-toed horses, remains of which have been found in Nevada, made their way across the neck of land from Western Europe.
If the bones now being
taken from La Breas’ pit bear a close resemblance to the fossil remains of the early races if Europe, proof will be established that man also used the pathway between the two continents thousands of centuries before Columbus was born.
Fresno Bee, November, 26, 1937
Skeletons Of Vanished Race Predating Indians are Found Near Lodi San Francisco, Nov. 26- The horizon of earliest mankind in California has been moved back many thousands of years through the discovery of fossilized skeletons in the Lodi region
The University of California anthropological department made the Maidu and Miwok Indian tribes of startling announcement today that the skeletons probably of people antedating the American Indian.
Professors at the university thus far have been unable to identify the age of the skeletons but stated there is little doubt they represent the earliest California man of which there is any knowledge. Before Bow and Arrow
Many of the artifacts revealed by the excavations are apparently peculiar to this early culture alone and there is evidence that it antedated even the bow and arrow, indicating a great lapse of time between that period and that of the earliest Indians whose burial mounds have been found in the same region heretofore.
The newly discovered burial mound had been built upon by another later race now virtually extinct, from which sprang the Maidu and Miwok Indian tribes of the Sacramento Valley.
Found By Ditch Diggers
The fossilized skeletons were unearthed by deep ditch digging operations in thick alluvial deposits near Lodi several months ago. They were called to the attention of the Sacramento Junior College, which made an extensive study of the remains under the direction of Dr. J. B. Lillard, the college president. Later, they were forwarded to the University of California for the identification and further study.
Professor A. L. Kroeber, chairman of the university’s anthropological department has pronounced it the most important discovery in the universities history and one that will throw new light on all American antiquity.
Little Relation
Kroeber says the skeletons present features entirely new from a scientific standpoint, and bear little specific relation to the latter cultures, particularly the historic Indians. Many still had the remnants of the fureral finery about their necks and bodies in the form of beads.
Mansfield News, Mansfield Ohio, July 25, 1911
Important Historical Find In California From an excavation made by workman in the employ of the Por Costa Water company have been found a large number of Indian relics of great age including the specimens of crude pottery already mentioned and the skeleton of an Indian giant more than seven feet tall. The skeleton is in the possession of Dr. Neff of Concord, who is mounting it for an exhibition. The pottery specimens consist of charm stones of baked clay of spindle shape and pierced so that they may be suspended from the neck by cords. In addition there are a large number of knives and arrowheads of obsidian.”
Native Races, Vol. IV. 1882 Hubert Howe Bancroft
Dr. Yates sent to the Smithsonian Institute, in 1869, a collection of relics taken from mounds in
Alameda County. It is not expressly stated that these were shell mounds, although I have heard of the
existence of several in that county. This collection included, “stone pestles, perforators or awls,
sinkers, a phallus, spindles, a soapstone ladle, stone mortar and pestle, pipe bowls, shell and perforated
stone ornaments, an ancient awl and serrated implements of bone.”
Quite a number of mounds are known to exist on the peninsula of San Francisco, several being in the
vicinity of the silk factory on the SanBruno Road. One of them covered an area of two acres, was at
least twenty-five feet deep, and from it was taken arrowheads, hammers, and many other relics. One of
these shell mounds, near the old Bay View racetrack is being opened by Chinamen engaged in
preparation for some building, as I write this chapter. Mr. James Deans of whose explorations I shall
have more to say when treating of the antiquities of British Columbia, has brought me a large number
of stone and bone relics taken from this deposit, the different classes of which are illustrated in the
accompanying cut.
Figure 1 is an awl of deer-bone, and fig 2 is another implement of the same material, curiously grooved at one end. These bone implements occur by the thousands, being from three to eight inches in length. Figures 3, 4, are perhaps stone sinkers, or as is thought by some, weights from diorite, the latter from sandstone, and not polished. Figure 3 is four inches long, and an inch and a half in its greatest diameter. Hundreds of these pear shaped weights are found in the mounds, but the end is usually broken off, as is the case with fig. 4 Fig. 5 is an implement carved from black clayey slate, and is brightly polished surface. It is four inches long, and one inch at the smaller. It is hollow, but the bore diminishes in size regularly from each end, until at a point about an inch and a half smaller end it is only a quarter of an inch in diameter.
Oakland Tribune, August 24, 1896
SEVEN SKELETONS
Remarkable Discovery Made at Shell Mound Park
SKULLS RESEMBLING APES
An interesting discovery has been made at Shell Mound Park, where the skeleton of a prehistoric race of Indians was excavated. These skeletons are of a race unknown at present and are undoubtedly of great antiquity.
They were discovered in a shell mound on the west side of the racetrack. The mound is the usual kind, formed of shells, and is about ten feet high and 100 yards in length. Men were digging in the ground in order to investigate the soil, when their spades struck against bones.
A skull was laid bare. The skull was of the most unusual formation and appearance. Professor John Merriam of the State University was immediately sent for and work was suspended until he arrived.
Professor Merriam went to work himself and very carefully dug for the remains. In a short space of time three skeletons were discovered. The skeletons are of ordinary size and the most extra-ordinary characteristic about them is the shape of the skulls. They are more like the skulls of apes than human beings, and present a type of an unusually degraded and depraved race of Indians. There is little or no forehead and the lower part of the skull is shaped like an ape’s.
Professor Merriam declares he has never seen any skulls like these, although they bear a strong resemblance to the heads of the Flat Head Indians, former residents of the more northern coast.
The skeletons are undoubtedly of great antiquity, as a careful study shows that they have laid beneath the mound for many hundreds of years. The mound itself is formed like other shell mounds. The peculiar race of Indians, who lived along the coast, camping on the very shore of the ocean, existed principally on shellfish. As soon as they devoured the fishes they probably threw the shells beside their campfire. As time went by, these piles grew into small mounds of various heights. The mound recently excavated is at least ten feet in height and at one time probably stood close to the waves of the ocean.
That the skeletons were there before the mound was built is proved upon examination. The remains were found below the skulls and beneath strata of ashes. The ashes were undisturbed and formed a two-inch covering over the bones.
The question now arises, how the ashes came there? The bodies were probably placed two or three inches below the surface and a covering of ashes above them as an additional protection from the air, or it may have been that the ashes were thrown there in an entirely accidental manner, as the result of a camp fire. The fact that the ashes were there however proves that the relics are ancient. Seven or eight skeletons have been taken out, but they are badly broken condition. They are in the possession of Prof. Merriam.
This photo of the Emeryville shell mound, near San Francisco was originally taken in 1902 and printed in 1907 in “American Archaeology and Ethnology.” A large dance pavilion was built on top of the mound. The raceway is visible to the left o
f the pavilion.
San Antonio Light, September 19, 1932
Huge Skeletons of Indians Found STOCKTON, Calif., Sept 24- Three skeletons, one seven feet long have been uncovered by Harry T. Sanford, college of the Pacific archaeologist, and crew of men engaged in excavating an Indian burial mound near Garwood Ferry bridge. They are believed to be the largest Indian skeletons ever unearthed in California.
Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, November 26, 1937
Find Trace of Race Which Preceded Ancient Indians Berkely, Calif. Nov. 26-(AP)-University of California anthropologist announced today they had uncovered the fossilized bones of some people who may have been the original native sons of this golden state. The scientist believe the beetle-browed, bulldog-jawed skulls and sturdy skeletons are those of a primitive human race that peopled the coastal plains long before the Indians. In one instance they found such bones beneath the burial mounds of a later race from which sprang the present-day Miwok and Maidu Indians. A profound geologic change, which completely buried the earlier men, their villages and burial mounds, separated them from the later race.
The bones, and numerous weapons and utensils, however are not as old as others found elsewhere on this continent, the scientist said. The remains were uncovered accidently during ditching operations at Lodi, 60 miles east of here. Sacramento Junior College anthropologist declined to estimate the bage of the bones but said they were “thousands of years” old. Artifacts in the mounds included charm-stones made of abelone shells, numerous quartz crystals, ashaltum objects, some creations resembling slate pencils, shell beads, barbless bone points, points chipped from stone and stone grinding mortars.
The Daily Citizen (Iowa City, Iowa) November 25, 1892 A few years ago some remarkable skulls were found in Oregon by a scientist who is now connected with the Metropolitan museum in Central park, New York. They resemble the skulls of sheep, and yet there is no doubt that they were human. An examination of their form led to the idea that they came nearer to the connecting link between man and the brute creature than any other skulls which had been dug out of the earth.
The Nephilim Chronicles: Fallen Angels in the Ohio Valley Page 5
