Expedition Claims America Populated for 25,000 Years

Civilization on the North American Continent, previously considered a more 5,000 years old, was given an age of nearly 25,000 years by Kirk Bryan, associate professor of Geology, and Louis L. Ray, former assistant in Geology, in a recent report.

The report was based on extensive studies during the past four summers at the Lindenmeier site in Colorado, which had been investigated by archeologists under Dr. Frank H. B. Roberts, Jr. of the Smithsonian Institute, and is considered "the most important find in recent years." If has yielded over 2,000 ancient stone implements, many of which were found imbedded in the vertebrae of extinct mensters. Around these and similar relies found elsewhere, a whole civilization of so-called "Folsom men" developed.

The problem was to determine the exact date of this prehistoric civilization. It was for this purpose that the Harvard geologists were summoned. As Bryan explains, "It is possible to relate the culture layer in which the relies were found to a definite, but inconspicuous, geologic event, the formation of the unusual Lindenmeier Valley.

"The ancient bed of the Lindenmeier River corresponds with a certain terrace in the present valley," he explained. "This terrace in the Lindenmeier Valley can be traced miles downstream to the South Platte River. From here it can be followed upstream to the canyons in the Rocky Mountains. The formation of these canyons is closely connected with the retreat of the last great glacial advance, which is a standard for chronology."

"By this time," he continued, "one's patience is pretty well exhausted. That's the trouble with geology, the cleverness necessary in this detective process is completely shrouded in long hours of detailed work, necessary before you can get anywhere."

At any rate, when Bryan finally reached the end of the trail, he discovered that the culture layer in which the relies were found was no less than 21,000 years old. This, however, according to Bryan, "is probably a little inaccurate, because of the long process needed in reaching the figure."