Davidson Black Research Articles

ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ZHOUKOUDIAN TEAM AND CHINESE-WESTERN INTERACTION SURROUNDING THE PEKING MAN DISCOVERY

ABSTRACT The in situ discovery of the first Peking Man skull in December 1929 was a dramatic historical event in geology and paleoanthropology. Two iconic photographs appear widely in books on Peking Man (formerly Sinanthropus pekinensis), and they show a group of Chinese and Western geologists inside a caravansary at Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) near Beijing. Long-standing issues of inconsistencies, uncertainties and lack of context regarding these photographs are addressed by using clues from published works as well as from photographs in the collection of China’s first vertebrate paleontologist Dr. Yang Zhongjian (1897–1979; C. C. Young). The paper determines the year of the photographs, their connection to other photographs, the identity of a tall man in one of the photographs, and the exact date and occasion of the event. Chinese-Western interaction of the Zhoukoudian team is discussed, and unpublished letters between Yang and Western scientists including Davidson Black (1884–1934) are presented to give a personal touch to the historical context surrounding the Peking Man discovery.

The establishment of palaeo-anthropology in South Africa and China: with especial reference to the remarkably similar roles of Raymond A. Dart and Davidson Black

The discovery of Australopithecus africanus (Taung Child) in South Africa in 1924 and Homo erectus (Peking Man) at Zhoukoudian in China in the 1920s not only historically began the discipline of palaeo-anthropology in these two countries, but also greatly influenced the development of this field as a whole. Besides, there are remarkable parallels between the careers of two pioneering palaeo-anthropologists, who were credited with these discoveries, Raymond A. Dart FRSSAf (1893–1988) and Davidson Black FRS (1884–1934). Both men were involved in the discovery and interpretation of fossils that seemed to fulfil the requirements of the archaic concept of a “Missing Link”. Both were concerned with the building of human origins programmes in their respective adoptive countries. Palaeo-anthropology in South Africa and China shares a common root, for both men had sat at the feet of Grafton Elliot Smith in Great Britain. From him both had absorbed an acquaintance with, and passion for, physical anthropology. Like the itinerant protégés of Linnaeus, both men were sent forth by their mentor to far-off places, one to Asia, one to Africa. These never-before-explored events not only reveal some very interesting links between these two figures and the countries they adopted, but also enriched the history of palaeo-anthropology as a science.

Professional RacismThe Retreat of Scientific Racism: Changing Conceptions of Race in Britain and the United States between the World Wars.Elazar Barkan

Previous articleNext article No AccessBooksProfessional Racism The Retreat of Scientific Racism: Changing Conceptions of Race in Britain and the United States between the World Wars. Elazar Barkan Peter J. BowlerPeter J. Bowler Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Current Anthropology Volume 33, Number 4Aug. - Oct., 1992 Sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/204101 Views: 5Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1992 The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological ResearchPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:P. V. TOBIAS, Q. WANG, J. L. CORMACK The establishment of palaeo-anthropology in South Africa and China: with especial reference to the remarkably similar roles of Raymond A. Dart and Davidson Black, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 56, no.11 (Jan 2001): 1–9.https://doi.org/10.1080/00359190109520451 John Neu Current Bibliography of the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences, 1992, Isis 83 (Oct 2015): 1–286.https://doi.org/10.1086/356370

Homo erectus: Papers in honor of Davidson Black. Edited by B.A. Sigmon and J.S. Cybulski. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 1981. xiv + 271 pp., figures, tables, bibliography, index. $30.00 canadian (cloth)

Homo erectus: Papers in honor of Davidson Black. Edited by B.A. Sigmon and J.S. Cybulski. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 1981. xiv + 271 pp., figures, tables, bibliography, index. $30.00 canadian (cloth)

: Davidson Black: A Biography . Dora Hood.

American AnthropologistVolume 67, Issue 2 p. 518-518 Free Access PRIMATOLOGY AND PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: Davidson Black: A Biography. Dora Hood Ralph G. H. R. von Koenigswald, Ralph G. H. R. von Koenigswald University of UtrechtSearch for more papers by this author Ralph G. H. R. von Koenigswald, Ralph G. H. R. von Koenigswald University of UtrechtSearch for more papers by this author First published: April 1965 https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1965.67.2.02a00390AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume67, Issue2April 1965Pages 518-518 RelatedInformation

Davidson Black: A Biography

The announcement of the discovery of Peking Man in 1927 caused great interest among scientists and produced excellent copy for newspapers, which confidently announced that the missing link had been discovered. Despite later discoveries, Sinanthropus pekinensis remains a respected member of the pantheon of evolutionary landmarks. But very few persons today could identify the discoverer, and fewer still would know any more about him than his name. Davidson Black was a Canadian physician, professor of anatomy at Peking Union Medical College from 1919 to his death in 1934. His diagnosis of Sinanthropus pekinensis , initially made in 1926, was based on evidence derived from two fossil teeth. Extensive training in comparative anatomy, including a course of study with Elliott Smith in Manchester, served Black well. Many scientists were hesitant to accept the anatomist's judgment based only on such scanty material. However, Black was convinced he was right, and subsequent finds at

Davidson black: A biography, by Dora Hood. pp. xx and 145. Illustrated. University of Toronto Press, 1964. $5.00

Davidson black: A <i>biography</i>, by Dora Hood. pp. xx and 145. Illustrated. University of Toronto Press, 1964. $5.00

Franz Weidenreich; 1873-1948.

THE science of anthropology has received significant contributions from many whose training has originally been in medicine. Along with Casimir Picard, Richard Owen, Davidson Black, Eugene Dubois, ...

Apes, Giants and Man

MORE than fifty years ago there were discovered in Bheisfocene deposits in central Java the fragmerj^hy remains of a large primate which in sewemliespects appeared to be intermediate between mapAid ape. It was therefore named Pithecanthropus, But, because the remains were so fragmentary, they led to a considerable amount of controversy which, on the whole, was rather inconclusive. Then, in 1929, the skull cap of a Pleistocene primate similar to Pithecanthropus was found in China near Pekin. It was described by the late Dr. Davidson Black and named by him Sinanthropus. Finally, during the few years preceding the Second World War, many more skeletal remains of these fossil forms came to light both in China and Java. Indeed, at present there are records of five skulls of Pithecanthropus (including that of an infant) from Java and no less than fifteen skulls of the Pekin fossil, as well as jaws and teeth and some limb bones. Thus we are now in a position to speak with some confidence on the morphological characters of these ancient forms. Apes, Giants and Man By Franz Weidenreich. Pp. vii + 122. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press; London: Cambridge University Press, 1946.)

The Relationship between Pithecanthropus and Sinanthropus

DAVIDSON BLACK had remarked on the great similarity between the first skull of Sinanthropus to be found and the Pithecanthropus skull of Trinil, a condition which induced him to see in Pithecanthropus a Hominid form closely related to Sinanthropus (1931). The additional finds of the latter, unearthed in the interval, have confirmed Black's interpretation in every respect. But on the other hand, since the Pithecanthropus finds remained restricted to that rather incomplete specimen of Trinil, absolute evidence for his true Hominid character was lacking. In such circumstances, there was no other way open but to await the discovery of additional Pithecanthropus material before definitely solving this problem.

Sir Grafton Elliot Smith and Work on Early Man in China

IN looking back over the history of the research on early man in China, it is of interest to realize how precarious was the adventure we entered upon. At the present time, we have five more or less complete skulls, four large skull-fragments, twelve mandibles, and nearly one hundred isolated teeth—indeed an imposing sum of specimens of Sinanthropus. However, the impressive point in this history is the fact that the vital generic characteristics of the distinct hominid were deduced from a diagnosis based, not upon this large number of specimens, but upon one single molar tooth. This specimen, which heralded a period of great scientific activity, was placed at our disposal in 1927 by the late Dr. Davidson Black.

: Fossil Man in China: The Choukoutien Cave Deposits with a Synopsis of Our Present Knowledge of the Late Cenozoic in China . Davidson Black, Teilhard de Chardin, C. C. Young, W. C. Pei.

American AnthropologistVolume 37, Issue 3 p. 514-515 Free Access PREHISTORY AND PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: Fossil Man in China: The Choukoutien Cave Deposits with a Synopsis of our Present Knowledge of the Late Cenozoic in China. Davidson Black, Teilhard de Chardin, C. C. Young, and W. C. Pei. Edited by Davidson Black Theodore D. McCown, Theodore D. McCown Downe, Kent, EnglandSearch for more papers by this author Theodore D. McCown, Theodore D. McCown Downe, Kent, EnglandSearch for more papers by this author First published: July‐September 1935 https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1935.37.3.02a00280AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume37, Issue3July‐September 1935Pages 514-515 RelatedInformation

Research Items

Early Man in China. Further researches and discoveries at Choukoutien, the site of discovery of Peking man, are described in three recent communications to the Geological Society of China. Messrs. Ralph W. Chaney and Lyman H. Daugherty deal with the occurrence of Cercis in association with the remains of Sinanthropus (Bull. 12, No. 3). Fragments of charred wood pointing to the use of fire by Peking man have been identified as a new species of Cercis, a member of the family of Leguminosse. In honour of the late Davidson Black it is named specifically Blackii; but it is sufficiently akin to C. chinensis, common in Chili Province, to suggest the probability that the climate in Peking man's day was much as it is now. P. Teilhard de Chardin and Dr. W. C. Pei report on discoveries in 1933-34 at Choukoutien (Bull. 13, No. 3) which, while not altering previous conclusions, add distinctness to precedent views on the stratigraphy and physiography of late Cenozoic times in north China. It is now apparent that the Lower Pleistocene, unknown for so long, is one of the most important Cenozoic formations in north China. New localities in the form of pockets have been opened up which make it possible to distinguish five, or even six, stages, instead of the three sedimentary units and the single fossiliferous horizon (Sinanthropus beds) previously differentiated. A preliminary report on the late palaeolithic cave is presented by Dr. W. C. Pei (Bull. 13, No. 4) in which the archaeological and palaeontological finds are described. Five cultural layers were found. Three human skulls and a large series of other human bones were discovered and among the artefacts 28 perforated teeth (canines) of fox or badger, which by their juxtaposition suggest the use of teeth as a necklace. As possibly younger than the remains of southern Ordos and older than Hailar, a tentative dating as equivalent to Mag-dalenian man in Europe is suggested.

Davidson Black, 1884-1934

The untimely death of Professor Davidson Black, which occurred on March 15, 1934, at the age of forty-nine years, deprived the Cenozoic Laboratory of Peking of one of its honorary directors who had unique qualifications of knowledge, temperament and technical training to make him the ideal man to direct the whole Cenozoic research. The time of his death was particularly discouraging to the whole scheme of work, for the other two honorary directors, Dr. Wong Wen Hao, the Director of the Geological Survey of China, had been involved in a motor car accident on his way to Nanking and was seriously injured; and Dr. V. K. Ting, the Honorary Director of Cenozoic Research in China, was occupying the room adjoining that of Davidson Black in the Peking Union Hospital. It is, however, no disparagement of the exceptional personal and professional qualifications of Drs. Wong and Ting, for both of whom he had a great admiration and affection, to say that Professor Davidson Black was the inspiration and controlling force in the whole Cenozoic Research. Not only had he in high degree the competence and personal qualities for the work, but he also had the enterprise and courage boldly to pursue the adventurous policy which has met with such conspicuous success.

Children of the Yellow Earth: Studies in Prehistoric China

READERS of NATURE are aware of the important work accomplished by Dr. J. Gunnar Andersson in opening up the field of palaeontology in China, and preparing the setting for the epoch-making work of the late Prof. Davidson Black, to whom he dedicates his book in these words: “This volume is dedicated to the memory of my charming friend Davidson Black (f March 15, 1934), Professor at the Peking Union Medical College, who with such penetrating genius identified and described Sinanthropus pekinensis.” Not only did Dr. Andersson discover the site of the earliest phase of human history, but he also recovered the earliest known cultural remains in China, which provided evidence to confirm the reality of the intimate connexion between the first civilisation of China and that of Western Asia, and convincing evidence of the derivation of Chinese Culture indirectly from Mesopotamia, as suggested long ago, but without the conclusive evidence, by Prof. Terrien de la Couperie. The book he has written is not only a fascinating introduction to the early geological and cultural history of China, but also is deeply interesting as giving the great pioneer's account of the circumstances of his discoveries, written in a vivid and entertaining style which throws valuable light upon the personal factors of the international cooperation which led to such momentous results. Children of the Yellow Earth: Studies in Prehistoric China. By J. Gunnar Andersson. Translated from the Swedish by Dr. E. Classen. Pp. xxi + 345 + 32 plates. (London: Kegan Paul and Co., Ltd., 1934.) 25s. net.

U.S. National Academy of Sciences Awards

IT is announced by Science Service that the Elliot Medal for 1931 has been awarded to the late Prof. Davidson Black, of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, for his researches on the skull of Peking man. The medal and honorarium is awarded annually for work on zoology or palæeontology. The first award of the Charles Doolittle Walcott Medal and honorarium of 1,350 dollars of the Academy has been made to Dr. David White, of the U.S. Geological Survey, in recognition of his work on the pre-Cambrian algæ of the Grand Canyon of Arizona, which are among the very oldest of plant fossils. Other awards just announced are: Agassiz Medal, to Dr. Bjorn Helland-Hansen, of the Geophysical Institute, Bergen, Norway; Public Welfare Medal, to Dr. David Fair-child, formerly of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and the Elliot Medal and honorarium of 200 dollars for 1930, to Dr. G. E. Coghill, Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia.

Prof. Davidson Black, F.R.S

THE untimely death of Prof. Davidson Black, which occurred on March 15 at the age of forty-nine years, deprives the Cenozoie Laboratory of Peking of its honorary director, who had unique qualifications of knowledge, temperament and technical training to make him the ideal man for such a position. Not only had he in high degree the competence and personal qualities for the work, but he also had the enterprise and courage boldly to pursue the adventurous policy which has met with such conspicuous success. When he entered the University of Toronto, Prof. A. B. Macallum recommended him before entering the Faculty of Medicine to acquire some general training. Acting on this suggestion, Davidson Black studied anthropology and took an arts degree. After qualifying in medicine he became instructor in anatomy in the Medical School of the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, Ohio. At the end of 1913 he was made assistant professor of anatomy under Prof. Wingate Todd, and after his marriage he came to England and worked at comparative neurology in my department in the University of Manchester. At that time I was working on the reconstruction of the Piltdown skull and the study of the endo-cranial cast obtained from it, and for purpose of comparison had collected casts of all the known fossil human skulls. This work aroused a much greater interest in Dr. Davidson Black than the brains of the Dipnoi in which I was trying to engage his interest, and he at once made himself familiar with all of the material I had collected, and informed me that that was the kind of work to which he was determined to devote his life. He at once set to work to train himself for iuch a career, acquiring the technical experience and studying the geological literature which was essential for the field work he contemplated. His attention was arrested by the writings of a fellow Canadian, Dr. William D. Matthew, at that time a member of the staff of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In particular he was fascinated by the work entitled “Climate and Evolution” which was published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, and this gave Davidson Black the complete conviction that China was the place where primitive man was likely to be discovered. Hence in 1916 when, after his military service, he was offered the position of professor of neurology in the Peking Union Medical College, he at once accepted the offer under the conviction that it coincided with the ideas he had formed as to his career.

X. A comparative study of the endocranial cast of Sinanthropus

We have made this attempt to describe and interpret the endocranial cast of Sinanthropus in deference to the wishes of Professor Davidson Black.* When he submitted to the Royal Society his preliminary report (Black, 1933, a ), he explained to us that he did not regard it as a disadvantage that his paper was incomplete, because it opened the way for those who had opportunities for comparing the cast with those of other human fossils and actual brains of primitive men and apes, to undertake the necessary work of comparison and interpretation, and we willingly undertake this duty. Each of us has independently studied the actual fossil skull in the Union Medical College at Peiping and examined the beautiful cast made by Professor Davidson Black from the actual fossils, and we should like to express our gratitude to him for these opportunities and many other kindnesses which he showed us. In studying the endocranial cast obtained from the Piltdown skull one of us (G.E.S.), years ago, was impressed by the extraordinary resemblance presented by the form of the brain in this extinct member of the human family to that of the primitive brain of a modern human being, a Sudanese negress (Elliot Smith, 1927, figs. 40 and 41). The other (J.L.S.) was impressed by the remarkable likeness to the endocranial cast of Sinanthropus of the brain of the Bushwoman, described in 1865 by Professor John Marshall. The recognition of these facts adds particular importance to the consideration that both the authors of this communication have served an apprenticeship to the task by examining large series of primitive brains, aboriginal Australians (J.L.S.) and Sudanese negroes (G.E.S.), and have devoted some attention to the comparison of the brains of the anthropoid apes and primitive men. In attempting to interpret the significance of the endocranial cast of Sinanthropus special attention must obviously be paid to comparison with the casts of Pithecanthropus and Eoanthropus . The comparison with the brains of the larger apes is also important, throwing light as it does upon the characters one ought to expect to find in extremely primitive human brains. In attempting to convey some real conception of the nature of the form of the brain we have resorted to the use of series of contours, figs. 10-14, so that the reader at a glance can obtain a graphic expression of the distinctive peculiarities of form. * The misfortune of his premature death deprives us of the pleasure of presenting this memoir to him.

: Skeletal Remains of Sinanthropus Other than Skull Parts . Davidson Black.

American AnthropologistVolume 35, Issue 4 p. 779-780 Free Access OLD WORLD ARCHAEOLOGY, SOMATOLOGY, MISCELLANEOUS: Skeletal Remains of Sinanthropus Other than Skull Parts. Davidson Black THEODORE D. MCCOWN, THEODORE D. MCCOWNSearch for more papers by this author THEODORE D. MCCOWN, THEODORE D. MCCOWNSearch for more papers by this author First published: October‐December 1933 https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1933.35.4.02a00180AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume35, Issue4October‐December 1933Pages 779-780 RelatedInformation

Research Items

Fossil Man in China. In view of the Fifth Pacific Science Congress and the Fifteenth Geological Congress this summer at Vancouver and Washington respectively, the Cenozoic Research Laboratory of the Geological Survey of China has summarised existing knowledge relating to Peking man and the Cenozoic history of China in a single volume ("Fossil Man in China”, Geological Memoirs, Series A, No. 11). Although contributions from members of the Laboratory have appeared in various publications, which cover practically the same ground, not only is it a matter of convenience to have the material collected in one volume, but there is also the added advantage of the perspective given by the editorship of Prof. Davidson Black, the director of the Laboratory, after discussion of various points with members of the staff, who have been responsible for work in the field. P. Teilhard de Chardin is the author of the first chapter, which deals with the Choukoutien deposits and the late Cenozoic of China; Prof. Davidson Black discusses the Sinanthropus skeletal remains and other north China fossil hominids; and P. Teilhard de Chardin deals with the Sinanthropus cultural remains and summarises the evidence of other ancient cultures in north China. Prof. Black emphasises the fact that although each section is based on the individual work of the authors, the conclusions represent their unanimous opinion as a group. As thus presented in new form, and especially as representing the considered conclusions of P. Teilhard de Chardin, the material will be found to repay careful examination. It is pointed out, for example, that the faunistic evidence of Choukoutien points to an interchange with the south, but that the situation provides no sound argument for a southern derivation of Sinanthropus, since Pithecanthropus was provided with a dentition much too highly specialised to have been ancestral to Sinanthropus. On the other hand, certain difficulties remain, such as those which have led Prof. M. Boule for one to question the attribution of the development of a lithic industry relatively so advanced and the use of fire to a being of a generalised type such as Sinanthropus, differing essentially on one hand from modern, Neanderthal and Rhodesian man, and on the other from the anthropoids.