The “Tertiary Man”: The story of a controversial human skeleton at the Museu de Ciències Naturals, Valencia, Spain.

Richard A. Fariña, Martín Batallés, Luciano Varela, Ángeles Beri

Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República

“Mezcla absurda de ciencia y de ignorancia,

¿cómo es posible sin error juzgarte?

Se debe a tí el impulso de lo bueno

y el germen de lo malo nos legaste.

¿Cómo fuiste en resumen? maldecirte

debemos o debemos admirarte?

¿Quién puede asegurar que fuiste un bruto?

¡Quién pudiera afirmar que fuiste grande!”

Fragment of “Contemplando los restos de un hombre primitivo, expuestos en una colección paleontológica”, poem inspired on the “Samborombón Man” by Francisco García de Cáceres

The greatest South American palaeontologist of all times, Florentino Ameghino (1853-1911), is rather unjustly remembered for his formidable mistake in conceiving the vast, nearly deserted extension of Patagonia as the cradle of humankind, a not so far-fetched idea in the late 19th century as it has become ever since. The finding of a complete skeleton is remarkably narrated in Salinas (2009), as the history and scientific context surrounding those human remains found in the Arroyo de Samborombón, Argentina, in 1882, and subsequently acquired by Rodrigo Botet for his palaeontological collection (Salinas-Jaques, 2009). This skeleton, one of the most complete in the Americas, generated scientific controversy due to the implications of its age and origin.

Ameghino, a pioneer in palaeontological studies, initially classified the skeleton as Tertiary, suggesting an age of millions of years and arguing for the early existence of humans in South America. This classification was based on his evolutionary theory, which proposed an autochthonous origin of humans in South America. However, this proposal was intensely debated and met with scepticism by the scientific community, both in Europe and America. Critics, such as Juan Vilanova y Piera, argued that the coexistence of the human skeleton with other fossil remains of extinct fauna was not sufficient proof of a Tertiary age.

Samples and chemical analysis of the skeleton of the “Man of Samborombón”, preserved in the archive of the Museu de Ciències Naturals, Valencia. / Muestras y análisis químico del esqueleto del “Hombre de Samborombón”, conservados en el archivo del Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Valencia.

Eduardo Boscá, a prominent Valencian scientist and defender of Darwinism, fervently supported Ameghino’s theories (Salinas-Jaques 2011). Boscá insisted on the authenticity and antiquity of the skeleton, which led the then Palaeontological Museum of Valencia to become a focal point for researchers interested in human origin and evolution. Nonetheless, more recent studies conducted in the 1990s placed the age of the skeleton at around 8000 years (Belinchón et al. 2009), corresponding to the Quaternary period. It was concluded that the skeleton belonged to a woman approximately 1.60 metres tall, presenting anatomical features such as sacral lumbarisation and signs of sepsis in the left hand, providing a more accurate view of the living conditions and health of that era.

Skeleton of the “Man of Samborombón”, as it is currently exhibited in the Skeleton of the “Man of Samborombón”, as it is currently exhibited in the Museu de Ciències Naturals, Valencia. / Esqueleto del “Hombre de Samborombón”, tal como se exhibe actualmente en el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Valencia.

The skeleton and its discovery context reflect the tensions and debates within the 19th and early 20th century scientific community regarding human evolution and antiquity. The positions of Ameghino and Boscá, influenced by Darwinism, clashed with those of more conservative scientists, who preferred less radical explanations about human evolution. Despite advances in the dating and analysis of fossil remains, this story highlights how ideological and political factors can influence scientific interpretation and how palaeontological discoveries continue to be a field of constant revision and debate.

Typed version of “Contemplating the Remains of a Primitive Man, exposed in a Palaeontological Collection”, a poem inspired by the “Man of Samborombón”. Archive of the Museu de Ciències Naturals, Valencia. Versión mecanografiada de “Contemplando los restos de un hombre primitivo, expuestos en una colección paleontológica”, poema inspirado en el “Hombre de Samborombón”. Archivo del Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Valencia.

References

Belinchón, M., Peñalver, E., Montoya, P. & Gascó, F. 2009. Crónicas de Fósiles. Las Colecciones paleontológicas del Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Valencia. Valencia: Ayuntamiento de Valencia. Regidoría de Cultura.

Salinas-Jaques, M. A. 2009. El esqueleto humano de la colección paleontológica “Rodrigo Botet” de Valencia y el debate sobre la antigüedad del Hombre (1890-1928). Debats 105: 85-100.

Salinas-Jaques, M. A. 2011. Eduardo Boscá Casanoves (1843-1924), un darwinista valenciano. Consell Valenciá de Cultura, Valencia.


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
alexiacomte (June 6, 2024). The “Tertiary Man”: The story of a controversial human skeleton at the Museu de Ciències Naturals, Valencia, Spain. SciCoMove — Scientific Collections on the Move. Retrieved April 28, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/11rx2


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