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14. Calcified roots, thought to be skeletons
Title : 14. Calcified roots, thought to be skeletons 14. Calcified roots, thought to be skeletons
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Creator : Mountford, Charles P., photographer
Date of creation : 1938
Format : Photograph
Dimensions : 60 x 60 mm
Contributor : State Library of South Australia
Catalogue record
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Description :

Calcified roots found at Richie's Ridge during a South Australian Government expedition to the Simpson Desert.

These roots were found near Mount Dare Station by station owner Edwin Lowe, and believed to be human remains - possibly the remains of the party of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt. The site of their excavation was named 'Ritchie's Ridge' in honour of the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir George Ritchie.


Mountford wrote, "There is no doubt that some of the roots, when turned to lime and exposed are remarkably like the long bones of the skeleton."

Although palpably upset by this turn of events, the party's curiosity was piqued later that night when Campbell found the roots of a tooth at the site.

With this discovery to spur them on, the group set out the following day to excavate the area.
Subjects
Coverage year : 1938
Region : Flinders Ranges and Far North - Outback
Further reading :
Connell, Gordon. The mystery of Ludwig Leichhardt. Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press, 1980

Lamshed, Max. 'Monty' : the biography of C.P. Mountford, Adelaide : Rigby, 1972, pp. 56-60

Mountford, Charles P. 'Papers relating to the South Australian Government Expedition to search for the remains of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt', PRG 1218/9

Price, A. Grenfell. The Mystery of Leichhardt : the South Australian government expedition of 1938, South Australia : Royal Geographical Society, 1937-38

Roderick, Colin. Leichhardt, the dauntless explorer, North Ryde, N.S.W. : Angus & Robertson, 1988
Internet links :
Australian Dictionary of Biography - Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt

National Museum of Australia. Leichhardt: the man, the mystery, the science, the history [symposium held in 2007]

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